Printable Version of Topic

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jun 17 2011, 03:22 PM

How do you guys usually practice, with drums or with click?

I've started to use drums some time ago, and it helped me to create more connection with various components of the drums. With click it's a bit hard to do that.

Click does have it's advantages, it doesn't require computer turned on. Someone having drum machine on batteries perhaps?

Posted by: zen Jun 17 2011, 03:40 PM

I've always used drum loops.
I HATE the metronome click. I dont have words to describe how much i HATE the metronome click.
Drums for me always, forever.

p.s - did i mention that i hate that click sound ?

Posted by: manuh Jun 17 2011, 03:50 PM

i've practice most time with drum loops. but if the pc ist turned off, i play by my handy metronome click sometimes.. its okay.. but drum loops are cooler

Posted by: thefireball Jun 17 2011, 04:00 PM

I have usually practiced with neither. But I'm wanting to take steps away from that.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jun 17 2011, 04:19 PM

So, it seems more people like drum loops. Any particular groove you choose perhaps?

Posted by: Azzaboi Jun 17 2011, 06:55 PM

A basic drum loop seems to work well for me.
I just use the freebee software 'Weird Metronome' - there might be better but it does the trick.

For 4/4 time, a simple "boom, click, click, click" gives a great count in the head. I normally focus on ensuring the boom of the drum is in place when the speed gets up and everything else still falls into place nicely with the timing.

Posted by: SirJamsalot Jun 17 2011, 07:42 PM

I make my own drum tracks to practice to, but I don't rely only on drums. I feel it's best to always have some sort of chord progression to accompany the drum track at all times! ~ you can practice scales, licks, arpeggios, everything you would normally practice to a click or dry drum track, to a simple backing track loop, but with the added benefit of learning how to play it in a particular key - with the added bonus of being able to transition due to chord progression changes.

here's my take on the matter.
http://www.ckdesigns.com/blog/2011/05/29/building-a-backing-track/

Posted by: JamesT Jun 18 2011, 02:44 AM

I use a click most of the time. I guess drum tracks could add variety, but even the same old drum track gets annoying after awhile. Since I usually (lately) am practicing a GMC lesson, I quickly switch to its backing track as soon as I get the tune memorized and up to at least half speed.

Posted by: jstcrsn Jun 18 2011, 03:28 AM

maybe all you need to do is change the tone to beep



nothing but a click for me , 1.5 to 2 hours every morning ,yes I hate it, but i am stubborn and just want to lick that dangom alternate picking thingy

Posted by: zen Jun 18 2011, 03:37 AM

I think I hate the beep more than the click.

I have great respect for you to be able to tolerate that bloody thing for 2 hours every morning.

Posted by: fkalich Jun 18 2011, 04:09 AM

+1, except that I am NOT wanting to take steps away from that.

Posted by: jafomatic Jun 18 2011, 05:57 AM

Better to use drums, and I think we can actually point to rather compelling reasons to back that statement up.

1. Some "clicks" allow you to emphasize the one beat --or some other beat-- but many do not. I've even seen instructors tell students to turn that feature off

2. The idea of using a drum track instead is actual music. I've seen plenty of threads here where all the people that responded were in agreement that an exercise should always be musical whenever possible. Some of those same names in this thread, too

3. Not only is that drum track actual music, it can be very different music from the 4/4 trap we all risk falling into.

Expose your ears to something more than just that metronome click. It won't always be there.

Posted by: Mudbone Jun 18 2011, 06:11 AM

I've been using the click more than a drum beat. I prefer the drum beat because its not as irritating, but the click helps eliminate all distractions.

Posted by: jafomatic Jun 18 2011, 06:15 AM

If the musical elements are a distraction, should we re-evaluate our priorities? It sounds like we're practicing to be technicians rather than musicians.

There's a difference.

Posted by: Mudbone Jun 18 2011, 06:59 AM

I see your point, but I was referring to certain circumstances where I'm trying to work out a certain section of a song that I'm just not getting by playing with the music. Sometimes I really just need to focus on the technical aspect of it. Also, some things really need to be worked on at a slow speed, and at very low speeds its no longer music.

I like to sometimes apply a little Michael Jordan philosophy to guitar playing. When he practiced, his routines were very rigid, but on the court during the game, he was the most graceful player that ever played the game.

I'm not trying to discredit your perspective, because I agree with you. But ultimately if you want to play metal, you have to be a little technical with your playing and practicing, simply because much of metal is technical. Now I'm a blues/rock/metal guy and the only time I really bring out the metronome is when I start working on scales or metal stuff.

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 18 2011, 07:10 AM

I think Mudbone's approach is very good - use drum tracks for the musical context, in which you get used to diverse elements and you get much more inspiration while playing and the simple metronome should be used when focusing on a particular phrase which you want to nail perfectly.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jun 19 2011, 01:32 PM

Very nice conclusion by everybody, and nice sum up by Cosmin!

Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Jun 19 2011, 11:37 PM

Interesting question, but mainly with the drums- have more inspiration, and with students with a click !

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jun 20 2011, 09:16 AM

Thanks Ivan

Posted by: Shuma13 Jun 20 2011, 08:40 PM

Drums. I have an RP255 which has built in drum loops.

I have taken some drum lessons and hate the clicks

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 20 2011, 11:35 PM

I use both but I find drum loops a bit more funny. However I agree with the final conclusion of this topic!