When working through grades and lessons, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by music theory, challenging rhythms, and complex time signatures. Just as you finally master one grade, the next level comes along, bringing even greater challenges that seem impossible at first glance.

You might find yourself wondering how you’ll ever cram all that new information into your brain, let alone train your limbs to play intricate rhythms instinctively without pausing to think for ten minutes first.

The truth is, every drummer learns differently. Some thrive on structured, methodical practice routines. Others prefer repeating a single rudiment endlessly until it’s burned into muscle memory. Then there are those who find short bursts of varied exercises more effective. No matter your style, we’ve all hit that dreaded wall—the moment when it feels like you’ll never play the piece in front of you well enough to pass.

I’ve been there more times than I can count, and I’ve realized something important: that feeling never truly goes away. But what has helped me push through those barriers is surprisingly simple—taking a break to have fun.

It’s easy to forget why you started playing drums in the first place. You didn’t pick up the sticks because you had to—you did it because you wanted to. You enjoy the instrument, and somewhere along the way, that joy might get buried under the weight of lessons, schedules, and grade exams.

Sometimes, you just need to remind yourself why you love drumming. For me, that means stepping away from formal practice and revisiting the songs that made me fall in love with the drums in the first place. I’ll throw on a couple of my favorite tracks from when I first started playing and pretend I’m 17 again, just jamming out for the fun of it.

It might sound simple, but carving out time to play purely for enjoyment—not because of a deadline or goal—can reignite your passion and even make you a better drummer. It’s in those unstructured moments that you reconnect with the thrill of drumming, the freedom, and the creativity that drew you to it in the first place.

So, next time you feel stuck, step away from the lesson plan. Grab your sticks, pick a track you love, and let yourself have fun. After all, you’re playing the drums because you love it—don’t forget to enjoy the ride.

Laura Barnes

Always go into a practice session with a plan
Practicing is the key to improving your drum skills, but it is important to pre-plan what you are going to practice. Making time to practice is hard enough in everybody's busy day-to-day lives. Pre-thinking about what you will recap and study will help to maximize and get the most out of your practice session, even if it is only 10 or 15 minutes!

Practice with a metronome
There is a common misconception that having a steady pulse and solid sense of time is something that’s innate and can’t be taught. This is of course absolutely not true, and while some people do have a more natural sense of pulse than others, time is something that everybody should devote a large portion of time to practicing, no matter how natural a player they might be. 

Go back to basics
Drummers often try to run before they can walk, which can lead to bad habits and gaps appearing in ability. Mastering the drumming basics is the best way to build a solid foundation upon which to develop your playing. We recommend focussing at least some of your practice time on improving single and double strokes, and polishing key rudiments like the paradiddle and five-stroke roll. Once you can execute these drumming fundamentals with consistency, dynamics and solid time, you will be fully prepared to take your playing to the next level.

Play with Other People
Despite the fact that there are tons of videos of drummers alone in their practice rooms on the internet, you should go find some like-minded people to play music with. Music is a team sport for the most part, and you’ll learn a lot by getting yourself into bands early on in your development. Don’t skip this step; it’s crucial.

Look for role models
They will shape your playing, as their drumming style and ability level helps you to measure progress in your own performance. If you need some inspiration, you can check out our Legendary Drummers playlist on YouTube.
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