Is It Hard to Learn to Play The Drums?
Have you ever wondered is it hard to learn to play the drums? Well, the answer depends on the person. With practice, you can easily learn how to play drums from a beginner to becoming a master of the instrument, but the hardest part is staying motivated to practice and learn. Here in this article, we are gonna list three beliefs that can dishearten someone from staying motivated to practice and learn how to play drums, and we are gonna help overcome these destructive beliefs as well as listing some reasons why you should try to learn to play drums.
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Three Destructive Beliefs and How to Overcome Them
1) “If only I had…”
We think we need a particular instrument. We imagine learning from a specific teacher. We dream about having more time to practice to learn the perfect songs.
Whatever it is, we have an idea that if only we had this or that, then, and only then, would we become the perfect musician.
But life doesn’t work like this.
Sure, we DO need a quality instrument, a great music teacher, and plenty of practice sessions. However, this “chasing perfection” thought pattern is holding you back from using the resources and skills you have now to become a better musician.
Instead, don’t idealize every step of the process. Take things as they come — you may be surprised by how well it all turns out.
2) “I’ll never be able to do that.”
Too many times we tell ourselves that despite everything we try, we’ll never be able to flawlessly play that piece, nail that audition, or impress that audience.
Naturally, some things do take more practice than others. You might have to work harder than you ever have before, but that doesn’t mean you won’t master the skill you desire at some point.
Think about something that’s ridiculously easy to you now: a skill, sport, or technique you’ve mastered. Remember when you didn’t know anything about it? When you barely even knew where to start? As a beginner you are never going to know about every technique and skill, but after you have mastered it, it looks so easy.
Keep that in mind the next time a voice creeps in your head telling you there’s no way you’ll ever be able to do that. Time is all you need. Remember that patience, practice and consistency are the keys to achieving whatever you want.
3) “If I mess up, ________ will happen…”
Let’s face reality — you’re going to make mistakes when you get started on learning any new thing. We all do. To be great at what you do, you’re going to make a ton of mistakes.
Try to think about what you’re truly worried about.
Are you worried about someone laughing at you if you make a mistake? What happens if someone does laugh?
Write down what you’re afraid of if you make a misstep. Better yet — try it out! See what really happens when your fear manifests in real life. Overcoming stage fright is easier than you think!
There are several great reasons for both adults and children to learn drums. So if you’re on the fence about signing up for drum lessons, here are more reasons to give it a try.
10 Reasons To Learn Drums
1. Play Drums To Reduce Stress
Playing drums can relieve frustration, disappointment, and stress. Whether you’re behind a drum kit, hitting a djembe in a drum circle, or beating a marching band bass drum, drumming is a stress reliever. Playing drums, even for just a few minutes, can boost your mood.
Similar to a “runner’s high,” drummers’ brains release feel-good endorphins immediately after playing music. In the online journal Evolutionary Pychology, researchers concluded, “it is the active performance of music that generates the endorphin high, not the music itself.”
So if you’re feeling a little down or a little frazzled, grab your drum sticks and start playing!
2. Increase Academic Performance
The correlation between musical training and academic performance has been documented a number of times, particularly when it comes to math. Learning to drum, however, can also help you in subjects like English, by helping you identify emotional cues, a skill you can use to identify characters’ thought processes and motives.
According to one study, “Music enables students to learn multiplication tables and math formulas more easily (T. Mickela as cited in Kelstrom, 1998); rhythm students learn the concept of fractions more easily; students who were taught using rhythm notation scored 100 percent higher on tests of fractions; and a child may use the ability for logical thinking that was developed in music class to solve problems quite unrelated to music (Kelstrom, 1998).”
So parents, if you’re hesitant about your child learning drums because you’re afraid it will take away from his or her studies, rest assured, learning to drum may actually help your son or daughter perform better in school and focus on their education.
3. Boost Brain Power
When you play drums, you have to coordinate all four limbs to work together at the same time. If you’re right hand dominant, chances are you don’t do much with your left hand. Your brain has to work your non-dominant side to strengthen and coordinate your non-dominant limbs.
In a recent study, researchers found that playing drums can boost brain power in a measurable way, specifically when it comes to IQ. “Playing the drums makes the brain think in a way that very few activities can,” said Pat Brown, International Drum Month chairman and Percussion Marketing Council co-executive director. “Being able to understand musical notes and dissect how rhythms work and go together is a very complicated thought process. The most recent study shows that being constantly exposed to this type of brain activity can actually improve one’s IQ level.” Drumming is more than just playing loud and fast music all the time.
4. Develop Confidence
Drumming is powerful. To be successful, drummers must learn to play dynamically: loud and soft. The act of playing a loud beat takes guts and confidence. In addition, drummers must possess a growth mindset. That is, you must believe that you can learn challenging parts by starting slow and breaking them down.
Learning drums challenges you to break complex tasks into manageable parts. Then, after persistent practice, you’re able to play something quite challenging. This is a skill that carries over in many areas of life. Believing you’re able to learn difficult material is crucial to overcome obstacles, both in music and in life.
5. Improve Communication Skills
Students with musical training communicate better with peers, are more empathetic, and get lots of practice expressing ideas without using words. Drumming also teaches you to read non-verbal cues, which can help you learn to read between the lines. Beginners starting on a basic drum could also start learning new communication skills they never would’ve thought they could.
6. Make New Friends
Wherever you go, you will be able to talk with people who speak drums. With lots of fun and exciting opportunities to form your own band or join an orchestra, marching band, drum circle, or percussion ensemble, you will have lots of options to meet new fun and interesting people.
7. Play Cool Instruments Involving A Drum Kit Or Drum Techniques
Learning drums gives you the foundation to play a wide range of instruments: djembe drums, congas, clave, marching bass drums, triangle – even typewriters, spoons, and buckets.
A percussionist’s bag of toys is endless, and part of the fun is discovering new sounds to play.
8. Get Fit
A hardy session of drumming is a great way to get your sweat on while having fun. According to one study, “Just by using hand drums and moving to the beat, people burned an average of 270.4 calories in a half hour.”
In addition to the calorie burn, rhythmic performance can significantly impact stress reduction and wellness so playing every day will significantly boost how you feel about yourself and you will have fun doing it.
9. Lifelong Learning
You can be a drummer at any age. Once you start, you can keep drumming as long as you want. Learning drums will enhance your life well beyond your first few lessons, and as long as you never stop learning, you will have endless opportunities to improve, perform, and be the best musician you can be.
10. Love Learning to Play Drums
If you combine all these steps and get started with practice every day to begin to master playing the drums, you will be able to play many different beats in no time and realise it’s not as hard to learn as you first imagined. Your first drum session will always be much harder than the rest since it will only get easier the more you practice drumming and using your right hand and left hand together to create beats and rhythms.
Looking to learn how to play drums but need a teacher to help you with the basics and give you lessons to master your technique, look no further than Music Lessons Academy. We provide high quality private in-home lessons as well as online lessons when circumstances don’t allow us to go to people’s homes.
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