Topic: Any tips for a drumming crash course aiming for massive improvement in 2 years?

[Edwin Francis]

Hi guys!

This is my first post here! (other then the introduce yourselves one). Anyways, well, I've got a big question. I'll be explaining my situation which also leads to the question! I hope it isn't too confusing! So here goes!

*WARNING SUPER LONG POST AHEAD*

I've been playing drums for over 7 years now, mostly, if not all by ear. However this year I decided that I want to make music my career and my life. Hoping to work in theatre pits as a professional drummer for broadway or something. On top of that, my parents are pushing me to get a degree after I got my diploma, but my current diploma is totally unrelated to music. But I figured that I should just try for a place in a university that offers a degree in music performance, after all it'll help me for my goals right? However their audition process feels like a bbq grill to me, and I'm the kebab or steak or whatever that's gonna get flamed and be embarrassed there. The "entry requirement" aside from some decent english grades at the Uni's I'm looking at is basically a 20 minute audition requiring you to perform a jazz standard along with another piece of a different genre. Not only that, the other piece has to be a different feel, or your own arrangement of a musical work.

So with that I started taking lessons, about 3 months ago, but switched teachers on the 2nd month as the first was okay, I learnt a lot of basics all over again, but we were digressing a lot here and there, or I felt I was. Or maybe I just expected too much from a beginner course style lesson. I don't know, but I learnt how to read there, not proficiently, but it kick started my obsession for reading. Hell I love reading and interpreting sheets more then playing drums! I even started transcribing my drum parts for originals I was playing for a band of mine, it wasn't perfect but it was a learning experience even though it was all basics too. I would have been learning all the advanced stuff this or next month if I stayed on with that teacher/music school.

Anyway, so I switched to a teacher with more experience, was a music examiner at Yamaha Music for 8 years, and he plays at a local bar everyday. He's pretty good, but our pace is slow. He makes sure I can get my rudiments and stick control exercises right and also shows me how all these fit into playing on the kit. Plus he really pushes me to have better time, making sure I use a metronome or if I don't I'm consistent. Which was pretty entertaining and fun when he showed me all that. But we're still doing basic 8th note beats, coupled with 16th beat fills. Kind of thing. But I do miss the syllabus the other school offered, as I felt it to be more systematic and challenging. But the teacher I had there was just a year older then me, and everyone I knew was like "Go for one with better experience" so now, my lessons are a little less formal, and is based on what the current teacher has to offer, but he really guides me through what my practice routine should be like and all, unlike the previous one.


Anyways with that, by now you guys can probably guess that my basics aren't really there, or not polished up to standard. I've also read up on other threads here, and I can safely say I'm not ready work as a professional drummer. I don't have my skills polished up enough to be "there." I have bought and am struggling with books like the ultimate drum set reading anthology book by Steve Houghton and even Tommy Igoe's Groove Essentials 1.0 jazz stuff (I use this books on my free time when I'm not practicing what my teacher gave me). But I got about the next 2 years to spare, cause where I stay I need to serve 2 years in the military. So I figured I could use that time to improve myself. I however, won't have all the time in the world to practice due to my service in the military, and my access to my kit is cut short to probably my weekends.

With that do you guys think I can reach that level needed to work as a professional drummer? In just 2 years? Do you guys here have any tips? For a guy that might only have his weekends and less then an hour a night on his weekdays to practice?

By the way, I'm not sure if this matters in the industry, but I'm 20 this year, so by the time I'm out of the military I'm like 22 years old. Not sure how much that would affect my career and life paths.


Thanks a lot and sorry for the long winded story!
Edwin



Little edit!
I forgot to add in on my second last paragraph that also within two years, do you think I can improve enough to make it into a music degree program/course? As at least my short term goal is to get into one!
Sorry for the trouble and thanks for the replies so far!

[Jeff Johnson]

Drum teachers are not "one size fits all".  You need to seek out teachers who have done (and are doing) what you want to do.  It seems that your teachers may not have majored in music or played theater shows.  So it may be difficult for them to help you with your goals.  If you are in an area that does not have a music scene, you may need to travel to a larger city for lessons.  I drove 2 hours each way to study with Joe Morello and 2-1/2 hours each way to study at Drummers Collective.  I did that for years.  But I knew that I was getting the information and skills needed to make a living as a professional musician.

