When you’re bored playing the drums, making music just isn’t what it used to be.
It might feel like another to-do on your daily list.
Maybe you even resist to playing drums at all.
Will this be the end of your musical journey?
No, it doesn’t have to.
Being bored playing the drums does happen for various reasons.
The good news is:
You can do something about it.
In this drumming guide, you will find 7 tips helping you enjoy drumming again.
Don’t Worry – It’s OK
Table Of Contents
I need to address something important before sharing the first tip:
It’s totally fine to be bored playing the drums sometimes. Just like with eating your favorite dish or watching The Lord of the Rings movies each day, even the best things can become too much. Balance is key.
Sure, I know:
When you’re a drum beginner, everything is new and exciting.
However, things are likely to change over time.
As you become more skilled, your learning progress will slow down.
You need to invest more time and effort, as you’ve already learned a lot.
Basically, the magic of a new beginning fades.
There will be days you simply don’t feel like practicing or playing the drums.
You just want to spend your time doing something else.
Time to quit, then?
No.
Feeling bored playing the drums now doesn’t mean you’ll be bored forever from now on.
It’s totally normal to struggle sometimes.
For me, keeping this in mind is a relief.
1st Tip: Accept That You’re Bored Playing The Drums
Why is acceptance so important?
If you feel bored with playing the drums, that’s just how it is right now.
You can deny this present state, of course.
But this might raise further resistance to it.
So, my first tip is:
Acknowledge that you’re bored.
Try to accept it.
You don’t have to feel bad about being bored doing something you love.
Pantha Rhei – everything flows.
Ups and downs are normal, even for the most ambitious drummer.
2nd Tip: Find Out Why You’re Bored
If you’re bored playing the drums, there has to be one or various reasons for it.
Maybe you
- feel like playing the same all the time,
- don’t recognize any considerable progress or
- miss an opportunity to make music with others.
My second tip for this reason is:
Try to find out why you don’t enjoy drumming right now.
Has something changed notably?
Are you stressed-out because of …?
Don’t you do what to practice next?
If you know why you’re bored, you’re able to actively change that.
3rd Tip: Change (Or Build Up) Your Drumming Routine
It’s ok to be bored.
It’s also ok to not enjoy drumming sometimes.
We’re all human.
Even the most wonderful activities include certain chores you probably enjoy less.
For example, I love being a freelance drum teacher and blogger.
However, I’m not that into marketing.
I do market my value because it’s part of my profession.
(And I found some helpful ways for doing non-exhausting Marketing, thankfully)
But I’d definitely could live without it.
So, as there are certain parts of drumming you might not love, focus on the things you greatly enjoy instead.
Maybe this means drumming to songs more.
It could also mean changing your existing drumming routine or building one to start with.
By doing what you enjoy most, the feeling of being bored playing the drums will fade away.
This helps you to enjoy drumming again.
And sure:
In the long run, you should start to re-integrate your “lesser beloved” exercises again.
Leave your comfort zone to make progress.
But for now, it’s ok to just focus on what you enjoy most while playing the drums.
4th Tip: Set New Exciting Goals
Goals are there to motivate action.
As a consequence, setting yourself new exciting drumming goals will prevent or eliminate boredom.
Maybe you wonder:
Which exciting goals are there for you to set?
Unfortunately, I can’t tell.
Drumming goals are highly individual.
For this reason, I recommend seeking advice from your drum teacher, helping you with goal setting for drummers.
Don’t have a teacher, yet?
Think of what excites you.
Perhaps this will be
- learning all 40 rudiments,
- joining your first band or
- nailing your top 10 favorite songs.
5th Tip: Allow Yourself To Relax About Being Bored Playing The Drums
Being a drummer for over 15 years, I know the ups and downs of learning to play this wonderful instrument.
I also know the feeling of being bored drumming.
Feeling overwhelmed.
Or just not good enough.
Sounds familiar?
From my experience, it does for many musicians.
It might be a good time to relax then.
Think of why you’ve enjoyed playing the drums so much.
What was your reason to start?
Really think about your (former) love for drumming without feeding your self-doubts.
Try to relax.
Even if you’re bored playing the drums now, things do change quickly.
Panta Rhei, remember?
6th Tip: Start Enjoying The Process Again
Learning to play the drums is a process.
It takes time – speaking years, decades.
Keeping this in mind can help you enjoy the process of learning to play the drums again.
The main goal should be having a more fulfilled life thanks to drumming.
It’s the process that matters.
How can you enjoy it more?
Think of what excites you again.
Then, take action:
Make the process of learning to play the drums exciting.
7th Tip: Invest In Yourself As A Drummer
Money can’t buy you happiness.
But money can buy you
- a high-quality drum set,
- the best drum throne there is
- or each drum book you like to work with.
My final tip for this reason is:
Make money work for you, and invest it in yourself as a drummer.
I especially recommend buying a good drum book like Groove Essentials (Part 1 For Beginners) and take professional lessons.
It’s always a great idea to attend
- concerts,
- drumming masterclasses
- and workshops
for additional inspiration.
You could also invest in a drumming online course, community membership or helpful equipment like a quality kick pedal.
However, money CAN’T buy you happiness.
It’s up to you what you do with
- a certain drum book,
- an online course or
- your new snare drum.
If you don’t have money to spend, you can still invest in yourself as a drummer.
After all, there are tons of free drums sheet music, YouTube drumming tutorials and blogs available for you.
You just need to invest time.
How You Can Benefit Of Being Bored Playing The Drums
Failure is not the opposite of success.
It’s part of it.
You could also say: Failure and success are the same.
Being bored with playing the drums can feel like a personal failure.
You’re just not happy with the situation.
Totally understandable. :-/
However, acknowledging your boredom can be a great success as well.
It’s all about perception:
Noticing that you’re bored playing the drums means that there’s something wrong.
It could be a lack of
- focus,
- goals or
- inspiration.
If you know what’s going wrong, you can make a change.
- Maybe get professional drum lessons finally?
- Establish a powerful drumming routine?
- Or get out of your comfort zone more often?
Perhaps you also need to take a break from drumming.
Or it would help to find the courage to talk to others about your current situation.
Being bored with playing the drums definitely doesn’t have to be the end of your musical journey.
In fact, it can be the opposite:
An unexpected start of something great.
Hopefully it is for you.
Cheers,
