Tips for Keeping Better Time on Drums

This would be better conveyed via a video, but I've been too lazy to do that yet.

Overview

I'm a drummer, and I've struggled with timing. I don't mean the kind of timing where I'm slightly off beat when returning from a fill. I mean when I transition from one groove to another, and I'm way off. Or I'm playing the same groove for a minute. How do I not speed-up or slow-down? How do I know that I'm keeping the same time after a transition? I would have no idea. A mistake I made was to try and remember how fast my hand was going on the hi-hat, and try to replicate that speed on the ride (if that's what the song did). That just doesn't work. First, what feels fast one day, may not feel fast the next. Fast is subjective. Second, I may be playing eighth notes on the hi-hat, but then I switch to quarters on the ride. That simply doesn't work while trying to maintain the same speed. So what did I do?

Tip #1

Use the other instruments as a metronome, including vocals. We can all play along to a metronome, right? Well, your other band members are providing a metronome for you, and you may not realize it. Some songs are more obvious than others. 

Examples

Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash
The guitar starts the song, and gives you: "and two and three and four and one." The guitar literally gives you that count. Play to it. Sing the guitar in your head, while you play, as: "and two and three and four and one."

Lonely Is The Night - Billy Squier
The vocals give you: "somebody’s watching you, baby," use, "1 and 2 and 3e and 4 and." The "3e" lines up with "watching you." As the singer is singing that part, sing "1 and 2 and 3e and 4 and." Like, literally sing that to yourself, or mildly out loud, while you play.

The Joker - Steve Miller Band
The bass gives you: "one and two and-uh-three and four, one and two and-uh-three-e-and-uh-four-e-and-uh." That happens over and over again. That's your metronome. LISTEN to it and play along to it. Let it guide you. Try to make the drums match the bass.

Take It Easy - The Eagles
"Well I'm a runnin' down the road..." lines-up perfectly: "Well I'm a one and two and three and four and..." Sing the lyrics as, "one and two and..." right over the real lyrics.

You'll realize more and more opportunities for this approach once you start applying it.

Tip #2

Sing the melody as counting, like: "one and two and three and four and."

Examples

867-5309/Jenny - Tommy Tutone
This could also fall in the category above. While you play, try singing 8675309 as "one and two and three and four and three oooo ni-ine." At any point in the song, you can sing like this, even when that's not what is being sung at the time.

What I like About You - The Romantics
The guitar/melody gives you: "1, 2, 3, 4." Listen to it and feel it. Play along while singing the melody. You can sing: "1, 2, 3, 4" while the guitar is playing it.

Tip #3

Use the 210 approach on the metronome.

There are some songs that aren't helpful as far as other instruments. Perhaps the drums are on their own for a bit. Or perhaps the guitar is just riding out a power chord for a while.

Set your metronome to play three bars. For the first bar, let the click happen on one and two. There should be silence on three and four. For the second bar, only the one should click. For the third bar, there should be no clicks. Let those three bars repeat. Play along to it. Get used to having to keep time on your own, and coming back in on time. Don't be robotic though. Try to keep some kind of melody in your head to guide you.

If your metronome doesn't do this. Get one that does. I use Metronomics HD.

Examples

Shakin' - Eddie Money
This song starts out on the drums. It's a tom groove that's pretty cool. Then there is the transition to a normal, easy beat. Keeping that time wasn't easy for me. I used to play 8th notes on the hi-hat only because I was also doing it on the floor tom. But I wanted to play quarters on the hi-hat, after the tom groove. There are no other instruments to guide me here. So I set my metronome to 113 BPM (to match the song) and I did the tom groove to it, over and over again. Then I did the simple beat for a while. Then, and this is the important part, I played the transition between the two, over and over again, for like 20 minutes straight. It's rough at first. And 5 minutes is a long time for this, let alone 20. But after 20 minutes, the tempo ends up burning into your memory, and you can do it.

This approach is also useful for double time. For example, Lonely Is the Night, and Should I Stay or Should I Go, each have double-time pieces. That is, where the snare was on 2 and 4 earlier, it's now on  1, 2, 3, and 4. Just like Shakin', turn on the metronome and practice the transition for long periods of time. It will sink in. You can also sing the melody during these parts.

The 210 approach also helped me with Born to Be Wild, by Steppenwolf. During the chorus, 16th notes are played on the toms, with crashes in there. 20-30 minutes of 210 helps get this right.

Hopefully this helps. If you have any extra tips, feel free to comment.

