Drum practice is a hot topic for any drummer to talk about. There are many debates on what the appropriate amount of practice time should be. Is there an ideal number of hours? The answer may surprise you!
First, let's be clear what practice is. For drummers, practice is not just playing your instrument. It also includes time spent on things like perfecting new techniques, working on unfamiliar rhythms and improving skills such as speed control.
If you're just starting out, we recommend practicing drums for about 30 minutes a day. As time goes on, aim to practice 60-90 minutes a day depending on the level of playing you want to achieve.
But there are some reasons for you to practice more or less than these recommended times. We discuss these reasons below.
What are your drumming goals?
If you plan to be the next Buddy Rich, then you’ll need to dedicate more time to your practice routine than if you just want to jam along with some friends on a Friday night.
So, the first step is to decide what your drumming goals are.
- Is there a particular style of music you want to play?
- What level do you want to play at - fun, serious or professional?
- When do you want to achieve your goal - 6 months, a year, 5 years?
Clearly, if you’re a new starter and want to play at a professional level within the next year, you're going to have to put the hours of practice in. This could involve you spending 3-4 hours practicing a day.
Once you know what you're shooting for, it's time to get serious about planning how practice time is going to fit into your life.
Planning your drum practice
We all lead busy lives, and drum practice can often get shifted to the back of the queue. So how do you fit drumming around your work, studies, and family commitments?
The first thing to do is to be realistic about the times that you can dedicate to study each week, and then work out a schedule.
Here's an example of a drum schedule:
Monday - Work from nine to five, come home and do 45min drum practice.
Tuesday – Rest of family at choir practice, practice drums for 1 hour after dinner.
Wednesday - Judo training - no drum practice
Thursday - Work from nine to five, come home and do 45min drum practice.
Friday - Afternoon off work, practice drums for 90 minutes
Saturday - Practice drums for 90 minutes
It's worth noting that you don't have to practice for the same amount of time each day. Fit it in around your schedule.
Making drum practice time a priority
Dedicate time to your practice schedule. Make it a priority and make yourself accountable by including practice in your calendar or daily planner.
If you’re practicing drums for an hour, let your family know that you're going to be unavailable for those 60 minutes. Turn off your notifications so you don't get interruptions like texts from friends asking if you want to hang out.
Get more out of your time drumming
You may be worrying that you don't have enough time to practice and get to the standard you want. There is an answer to this problem!
Here are some tricks that can help you get better results in less time:
Daily Practice - Make a schedule and practice drumming every day. Even if it's just for ten minutes, do it every day. This is the most important trick of all because you’re building a habit. You’ll also learn more effectively. Half an hour every day is better than a 3½ hour marathon session on Sundays..
Variety - Mix up your practice sessions. Include technique and rudiments practice as well as reading music and learning new songs. Also include time to just rock out and have some fun playing along to your favourite songs or tracks with great drumming.
Change your practice routine regularly so you don't get bored, or spend time practicing the same things over and over again.
Plan - Always have a plan - If you want to get the most from your drum practice time, you should know what you're going to be playing before you sit behind the kit. It's all too easy to just sit down and start freestyling with no real purpose (OK I'll fess up, I've been as guilty as anyone of this!)
Before you know it, half your practice time has gone. A much better approach is to have an idea of what you want to practice so that when it comes time for your session, there's no hesitation about where to start.
Planning in advance also helps you work on the parts of drumming you've been neglecting. The best drummer is one who does not have a favourite side or limb (they're all important) but getting to that point can take a lot of time and dedicated practice.
Maximise your time away from the drum kit
You don’t have to be behind your kit to continue improving your drumming skills.
Practice technique and rudiments when you're doing other things, like watching the TV or YouTube videos. If you don’t have your sticks and practice pad handy, just use your hands to tap out some exercises on your knees.
This will help you build a 'muscle memory', so over time it will be easier and more fun to play these exercises without even thinking.
Listen to drums when you're not practicing. For example, listen to a drum lesson on YouTube. Alternatively, study some music with great drumming in it. This can help your brain work out what is happening and why the drummer does certain things at different point in the song.
An example of a 1-hour drum practice
Have you ever thought “What should I practice on drums?” For a little inspiration, here’s an example of a 60min practice session:
1) Warm up (5 mins) - Warm up and play for a few minutes to get your hands moving.
2) Technique (20 mins) - Go through the techniques you need to work on, such as rudiments or drum fills. For example, if you're working on paradiddles, do an exercise with all the variations that you want to practice. Using a metronome, note what speed you are comfortable playing for a whole minute.
An alternative technique to practice would be to work through the exercises in one of the classic drum technique books such as 'Stick Control' by George Lawrence Stone, or 'Progressive Steps to Syncopation' by Ted Reed.
3) Learning a Piece of Music (20mins) - This could be anything from a drum solo, to an orchestral piece or even some jazz. If you play in a band, it could include songs that you will be playing.
Play along with your recording and try to practice your reading skills as well as counting in time.
Another great technique for this section of your practice routine is to use 'drumless tracks'. These help you build your sense of timing and allow you to concentrate on the music more.
4) Jam to Music (15min) - This is where you can have some fun! Just choose a favourite piece of music or a famous drummer that you admire and try playing along.
Don't be too judgemental in this final session. It's not about playing the piece perfectly. In fact, I'd go as far as saying if you're not making mistakes, you're not trying hard enough.
It's more important to improvise, incorporate some recent techniques you've learnt and try to feel 'the pocket' - the point where the rhythm just feels right for the song.
What's your drumming plan?
So how long are you prepared to spend practicing the drums? Whatever your goals, now is a better time than ever to learn this wonderful instrument and start having fun.