About the quality of classes

Today I would like to talk about the quality of your classes. Of course, some do more, some do less. But I want to give you some tips that will make your classes more productive.

1. Not time, but benefit.

In one of his interviews, Benny Greb said that the number of hours is not as important as their productivity. And you can't argue with him. Really, watch mostly what you play, not how much you play. Playing for many hours mindlessly, you will not rise a notch higher than you were. Even in some cases it can be aggravated. Smaller is better, but with a head.

2. Plan.

Always follow a plan, you hear? Is always! It is ideal to develop this plan in advance, on the eve of classes. The plan should include all the elements of your game for good, starting with the correct setting of a good, powerful blow, and ending with a game under the minus. The plan always brings systematicity into your practice, and one of the most important things in successful improvement is systematicity.

Sample plan:
1. Hand technique
2. Leg technique (cardan/single)
3. Dynamic game
4. Rhythm
5. New drawings
6. Practice breaks
7. Minus game.

With a clear system, everything will go much faster and easier. And most importantly - more pleasant.

3. Consistency.

Steve Smith quotes in almost every interview that if you do not practice, then you do not stand still, but degrade. He doesn't say that for nothing. And indeed, the basic knowledge and skills are laid down with us, and remain for a very long time, but the material is more complex, which requires greater musical preparedness, requires daily practice. Day after day. It is best to build a schedule of classes in the organizer. It's great if at least 2-3 hours is obtained. Calculate the time of the day when your head is at its best working and absorbing information, and try to study at that time.

4. Concentration

This point can be related to point 1, but it is slightly different. Again, a big part of success is concentration. In general, it must be developed in everything, not only in drumming. There is such a conductor - Valery Gergiev, who conducts at the Mariinsky Theater, the one in St. Petersburg. And when asked; "What is your most useful skill?" He replied - "The ability to concentrate." This is a very important skill that will give your skills and talents a very good boost. For example, when you work out any new pattern on the drums, concentrate not on the pattern itself, but on each limb, on each rhythm and sound. Follow this. Does the stick hit the center? Whether in the dynamics in which I wanted? Does the kick and snare match? Etc. Only by concentrating will the classes gain the maximum benefit.

5. Perseverance.

And here I will give the phrase Thomas Lang, which managed to fly around the Runet, and even appeared a couple of times in our Drum Section. :) The phrase sounds like this: "I do not believe in talent, I believe in an iron ass." When I first read it, it motivated me a lot. And when I started to practice, I suddenly realized that my ass was far from iron. Naturally, as you already understood, by "iron ass" - perseverance is meant. And I'll tell you what, perseverance is great! But again, it follows from point 4 (concentration), all these points are connected. So Making your ass "iron" is not so easy, and this should be strived for. Let me explain, our brain cannot by itself do one monotonous action for a long time, it gets tired. Technique is developed only by monotonous exercises, from which you get very tired. So the whole point is to train your brain, to stretch its fatigue threshold. Then it will be much easier and longer to practice with concentration.

I hope my advice will help you.

Keep practicing and you will surely succeed.

Good luck!