Practicing Drums In Context
Practicing drums in context is the reason we practice out of context. I don’t believe any drummer would just rather stay in his/her basement practicing and never get to play an actual gig with band members. That is why we practice drums in context, so we can be ready when we get the call for a gig.
Drum play alongs are the ultimate method of practicing in context. They have been designed with the drummer in mind. Normally, you will have a four or eight bar count and the music will start. All the other musicians parts are playing except the drummers. You have to fill that in with your own creative beats and ideas. There are thousands of different drum play alongs out on the market. The best is to find a mixture of different styles such as jazz drum play alongs, Latin drum play alongs, and rock drum play alongs.
Practicing in context will also expose all your weaknesses as a drummer. You will quickly find out how good your time is, your fills, and your groove. You can then pinpoint the areas that need more attention and work on those.
Many drummers will say that they like to practice while they are on the gig. I DO NOT recommend this. You do not want to be consciously practicing while you are supposed to be holding the band together. It is no doubt that you will get better while you are on the gig, but this isn’t the time to work on your singles or doubles. This is why practicing in context before hand is so important; and also why drum play alongs can literally change the way you structure your practice routines.
I recommend that you practice with drum play alongs for approximately forty percent of your total allotted practice time. Doing this, will significantly improve your overall groove and drumming abilities.
If you are looking for some drum play alongs I highly encourage you to check out the Free Drum Lessons website as they have some excellent free drum play alongs
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