If you have already watched the 2014 film “Whiplash,” you are probably familiar with its most famous scene in which the music instructor Terence Fletcher asked the young drummer Andrew Neiman whether he was rushing or dragging. This scene became one of the most quotable moments of the movie and has brought about numerous memes on social media.
But in real life, how can drummers actually avoid rushing or dragging? To answer this question, it is important to understand first the root cause behind the issue. Both rushing and dragging are caused by a single common problem – practicing at particular tempos that feel comfortable.
For instance, some rock drummers like playing at 4/4 100 beats per minute (bpm), while some jazz drummers are comfortable playing at 6/8 120 bpm. As a result, when the rock drummer is asked to play along a certain song at 80 bpm, they will likely end up dragging. Similarly, the jazz drummer will likely rush if they are asked to play rock at 100 bpm. To avoid such scenarios, here are some simple but effective tips you can follow.
1. Work with a metronome
Working with a metronome is one of the easiest long-term solutions to the problem of rushing or dragging for drummers. A metronome basically helps you maintain good time-keeping. Compared to dragging, rushing tends to be a more common problem, so it is recommended that you practice your grooves with a metronome set to slower tempos like 40 bpm. This will allow your muscle memory to develop and enable you to play faster eventually.
2. Practice your fills and time-keeping separately
When playing the drums, it is important to make sure that your groove is good. This includes working on your fills and playing them several times with your metronome. To avoid rushing or dragging, you need to focus on your fills and time-keeping separately. Once you have already mastered both, this is then the time that you work on connecting them – perhaps multiple measures of time followed by a fill.
3. Play with recorded music
Playing the drums with recorded music is another extremely helpful way to develop your drum-playing ability. Many of the best drum lessons and instructional materials that focus on this area are already easily accessible, so be sure to check into them. If you are still a beginner, you can play along with some songs on your favourite CD or radio station. Whatever you use, be sure that the performance on the recording is clear and easy to follow.
4. Have your practice sessions recorded
Recording yourself as you play or practice your drums is a very effective way to improve your playing. By watching what you have just played, you can easily spot timing inconsistencies and correct them during your next playthrough. Recording your practice sessions is basically a way to keep yourself accountable, and it helps you improve your control, energy, and emotions while you play the drums.
Conclusion
Rushing and dragging are common mistakes that drummers – both beginners and even seasoned ones – make from time to time. Fortunately, these mistakes can be easily fixed or avoided with thorough practice and enough knowledge of playing the drums. If you are a beginner who wishes to learn how to play the drums better, you should consider enrolling in a drum class.
At Studio72, we offer some of the best drum, keyboard, vocal, ukulele, and guitar music lessons in Singapore that will surely help you become the most excellent musician you can be! Our extensive music lessons are full of fun and learnings so that you can fall more in love with music under our guidance. No matter what instrument you wish to learn, we can definitely help you master it.