Jeff

[Chip Donaho]

I auditioned for the Army Band while I was in basic training. It was a great experience. Every kind of music you can think of. The musicians were a mix from rookie to Pro level drummers. You may want to give that a shot. 

[Bart Elliott]

I think it's fine to set goals, such as playing drum professionally in two years, however, it's all going to depend on how much you grow during that time. There are a LOT of good drummers out there, so you've got to have it all together if you want to stand out in the crowd and play drums fulltime.

The term "professional" means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Not sure exactly what YOU mean by professional, but I assume that you meant working regularly, if not fulltime, as a musician.

I was working "professionally" as a teenager, meaning that I was gigging and being paid to play. I certainly was NOT at the level I needed to be, but this was back in the late 70s and in a small college town. I say all of this to encourage you that you can make music with anyone you want, whether you are paid or not, and you SHOULD be playing with anyone and everyone you can.

One thing that will speed up your progress is to find the right teacher for you, who has done or is done that which you want to do. The instructor, which you have already figured out, it appears, will help you make decisions and set goals to meet your objective. The teacher can also help keep you from "spinning your wheels in the mud" by guiding you and keeping you from making the same mistakes or bad decisions over and over. Also having someone who has "done it" will help advise you in what to avoid and/or do. Since they've traveled the path before you, they can help you from landing in the same pot holes and/or ditches.

I think there is a balance between focusing and building the basics, while still pressing forward. If you are playing or studying the same things over and over, you should ask your teacher if this is because you are missing something or perhaps haven't developed the necessary skill or technique. Some teachers just treat each student the same, going through the same process with each student ... while other teachers have a process which they modify to fit the needs and progress of each individual student.

The more versatile you are, and the more experience you have with all styles, is going to make you a stronger asset to any artist and/or band. In the competitive music industry, this is something that you are going to want to have.

Be patient and diligent ... and your efforts will be rewarded. 

[David Stanoch]

I appreciate the sincerity and desire behind your question, Edwin.

I’ll try to make my contribution simple.

1.) Heed the all of the great advice offered above.

2.) Make sure you find a teacher that inspires you and not only helps you toward your goal, but also can explain what is necessary on a fundamental level to make sure you have a strong foundation on your instrument as you forge ahead.

3.) Study music, not just drumming. Melody, harmony and rhythm are all the same thing - waves of sound. Whether you play in a symphony or a rhythm section it’s best to understand the context you’re playing in from every angle so that you understand your role and how it "fits.” A drummer who understands form and the function of harmony and melody can not only better accompany others but can also employ those attributes to their drumming as well.

3.) This is the most important piece: Join a band. Whether it’s in your school, church, or something you find or organize yourself through advertising or social media, starting making music with other people. If you can find anyone who is more experienced than you to play with that’s the best scenario but if not, don’t let that stop you. Don’t worry about whether the playing is in the form of a gig or not right away, just play. Everything mentioned above comes together when you play with others. You find out which things you’ve learned are working or not and if not, you know just what to ask your teacher about and focus your practicing on.

4.) Record your practicing and listen to it. Does it sound like you wish or imagine it to? If yes, move on. If no, work it out so it does. Record your practicing and performance in groups. The smart drummer wants to know what everyone else hears when he/she plays, so be the smart drummer. This approach can literally take years off of your development because you get instant feedback  - there’s no mystery to what you sound like.

No one has it all figured out in two years, Edwin, but with the right approach and focus you can be light years ahead of where you are now. Good luck.

[Edwin Francis]

Hi guys!

Sorry I took so long to reply! Firstly, thank you so much for your replies! It's such an honor to get such valuable advice and tips from all of you! I'll do my best to heed the advice offered and given. Hopefully it'll all works out =)

Well, I'm gonna reply you guys one by one in the follow paragraphs!


