Outline the Routine Now it’s time to decide the order of things to focus on. Subjects that you feel are necessary to practice aren’t always the most fun. So you may want to start with your least favorite and end with your favorite, i.e., save dessert for last. You might organize a
roughly hour-long daily practice routine as 10 to 15 minutes of technique, 10 to 15 minutes of reading, 10 to 15 minutes of coordination development, and 10 to 20 minutes of experimentation.
Practice Makes Permanent More important than the total amount of time you practice is the consistency and efficiency of your sessions. The more consistent you are in your studies, the more rapid your development will be. Once you’ve written out a practice schedule, stick to it. I recommend calcu- lating your progress on a weekly basis. You may struggle with something one day and then play it with ease the next. Some days are better than others, but as long as you continue to make the effort to be efficient, determined, and enthusi- astic, you will see progress over time. Organization is the key to success!
Post It Publicly When your schedule is finalized and written down, place it somewhere where you can see it easily. This will help you avoid wasting time trying to remember what to practice. Have fun!
Things to learn 1 2 3 4 5
Things to improve 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9
10
6 7 8 9
10
Groups/artists I would like to play with 1 2 3
4 5 6
Short-term goals Long-term goals
Practice Schedule
Practice amount: Time 1 2 3 4 5
Description
Time of day: Time 6 7 8 9
10
Garey Williams is the author of the drum instructional book The Hi-Hat Foot, which is available through Wizdom Publications. For more info, visit
gareywilliams.com.
January 2016 Modern Drummer 77 Description
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