Hi, guys! My name is Andrea Gatti. I'm the drum and percussion instructor at Drum Arts. I’ve had the privilege of playing and teaching for over two decades. My heart is deeply invested in seeing my students and fellow drummers grow in their passion.
Since I care about it, I wanted to explain the importance of having a good study program in our drumming journey since it makes the difference between being mediocre and being an expert drummer.
A good study program is key if you want to become a successful drummer! Drumming is a very complex art form. It requires managing many aspects simultaneously. Therefore, it requires much discipline and control in different areas. That is why it's not sufficient just to have a good rhythm and bang on the drums. A good drummer must master good technique to best serve the music in any situation. If music is a language, just think of someone who is yelling the whole time and has a very limited vocabulary. Would you want to listen to such a person? Let's dive into understanding what is a good study program.
What is a study method? How do you apply it to drumming?
A study method is how we face and organize our work time, and how we approach an exercise or anything challenging. In order words, it's how we approach music.
A trained musician knows the steps he needs to take to overcome obstacles. He knows what he is doing and has mental control of the music. Learning how to sing and count the music, and knowing the proper steps to approach a music piece are key to success. A self-taught musician tries to repeat by memory "or by ear" without understanding or having full control of the music he is trying to execute. That is why self-taught musicians can only advance so far. They don't have the tools to advance, and even if they do advance, it will be a long and incomplete process. This doesn't mean they can't have fun or have good taste. It simply means they will likely face challenges that they don't have the tools to overcome.
How to develop the required tools - The 4 main areas of study
Learning How to Read Music: Knowing how to read gives you control of what is happening in the music. A musician who reads and writes will take half of the time to understand a musical phrase and can prepare much quicker than someone who is trying to figure it out without understanding what is going on.
Proper Technique: Technique is the engine of a musician and especially of drummers since drumming is a very physical instrument. Without it, we can't arrive at certain speeds and smoothness of playing -- we won't have much control of dynamics.
Coordination: Coordination is the foundation of drumming. Working on this aspect gives the drummer an incredible advantage.
Music Vocabulary: Like any other form of communication, music has its languages, pronunciations, and so on. Studying different music styles and genres will enrich the vocabulary of the musician. After all, creativity is reorganizing and experimenting with our knowledge.
Being successful with your time - Having a good study method
Having a good study method is the key to success! Without knowing how to approach exercises, new songs, new rhythms, and so on, we run into challenges that are too big to face. In other words, it's like trying to climb a tall wall and smashing our face against it constantly. Instead, if we know all the in-between steps, the process will be like taking the steps, one at a time.
Which steps or techniques make a drummer's life much easier?
Learning to count out loud - If we have control of time, we master the tempo, and each note is identified in its proper position.
Knowing how to slowly but effectively build a rhythm with an understanding of each note.
Having the technique and the coordination to approach difficult patterns.
Being familiar with rhythmic phrases we have already studied.
Final Thoughts - The Importance Of Having A Good Study Program In The Drumming Journey
Many of my students, and myself too when I started studying music as a teenager, thinking that to become fast you need to try and execute an exercise or whatever you are studying as fast as you can. In reality, the opposite is true! Studying very slowly, applying the correct motions, and counting out loud, helps our brain to understand movement and time. This assists it in memorizing the whole process much faster! There are no shortcuts in life. Whatever we want to do effectively requires time, effort, and understanding. I will always be a promoter of good education since it carries students to completion! Without it, the house will be built on sand.
If you have any questions, or if there is a topic you would like to hear about, please let me know in the comments. I will be very happy to help out as best I can.
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Here is a great example of how to study the drum rudiments. https://www.drumartstn.com/post/how-to-approach-the-rudiments-the-single-stroke-four
Thank you for your attention. We look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you for the explanation. I always wondered what was the difference of a trained musician versus a self taught one. Do these concepts apply to any instrument?