Mental practice, air drumming, and visualization can be valuable tools to help you improve. Let\u2019s say you\u2019re on a plane or in a car and can\u2019t get to a drum set. Or maybe you live in a small apartment or you\u2019re visiting your parents. Or you\u2019re sitting in school and algebra\u2026well, just isn\u2019t your thing. You can still practice!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some of the world\u2019s top drummers have been able to learn entire sets of music at the last minute using these techniques:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Gil Sharone crammed an entire set of +44 songs into his head while flying overseas for a tour<\/a>. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Blink-182\u2019s Travis Barker had only 45 minutes to memorize the band\u2019s 20 songs before his first show<\/a>. <\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Larnell Lewis learned an entire Snarky Puppy album<\/a> on his way to Europe to record it. <\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Drumming relies heavily on physical coordination and muscle memory, so even air drumming can be useful. Legendary metal drummer Gene Hoglan discovered his love of the instrument at age 8 by air drumming to Rush<\/a>, Aerosmith, and Cheap Trick records. Some people have even gotten started by playing the game Rock Band<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThese techniques don\u2019t just apply to drummers. Studies on golfing<\/a>, trom<\/a>b<\/a>one playing<\/a>, and surgery<\/a> have shown that working on skills in your head and then using your hands to \u201ctest-drive\u201d them can really help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While there’s still much analysis to be done, research<\/a> suggests that using \u2018motor imagery\u2019 (visualizing or remembering yourself going through physical motions) can enhance your actual motor performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The late basketball star Kobe Bryant was renowned for practicing mental training that didn’t include an actual ball<\/a>. His teammates would sometimes show up to the gym to find him dodging imaginary opponents, shooting fake shots and playing whole games in his head. This visualization helped him become mentally tough and acquire the belief that he would succeed when the real game started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might be saying, \u201cI\u2019m not Kobe Bryant – how can I use this technique to practice drums?\u201d Your mental practice should be as structured and focused as your time behind the kit. Always go into your session with a plan<\/a>, breathe deeply, close your eyes, and try make it as real as possible<\/a>. Imagine the song from start to finish, and if you make a mistake, go back and fix it. But above all else, try to stay focused<\/a> the whole time and build up speed just as you would on the kit. You can even gently tap your hands and feet to get the sensation of moving around the drums (just like you used to do in math class)! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Blink-182\u2019s Travis Barker had only 45 minutes to memorize the band\u2019s 20 songs before his first show<\/a>. <\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n