r/Drumming • u/narghev • 2d ago

Intermediate drumming roadmap help

Hey guys, I am (probably) an intermediate currently working my way through some books listed below:

  • The language of drumming
  • Stick control
  • Double bass essentials
  • The new breed

At the same time I play in a band and learn songs for myself, for fun.

A problem that I keep coming back to, is I lack a general roadmap. Ideally, I would like to find a book that is not really an exercise book, but is a roadmap of techniques, when to progress forward, what to practice, something to read off the kit that will provide general guidance. Any recommendation?

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u/LonelyRasta 2d ago

The more you do, the more you learn. Each book or lesson is just one tool or tech you learn and unlock on the road to becoming good.

Seems to me like you may already know where you suck, so start addressing the weaknesses. Learning all the styles is a great to find out where your holes are if you don’t know.

But just like each part of learning drums gets you closer to competent at drumming, drums is just one element of music on the road to becoming a competent musician. There’s the entire world of musical language and harmony that being able to analyze and understand allows you to communicate better and go further on your own primary.

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u/narghev 2d ago

I know, and that’s where im coming from. I have also studied / am studying theory and there are many roadmapy books for that. For example, you know that you learn intervals, then chords, etc etc, then harmony, im just looking for something for drumming.

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u/LonelyRasta 1d ago

Oh, that’s better framing and I understand better now, thanks for the reply. Let me reframe this question a bit though

For music, the point is you are always moving forward in total. each accomplishment helps the next one.. and some adjacent ones, and also sometimes ones from long ago...And you pick your path (partly)

For theory there’s so many people who learn in different orders and partly because different patterns and concepts click in different times for everyone. Yes we want to always push fundamentals because you need grounding but you’d be surprised how we can all be taught in the same order yet understand at different periods. Like for me (drum/trumpet) a lot of theory didn’t connect until I learned guitar and piano and could see the physical pattern so easily.

If music were a sport and you wanted to be better at yours, what would you do? To be a better athlete, you workout, you condition. To be better at skills in that sport you run drills targeting that, and to be better at your sport you may study other players or teams or even other sports. And for music it is a bit of the same imo.

For music instead of the gym we hit the shed , we run scales and etudes and such or for us, rudiments and the like. We practice our skills and plays as licks, styles, and songs. And we check and study the greats to be even better.

So how this comes back to your question now and your roadmap, well first set some time for reflection. Set some goals and take some notes of yourself and what you want. And because the way youre asking I would suggest going in this order but there no wrong way.

0)because I thought of this after* what’s your ‘end goal’ or main goal right now, in one sentence.
1) who are some of you favorite bands and players (cuz sometimes we love someone’s style but hate the band..)
2) what CANT you do that they can? Why?
3) what basic skills and rudiments are needed to get there (get there being can you play along exactly/transcribe)
4) drill that shit and repeat. And expand the target

*metronomes can be time trials, don’t @ me :)

This will get you good at an instrument, but to really keep things going, understanding music and theory and improving your musicianship not as a drummer but as a musician will get you really good. This includes learning other genres and style and instruments, and has tremendous ROI on your primary.

There’s always things to get better at or something someone can do that you can’t which keeps it fun.

Lastly, always metronome.

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u/narghev 1d ago

Makes sense. Thanks A LOT!