What I have noticed is the following. When I start leaning something new, it all seems very difficult. I spend and hour or more, and I almost don’t see any improvement. HOWEVER, the next day, I realise there was an improvement. Sleeping is very important: your brain retains what is relevant and useful, and discards the rest. So, my advice is: try, sleep, and the next day train again, and so on. Sleeping is very important!
Mike you are great teacher and as a drum teacher myself I find I am often showing your videos in lessons and we work on things that you are always talking about. It's really great to have you around!
you are making a good point it. is not about just doing it. it should sound and feel good. that takes time. single handed 16s. long journey for me to get hand movement right but eventually I came trough. alongside with my doubles. my drum teacher told me these movements are related. small steps.
This is so true. I had moved on to Grade 3 but then life events impacted on my practice so instead of just ploughing on I have taken a step back and have decided to put my efforts into perfecting Grade 2 level and regaining my confidence before I try Grade 3 again. I’d rather be great at the Grade 2 level than frustrated at Grade 3.
After years of playing and being able to do some pretty complex stuff only to fall over on things that I perceived as relatively easy, I came across your video about the Creep drumbeat and it all made sense. There really are no short cuts - everything has to be worked on over and over again until it's fully wired in, not just the glamorous stuff. I've gone back to basics over the last wee while and it all just feels better as a result. Top stuff!
Good man. Removing the words "easy" and "hard" from our vocabulary and replacing then with "currently within my capabilities" and "not currently within my capabilities but I'm working on it" would benefit many learners in my experience. Cheers.
@@MikeBarnesDrums cheers. After watching your stuff about drum courses, I've ordered the Trinity 3-5 book to get a view as to where I really am as opposed to where I think I am and will take it from there.
It's everything in this game (and most games in fact). Growth mindset students enjoy the journey, build themselves up and get to where they once couldn't even imagine with this. Those entrenched in a fixed mindset stay stuck there until that mindset can change, in my experience. Cheers!
"just try and play it " Oh yeah , I know that feeling , nothing like trying to chuck a fill out in a band setting when you havent slowly worked up to it! - it dont go well.
Totally agree! Would like to add, from my experience, that some form of determination helps alot. Also, setting a goal where one can focus on is benefitial.
Determination is great, commitment is even better IMO and supersedes all other factors ("motivation", "trying" etc) in my experience. Thanks for watching.
One of my first grade 2 songs that was an eye opener, was Eagles - One of these Nights. That beat had an open and close hi hat section. I had to slow that sucker right down. I read some comments about people not getting this or they got it but not the open and close hi hat bit. So i started at snail pace. I think it was a ridiculous 30 or 4o beats. I hacked away at this till i could do the 30 or 40 beats. I then tried to increase this by 5 beats. Played this till i could play it. Increased it by 5 till i could play it. Eventually, after an hour of hacking away at this i got it with the opening of the hi hat and closing of the hi hat. I was so proud of myself. To this day when i sit in front of my kit i play that song. If you have been playing drums all your life or from a very young age, you might get this right away. Great. Some of us started in our 50's. Like me. It takes me a bit of repetition to get it most of the time. But what ever it is you are tryign to play never assume that you will be able to play this right away.
As usual excellent advice.. I am currently learning Cat people putting out the fire by David Bowie. I am north of 60 in age and have never heard this song before 😱 I practice it every day by doing one section at a time... As you say repetition and taking time is key. Btw I am self taught, my band members comment on how I have improved over the last year I have been playing. I think it's due to finding you on you tube, becoming a channel member and the way you are so positive in your teaching... Oh and practice of course Cheers Mike 👍
No One Knows? Yep, a classic example of where the great musician says “what’s a great drum part, let’s work up to playing this well” and goes to work building up the physical skills involved if needed as well as just the lick itself - and will eventually and inevitably end up playing it well. While others say “this is hard”, “it’s too fast”, I can’t do it and I don’t know why” etc and remain stuck. Cheers.
There are a few time with songs (specifically in the trinity grade 6 books) where there are parts which are just too fast, like the chorus in smooth criminal or snare roll in misery business. Should I keep working on it or move on and come back when I’m more experienced?
