Create a space. A fancy music studio isn't necessary, but try to carve out a space where you can leave some kind of kit set up with anything else you might need – be it a music stand, headphones or a metronome – to minimise barriers. If you have to set up your drums every time you want to practise, or move boxes or dirty laundry from around your kit, it's going to be harder on the days you feel less motivated.
Be consistent. Practise every day, or at least most days, even if only for a short time. Frequent repetition is key, so practising more often with breaks is preferable to one marathon session. It may sound odd, but by practising for just 15 minutes a day, Monday to Friday, for a total of 75 minutes a week, you'll see better results than practising for two hours once a week.
Slow down. Every music teacher has said this since the beginning of time, but it's important. Muscle memory is built with any kind of repetition, so we certainly don't want to reinforce incorrect motions. Break down your movements and gradually increase the speed. Nowadays, we have the technology to help with this. You can, of course, use a metronome, and there are lots of free apps and platforms that allow you to slow down a recording, including YouTube.
Use your ears. Books are great, but resist the urge to reach for them right away. As toddlers we don't reach for a book and try to read; we learn to speak by imitating the sounds of our parents before learning what words look like on a page. Music is no different. Learn the sounds and how to make them first, then learn what they look like and how to read them.
Listen and play along. Even when you do start reading parts from a page, be sure that you're listening to original recordings and playing along to them. Groove is something notation can't capture, so if you want to sound like your favourite drummer, the only way to do this is to listen and emulate.
Experiment with different setups and sounds. Finding a sound that you like and a setup that feels good is hugely important. You can craft this the same way you craft your playing – by emulating players you admire. Tune your drums like your favourite drummer; find videos of them playing and set up your drums like theirs. Then try a different drummer. Re-tune and move your drums around again. You'll come to find sounds that resonate with you and setups that feel more natural.
Visualise. This one may sound strange, but it really works. Studies have shown that once we establish a physical motion, it can be further improved simply by mentally visualising it. So, when you can't be at the kit, listen to the song you're practising and picture yourself playing every note.
Keep a log. It can sometimes feel as though we're not improving, but by writing down what you practise and how it went, you can keep track of your progress – be it speed, quality, endurance, and so on. A practice log also helps with decision fatigue. It's very easy to waste time when you're not sure what to practise, but if you check your log, you can pick up right where you left off.
Isolate your weaknesses. Some parts will be harder than others, but if you constantly play through a whole piece, you'll never improve those tricky bits. Self-diagnosis is a powerful skill in practising. Find the parts or skills that are giving you trouble and isolate them. Again, slow them down and gradually work your way up until they feel as good as the rest of the tune, then put them back in context.
Improvise, and have fun! Most of the tips here are pretty systematic, like tools, but remember that we do this because we love it. Make sure to take some time to just play – improvise, be creative, and let your limbs go wherever your brain wants to take them!
Do you have ‘quick tips’ on an area of teaching you'd like to share? If so, email the editor at music.teacher@markallengroup.com
