Why You Shouldn’t Compare Yourself To Other Drummers

Do you compare yourself to other drummers?

And if so: Why?

Do you think it helps you to become better?

Or do you do it just for the fun of it?

To be perfectly honest, I too used to compare myself to other drummers back in my beginner days.

I guess that’s the nature of us humans:

We want to be better than … Or at least be as good as …

Am I right? 🙂

However, comparing yourself to person X or Y doesn’t help you.

On the contrary, it’s mostly a waste of your precious time.

At least that’s what I learned a long time ago.

Let’s take a closer look at it.

Compare Yourself To Other Drummers: Is It Any Good?

You might think you need to be a great drummer to play in an awesome band, have lots of fans or even enjoy a good time making music.

The truth is, you don’t have to.

There are many aspects of being a drummer of a certain band for example.

Your personality has to fit.

Sometimes, it’s not “the best” drummer that convinces at an audition.

Furthermore, it’s the whole package offered by the musician that counts.

The same goes for having a lot of fans joining your community. I mean, you can be a great musician and still have nobody notice you. That’s a fact, just take a look at YouTube for example.

Or the musicians of your area don’t like to get in touch with you because …

Let’s be real, you know that you sometimes show-off what you have learned in a not so likeable way.

And sure: To have a wonderful time making music, you don’t need to compare yourself to other drummers too.

So why comparing?

Real talk: Am I a better drummer than you?

I guess my reason for comparing myself to other drummers was I felt inferior to them.

I knew I could rock as hard, but they weren’t listening.

And for that reason, I somehow wasn’t either.

Over the time however, I learned to trust myself.

You know, what I can do and what impact my music can have on the right people.

So it didn’t make a difference if somebody thought I was a good drummer or not.

What really counts is what I think and how I feel about myself after all.

I highly believe people like you can benefit from my experience too:

Maybe now, as a beginner, you compare yourself to others.

You might think that you can play faster or crazier licks than them after starting drumming even some months later then them.

I don’t want to sound harsh on this, but I’m honest with you: It doesn’t count in the end.

What’s really important is the fun you’ll have making music.

The experience for a lifetime. And what you learn about yourself after all.

Am I a better drummer than you? Are you a better drummer than me?

Maybe and maybe.

But one thing we both know is for sure: We’re both different.

Everybody is. That’s the great thing about us human beings.

And what we have in store drumming-wise, nobody can else bring to the world.

It’s unique.

So let’s concentrate on our own special way to express our creativity in music and in life itself.

We don’t have to compare ourselves to other people – we’ll never be them.

Or what do you say?

Cheers,

Author: Manu Holmer

Hi, I'm Manu Holmer, nice to meet you! As a professional drummer and drum teacher, my vision is to help others transform their lives with the power of music. Let's not only play the drums. Feel the rhythm & and walk to our own beats! View all posts by Manu Holmer