Hard to say without seeing you play, but experience tells me… 1) It’s a really good idea to thoroughly learn all the material from previous levels before moving on to the next, so physical/coordination skills can really bed in and put you in the best position to learn the level you’re aiming at. Have you done this? 2) To play well at the higher grades/at higher levels it’s also a really good idea to be working a practice plan that has technique/speed development exercises in addition to learning the songs. Are you doing this? 3) With the above two points in mind, and while it’s clearly important to give more challenging material sufficient time to build up, I’d say it’s also sensible to put reasonable time limits on learning a piece. I’d personally say that if you’re still in the “this is too fast/too hard” stage of a piece a few months into working on it regularly, that could be a sign that that piece is not currently in your “improvement zone” and as such probably doesn’t represent the best use of your time at this point. At that point, working on something that is at an appropriate level, or at least focusing more on the relevant physical skills that are currently the limiting factor would be a good move. Cheers.
As a completely self taught brand new Drummer. I'm absolutely trying to respect everything I'm playing. ruclips.net/video/uP2spghABRQ/видео.html this was my first attempt. And this was 3 months later.. after lots an lots of practice to try and get better off camera. ruclips.net/video/Kt4Kx-7L9nY/видео.html I'm far from Perfect.. But I respect every song, and I'm just trying to do it better than I did the last time every single time.. No matter how small the improvement is. I'm VERY new.. I've never touched drums in my life till few months back.. I'm HOOOOOOOOOKED! hahaha
This may sound corny, vomit inducing or cliché, but with music the journey can be more fulfilling than the destination. Looking back at the road that got you there is where the satisfaction lies. Don't under estimate it as you will never, ever repeat that same journey. There will be many goals, and they will all have a slightly different path.
Not corny at all, the old clichés have stood the test of time for good reason. One of the core messages of this channel over the years has been a focus on the journey will yield much great satisfaction than pinning your happiness on a particular result. Thanks for watching.
Become a channel member of this channel or support it by “buying a coffee” www.buymeacoffee.com/mikebarnesdrums
Thanks for all your amazing support.
What I have noticed is the following. When I start leaning something new, it all seems very difficult. I spend and hour or more, and I almost don’t see any improvement. HOWEVER, the next day, I realise there was an improvement. Sleeping is very important: your brain retains what is relevant and useful, and discards the rest. So, my advice is: try, sleep, and the next day train again, and so on. Sleeping is very important!
Noble art indeed. Great video Mike.
This truth is key. You have to love the process and value the smallest progression. And I do. Dynamite, Mike!
Great words Liz 👏🏻
This is a really great lesson in music and life too, Mike! Nothing is given, everything is earned.
Mike you are great teacher and as a drum teacher myself I find I am often showing your videos in lessons and we work on things that you are always talking about. It's really great to have you around!
Cheers Jeff!
you are making a good point it. is not about just doing it. it should sound and feel good. that takes time. single handed 16s. long journey for me to get hand movement right but eventually I came trough. alongside with my doubles. my drum teacher told me these movements are related. small steps.
This is so true. I had moved on to Grade 3 but then life events impacted on my practice so instead of just ploughing on I have taken a step back and have decided to put my efforts into perfecting Grade 2 level and regaining my confidence before I try Grade 3 again. I’d rather be great at the Grade 2 level than frustrated at Grade 3.
After years of playing and being able to do some pretty complex stuff only to fall over on things that I perceived as relatively easy, I came across your video about the Creep drumbeat and it all made sense. There really are no short cuts - everything has to be worked on over and over again until it's fully wired in, not just the glamorous stuff. I've gone back to basics over the last wee while and it all just feels better as a result. Top stuff!
Good man. Removing the words "easy" and "hard" from our vocabulary and replacing then with "currently within my capabilities" and "not currently within my capabilities but I'm working on it" would benefit many learners in my experience. Cheers.
@@MikeBarnesDrums cheers. After watching your stuff about drum courses, I've ordered the Trinity 3-5 book to get a view as to where I really am as opposed to where I think I am and will take it from there.
Mike is a fantastic proponent of a growth mindset
It's everything in this game (and most games in fact). Growth mindset students enjoy the journey, build themselves up and get to where they once couldn't even imagine with this. Those entrenched in a fixed mindset stay stuck there until that mindset can change, in my experience. Cheers!
"just try and play it " Oh yeah , I know that feeling , nothing like trying to chuck a fill out in a band setting when you havent slowly worked up to it! - it dont go well.
