How Often Should You Practice?

Jan 28, 2023 | David D’Amore
7 min read

The power of practice is often overlooked in our fast-paced, instant gratification-seeking world. Many want to be great at something right away, without putting in the work.

But the truth is, practice is the key to success in any endeavour.

When it comes to playing an instrument like the drums, practice is essential. You can't just pick up a pair of drumsticks and expect to shred like Buddy Rich or Neil Peart overnight. It takes time, patience, and dedication to master the art of drums.

But what exactly is practice?

Simply put, it’s the repetition of an action or task with the goal of improvement. It's the process of breaking down a skill into its component parts and then working on each part individually until it becomes second nature. It's the process of building myelin in the brain, which helps with the formation of new neural connections and improves the speed and accuracy of existing ones. More on that later.

So, how often should you practice the drums?

In a perfect world: as much as you can!

The answer depends on a number of factors, including your current skill level and the specific goals you have set out for yourself. Of course, life can get in the way and make it difficult to practice every day, but the more you can practice, the better.

Duration and frequency – How long and how often?

When it comes to determining how long someone should practice, it's important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all answer. However, there are some guidelines that can be helpful.

Beginner

For beginners, it's recommended to start with shorter practice sessions of around 15-20 minutes each day, and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable with the instrument. As you progress and build your skills, aim to practice for at least 30 to 45 minutes each day, 5 days per week.

This may seem like a lot at first, but starting with a consistent routine will help you establish good habits that will pay off in the long run.

Intermediate

Intermediate level drummers should aim to practice for 45 minutes to an hour each day, aiming for 5 or more days per week.

This will help solidify the basics and allow you to focus on more advanced techniques and skills. At this point, you'll want to target specific areas of your playing that need improvement. This might include working on your timing, developing your dexterity, or learning a new song.

Advanced

Advanced drummers, on the other hand, should aim for at least 1 to 2 hours per day, and practice every day. This will help you to continue to refine your skills and push yourself to new heights.

This does vary a lot between advanced drummers, but keep in mind that the higher your skill level, the more time you’ll have to put in to progress further.

No matter what your level is, build it up gradually and listen to your body. If you're feeling burnt out, it's okay to take a break and come back to practice refreshed.

Focused practice is more important than the length of practice time. So, even if you only have 20 minutes to practice, make sure to make the most of that time by working on specific techniques or skills that you want to improve.

Let’s dive into 3 tips that will get the most out of your practice

1. Focused practice & myelin

It's not just about the quantity of practice, it's also about the quality.

It's better to have shorter, focused practice sessions rather than longer, less productive ones. This is where the concept of myelin comes in. Here’s the scientific explanation.

Myelin is a fatty substance that surrounds the nerve fibers in your brain and nervous system. It acts as a conductor to help the nerve impulses move faster and more efficiently.

The process of building myelin is called myelination, and is triggered by repetitive and consistent practice of a specific skill or task.

Being in the "zone" or a “flow” state refers to a heightened level of focus and concentration, where a person is fully immersed in the task at hand – this is often referred to as focused practice.

This is the exact state where our brain is actively working to form new myelin around the nerve fibers that are being used during that activity, and it’s why focused practice is so important when it comes to developing new skills. The more myelin we have around the nerve fibers that are used to perform a task, the more efficient and effective our brain will become at performing that task.

The other thing that plays a crucial role in myelination is your intent – when you are fully engaged and motivated during the practice, the brain is more likely to prioritise myelination for skills that are deemed important or necessary.

So even if you only have a short amount of time to practice each day, make sure to make the most of it by being fully engaged and focused on your playing!

Instead of just going through the motions, or randomly noodling around, you should be actively seeking out areas that need improvement and working on them specifically – while staying in the zone and without any distractions.

Here are some examples of how to focus your practice sessions:

1. Isolating a technique or skill
   Choose one specific technique or skill that you want to improve and work on it for your entire practice session. For example, if you're working on your double bass drum technique, spend the entire practice session focusing on double bass drum patterns and exercises.

2. Working on your timing
   A metronome is one of the best tools to work on your timing and accuracy. Start with a slow tempo and gradually increase the speed as you become more comfortable. Using a ‘gap click’ also works well.

3. Breaking down a song
   If there’s a song you’d love to learn, break it down into smaller chunks – such as the verse, chorus, bridge etc. Practice each section separately and then put them together once you've mastered each one.

4. Improving stick technique and control
   Using a practice pad, try different sticking patterns and exercises that improve your accuracy and control. Play around with different grips and techniques that you might not be used to.

5. Assessing yourself
   Record yourself playing and listen back to the recording. This will help you to identify areas that need improvement, and focus on them during your next practice session.

6. Focusing on one limb at a time
   If you are working on your independence or coordination, try focusing on one limb at a time. For example, work on a snare drum pattern with your right hand for a few minutes, then switch to your left hand. You can do the same with your feet on the bass drum and hi-hat, or double bass pedals.

7. Working on your musicality
   Practice playing along to a song or a backing track. This will help you to improve your timing, groove, and overall feel. Pretend that you are the drummer for that band, improvise and create your own style.

8. Focusing on one specific genre
   Choose a genre of music and focus your session on that genre. This will help you to develop your skills within that genre and improve your overall understanding of the style. This can be challenging for some, since it puts you outside of your comfort zone.

Remember, the key is to be specific and intentional with your practice.

2. Consistency

When you're consistent in your practice, it helps to strengthen the myelin in the specific parts of the brain associated with the skill you're working on. This allows for faster learning and improvement.

It's like going to the gym. If you only go once a week, you're not going to see much progress. But if you go consistently, 3-5 times a week, you'll notice a significant difference in your strength and fitness levels.

It's much the same with drumming. If you only practice once a week, even if it’s a very long session, you'll make slower progress. By staying consistent with your practice, you'll see your skills improve at a much faster rate.

3. Goals

In addition to focused practice and consistency, it's also a great idea to set some specific and measurable goals for your drumming.

This can be something as simple as learning a new drum fill or song, or working on reaching a particular BPM (beats per minute) with a rudiment.

Writing down your goals with a clear target helps to keep you accountable, stay motivated and see tangible progress.

It can be especially helpful for those who are just starting out on their drumming journey, since it can give you a sense of accomplishment as you achieve each goal, and helps you stay on track as you continue to improve.

To wrap up, it’s pretty clear how powerful practice is. Especially for a multi-limb, coordination based skill like playing the drums!

Try implementing the recommendations and tips above in your practice, even for just one month. You’ll see your progress flourish.

Aim for just 1% improvement every time you sit down at the drums. That’s the key to reaching the next level and achieving your musical dreams.

So grab your sticks, get behind the kit, and let's start drumming!

Best,

David D’Amore
Drummer and educator