To Jeff,
Thank you for your reply! I am currently living in Singpapore. Which is basically a really tiny Asian country and we do have a music scene, but nothing big like the in the US. We don't really have many musical theatre shows, or at least theatre shows which actively need musicians, let alone drummers. Even if they do, they would turn to the well established orchestra groups here :s which I don't have the experience and skill to make the cut or break into. I'm moving to Melbourne once i'm done with my military service, so hopefully things pick up there. I'd probably find a teacher there with more experience in that sense, but I'm still not too sure if the musical theatre scene there is any similar to the US (maybe I should move to the US instead!). But I guess most of all I need to keep practicing and working my craft to get somewhere, and I gotta a long way to go for that.

As for my drum teachers, I agree. It's not a one size fits all, and I gotta look for one that has the knowledge that can help me out for my goals. But given my local scene here it's hard to find one. There are a few, very few, local drummers/teachers with those experiences infact I can only name two drummers and one percussionist with that experience, I've tried contacting them before but they were all fully booked :/. And I don't know how I'm gonna "quit" my current  lessons and switch to the teachers whom have that experience cause they all know one another as co-workers teaching in the same music school or fellow musicians in the scene. But I guess I'll keep searching! and I guess I'll also have to see how my current lessons go with my teacher, as he's got a few credentials to his name, having taught at Yamaha music for 8 years and so on.


To Chip,
I most definitely will give the Army band a try! Once I'm done with my basic training. I heard it's pretty competitive and that places are limited over here in Singapore though. Like there's a hundred over drummers competing for 1 or 2 places in the army band. It seems that they tend to take in the best, and nothing less over here and I've seen drummers the same age as me (those studying music in my school), ripping the kit =s So yeah it's pretty though. But never the less, it doesn't hurt to try! I'd cry happy tears if I'd make the cut! The funny part is that my current teacher was one of those drummers during his time when he had to serve =p


To Bart,
Thank you so much for your reply again and for creating such a wonderful online community! and well, what you said got my thinking and reflecting about my previous lessons with my current teacher (and old one too). Also, you hit it spot on about what I meant by "professional drummer" (even though I wasn't clear in my first post). I'd definitely be playing with whoever I can when I get the chance too, my band mates have been a little busy with life in general though =/.

As for my lessons right now, I realized that my past few lessons were kind of on "repeat" as I either forgot to remind my teacher to bring new material for me, as I don't go to the music school he teaches at, but instead he comes over to my place. Or that I had so much questions about the homework he gave me, he decided to forgo the current "plan" he had for the lesson, and go through the home work, and making sure I could do whatever I was supposed to do properly and confidently. So I guess my he's trying to find that balance of pressing forward and while still working on my basics. But as I mentioned, I kinda still miss the syllabus my old teacher used, it's more of what I'd like to do. But we'd always kinda digress a bit as I mentioned. But he was kind enough to give me a full final lesson even though I was super late, going through and giving me some final advice about whatever notes I got from the school.

So all in all I guess, I also have to work on myself, to be more disciplined, and as you said be patient and diligent! I'll also do my best to get it all together as you mentioned, to stand out as a drummer.


To David,
Also Thank you so much David for your reply! I'll definitely follow your steps you suggested in your reply.

It's pretty interesting about what you said about studying music and all. Cause that's what really differentiates me from my older brother (who plays drums and guitar). As he had studied Diploma in Music (and is currently doing his Degree in Music Industry), while I didn't even have any sort of formal music training or lessons aside from my drum lessons and it kind of shows in his drumming. It's very musical and he knows how to fit the drums in to the musical situation and not over power the rest of the band. I think I should go out and study abit of music too =)

Also thank you for the tip about practicing and playing with bands! I do play a bit in Church and with friends of mine, but I never saw it the way as you mention! Very valuable advice =) Also I agree about playing with people who are more experienced, I didn't realize it helped so much till you mentioned it here.

Lastly, I'll definitely record myself! I guess it's a sign! My current teacher constantly tells me to do that too =P, but I haven't. I guess it's really that good a way to improve one's self as a drummer eh?


Once again,
Thank you all for your valuable advice! I'm really grateful for them and the support!

Edwin