Biggest difference between great drummers and not great: they treat the thing with respect and give it the time and energy it deserves to be good 👌🏻
Inspiring words. Thanks
Totally agree! Would like to add, from my experience, that some form of determination helps alot. Also, setting a goal where one can focus on is benefitial.
Determination is great, commitment is even better IMO and supersedes all other factors ("motivation", "trying" etc) in my experience. Thanks for watching.
And yes, goals are helpful of course.
One of my first grade 2 songs that was an eye opener, was Eagles - One of these Nights. That beat had an open and close hi hat section. I had to slow that sucker right down. I read some comments about people not getting this or they got it but not the open and close hi hat bit. So i started at snail pace. I think it was a ridiculous 30 or 4o beats. I hacked away at this till i could do the 30 or 40 beats. I then tried to increase this by 5 beats. Played this till i could play it. Increased it by 5 till i could play it. Eventually, after an hour of hacking away at this i got it with the opening of the hi hat and closing of the hi hat. I was so proud of myself. To this day when i sit in front of my kit i play that song.
If you have been playing drums all your life or from a very young age, you might get this right away. Great. Some of us started in our 50's. Like me. It takes me a bit of repetition to get it most of the time. But what ever it is you are tryign to play never assume that you will be able to play this right away.
That's the one! Build your skills, earn it - drumming is not a "I can do it/I can't do it" thing!
I needed to hear this..
Great observation!!!! And analysis
As usual excellent advice.. I am currently learning Cat people putting out the fire by David Bowie. I am north of 60 in age and have never heard this song before 😱 I practice it every day by doing one section at a time... As you say repetition and taking time is key. Btw I am self taught, my band members comment on how I have improved over the last year I have been playing. I think it's due to finding you on you tube, becoming a channel member and the way you are so positive in your teaching... Oh and practice of course Cheers Mike 👍
Thanks so much man and well done, keep it going 👌🏻
The Dave Ghrol Herta fill on Queens of the Stone ages " You don't know" is an example for me.
No One Knows? Yep, a classic example of where the great musician says “what’s a great drum part, let’s work up to playing this well” and goes to work building up the physical skills involved if needed as well as just the lick itself - and will eventually and inevitably end up playing it well. While others say “this is hard”, “it’s too fast”, I can’t do it and I don’t know why” etc and remain stuck. Cheers.
There are a few time with songs (specifically in the trinity grade 6 books) where there are parts which are just too fast, like the chorus in smooth criminal or snare roll in misery business.
Should I keep working on it or move on and come back when I’m more experienced?
Keep working on it. You’ll get better
Hard to say without seeing you play, but experience tells me…
1) It’s a really good idea to thoroughly learn all the material from previous levels before moving on to the next, so physical/coordination skills can really bed in and put you in the best position to learn the level you’re aiming at. Have you done this?
2) To play well at the higher grades/at higher levels it’s also a really good idea to be working a practice plan that has technique/speed development exercises in addition to learning the songs. Are you doing this?
3) With the above two points in mind, and while it’s clearly important to give more challenging material sufficient time to build up, I’d say it’s also sensible to put reasonable time limits on learning a piece. I’d personally say that if you’re still in the “this is too fast/too hard” stage of a piece a few months into working on it regularly, that could be a sign that that piece is not currently in your “improvement zone” and as such probably doesn’t represent the best use of your time at this point. At that point, working on something that is at an appropriate level, or at least focusing more on the relevant physical skills that are currently the limiting factor would be a good move. Cheers.
As a completely self taught brand new Drummer. I'm absolutely trying to respect everything I'm playing. ruclips.net/video/uP2spghABRQ/видео.html this was my first attempt. And this was 3 months later.. after lots an lots of practice to try and get better off camera. ruclips.net/video/Kt4Kx-7L9nY/видео.html I'm far from Perfect.. But I respect every song, and I'm just trying to do it better than I did the last time every single time.. No matter how small the improvement is. I'm VERY new.. I've never touched drums in my life till few months back.. I'm HOOOOOOOOOKED! hahaha
This may sound corny, vomit inducing or cliché, but with music the journey can be more fulfilling than the destination. Looking back at the road that got you there is where the satisfaction lies. Don't under estimate it as you will never, ever repeat that same journey. There will be many goals, and they will all have a slightly different path.
Not corny at all, the old clichés have stood the test of time for good reason. One of the core messages of this channel over the years has been a focus on the journey will yield much great satisfaction than pinning your happiness on a particular result. Thanks for watching.