Whether you\u2019ve been playing the drums for three months or thirty years, you\u2019re never completely immune from the discouraging thoughts that creep up when you\u2019re having a bad day.<\/p>\n
Maybe the \u201cI suck\u201d gloom has plagued you for years. Maybe you can\u2019t get your limbs to work in tandem. Maybe you had a rough gig one time, or you can\u2019t play the patterns you want. It\u2019s also tempting to compare your playing to every other drummer out there.<\/p>\n
The only thing that actually sucks here is wallowing in that fear of failure and letting it cripple or discourage you. You aren\u2019t alone, and there are ways to change this mindset.<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re having an off day – or you have an unwarranted suspicion that your friends are lying to you about your abilities – it\u2019s easy to get down on yourself. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself:<\/p>\n
Track your progress:<\/strong> One tangible way to build confidence is to track your progress. It\u2019s easier to see improvement spelled out for you when you don\u2019t \u2018feel\u2019 like you\u2019re getting better. Put together a calendar, keep it beside your drums, and give yourself weekly or daily goals.<\/p>\n Compare your old material:<\/strong> You can also combat a general \u201cI suck\u201d feeling by looking back on old recordings or videos. When progress is happening slowly, you\u2019re less likely to notice, and you might feel like you haven\u2019t come very far when in fact you\u2019ve come a long way. If you realize that you\u2019re always improving, you\u2019ll know that it won\u2019t be impossible to take your playing to the next level. Start recording yourself now if you haven\u2019t done it before.<\/p>\n Compare your best material:<\/strong> If you\u2019re just having a bad day and can\u2019t seem to play at the level you usually do, find a video or recording of yourself playing really well. Remember: you\u2019re capable of great things, and today just happens to be an off day.<\/p>\n This is more likely to affect working drummers, or drummers who have experienced some sort of success or recognition. You have an intense feeling that you don\u2019t deserve these things, and worry that one day people will discover that you\u2019re a \u2018fraud\u2019. You feel like you are where you are only because of luck, not because of ability. You might have extremely high standards for yourself, and it\u2019s possible that most – or all – of your playing will never meet the level of expectations you\u2019ve set. You might feel stressed when you aren\u2019t accomplishing something. The common term for this is \u2018Impostor Syndrome\u2019.<\/p>\n Like those who are extrinsically motivated<\/a>, people who experience \u2018impostor\u2019 feelings tend to be \u201cshaped by an overriding concern with others\u2019 impressions.\u201d<\/a> You might think others have the same expectations you have of yourself.<\/p>\n Talk to someone you look up to:<\/strong> One way to gain confidence is to talk to people whose drumming you admire. You\u2019ll probably find out that you aren\u2019t the only one who sometimes feels self-conscious about your abilities or merits.<\/p>\n Keep practicing:<\/strong> If you don\u2019t believe you\u2019re a capable or deserving player, you can at least control how much you practice. If you don\u2019t believe your abilities have granted you your opportunities, you may be more likely to work hard on your skills to prove yourself. And that definitely can\u2019t hurt.<\/p>\n Are you worried you aren\u2019t as good as you think you are? There are a few ways to combat this:<\/p>\n Get an unbiased opinion:<\/strong> It\u2019s worth getting some outside opinions, whether it\u2019s a drum teacher or a player whose skills you think are top notch. If you really care about improving, you\u2019ll have to put aside your ego and pride and be open to constructive criticism. Even the best drummers have strengths and weaknesses, so rather than taking negative feedback to heart, frame it as a challenge you\u2019re ready to face head on.<\/p>\n Test yourself against the \u2018standards\u2019:<\/strong> Read this article on how to be a confident drummer<\/a> and check out these videos to help you gauge how you\u2019re doing:<\/p>\nFeeling like you\u2019re a fraud<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Feeling like you can\u2019t accurately gauge your level<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nIf you’re trying to play at too high a level before you’re ready, you’re going to get frustrated. You should always push yourself, but make sure you’ve solidified the skills you need to take the next step.<\/p>\n