Back Issue History - Condensed Summary

Nov 2015 : Constant pain started after driving home from Alabama (to Ohio)

Nov 2015 and later : Four different chiropractors

Mar 2016 : Physical Therapy

Apr 2016 : MRI at Wood County Hospital

5-May-2016: Steroid Shot at Wood County Pain Management - could stand without pain for the first time in months

Feb/Mar 2017 : Steroid shots (three times) - pain gone for two weeks

May-2017 : Totaled car; hit deer

Jun/Jul 2017 : In pain, but could still play tennis

17-Jul-2017 : Last tennis match - can no longer play after this

25-Aug-2017 : Can no longer stand or sit

26-Aug-2017 : Went to ER - nothing done there; decided to increase Hydrocodone

26-Aug-2017 : Trigger point injection at APM (Trivedi) - Didn't help

Aug 2017 : MRI at Wildwood - Dr. Biyanni recommends RFA

1-Sep-2017 : Lumbar Medial Branch Block at APM (Trivedi) - Still can't stand for more than a minute

14-Sep-2017 : Selective nerve root block at APM (Trivedi) - Can stand for 30 minutes

20-Sep-2017 : Dr. Elgafy (UT Medical Center) recommends another nerve root block

27-Sep-2017 : Consultation with new pain management place (UT Medical Center) before doing another nerve root block. Doctor Atallah said two of my three previous procedures were the wrong thing. And the other one was probably in the wrong spot.

3-Oct-2017 : Had two steroid shots: L5/S1 Transforaminal Epidural. Doctor said it will take 24-72 hours to start helping. After 3 days I was much better; like 80%. Could stand for hours with some pain.

17-Oct-2017 : Had two steroid shots: L5/S1 Transforaminal Epidural.

14-Nov-2017 : Follow-up with Dr. Atallah. He recommended aqua therapy. He said he's seen the steroids last anywhere from 3 months to 3 years.

15-Nov-2017 : Got another opinion from Dr. Andreshak. He recommended physical therapy. He also gave me a sitting/stretching exercise to help.

Dec 2017 : Physical therapy sessions for core exercises.

18-Feb-2018 : Steroid shots lasted for four months. It's like they entirely wore off, suddenly, on 18-Feb. Was fine on 17-Feb. Can't play tennis or drum. Have appointment with Dr. Atallah on 21-Feb.

22-Feb-2018 : Transforaminal epidural with Dr. Attalah. Done at L4, and L5. Missed (forgot?) S1.

1-Mar-2018 : Transforaminal epidural with Dr. Attalah. Done at L4, L5, and S1.

12-Mar-2018 : MRI at Toledo Clinic on Holland-Sylvania Rd.

13-Mar-2018 : Met with Dr. Spetka. Recommends microdiscectomy if next shot doesn't work.

15-Mar-2018 : Transforaminal epidural with Dr. Attalah. Done at L5 and S1.

16-Mar-2018 : Met with Dr. Healy. He said I need a microdiscectomy.

22-Mar-2018 : Had surgery. Dr. Healy did a microdiscectomy at the Toledo Hospital. He said the problem was that there was a disc fragment that pressed up against the nerve. It broke away from the disc and was loose. Couldn't see that on an MRI. He removed the fragment. Don't know yet if he also shaved the disc. Will ask at next appointment. Feeling great now.

20-Apr-2018 : Follow-up visit with Dr. Healy. He said there were multiple loose disc fragments. He didn't shave the disc, but he looked for more fragments that were ready to come out, and there were none. He said I had already done all the work to get the nucleus material out of the disc. I'll go back in a month, and we'll talk about resuming tennis then. For now, I need to let it heal. He said I should be able to play all-out, and not worry about this issue anymore. I also told him I'm drumming for an hour at a time now, and he said that's good.

Bob's Back Issue - Part 4

5-Sep-2017 16:30

So frustrated and angry right now. I just don't get it. I can't stand or sit. And getting help from doctors is like pulling teeth.

Advanced Pain Management (APM) was supposed to call me today to tell me what the next step should be. I had a procedure on Friday to see how much it would help. Well, they didn't call, so I called at 16:30. They were gone, even though they're open until 17:00, so I got their answering service.

Here's how the call went with the answering service guy:

Me: "I'm calling because I was supposed to get a call today and didn't."

[silence]

Me: "Hello?"

Guy: "I'm here."

[silence]

Me: "Can I get some help?"

Then he starts to take my info. After he takes my info, this happens:

Me: "Can I ask you something? Is it me, or does it seem like this doctor's staff doesn't care about their patients?"

Guy: "Why? Because they left early today? I don't see how that means they don't care."

Me: "No, the fact that they left early and didn't call like they said they would."

Guy: "Do you want me to patch you through to the doctor, because it's urgent, or not?"

Me: "Yes."

Conversation with doctor (paraphrasing):

Me: "I need to know what the next step is. Someone was supposed to call me today."

Dr: "Did we do the procedure today?"

Me: "No, it was Friday."

Dr: "I need to know the percentage improvement."

Me: "50% Still can't stand or sit for more than a minute."

Dr: "Jenny will call you to schedule the next appointment. It will take some time since you have Aetna."

Me: "I have Blue Cross."

Dr: "Ok. Jenny will call you, most probably today."

Me: "What would the next step be?"

Dr: "Do another branch block, with stronger medication."

Me: "Ok."

It's 16:58. What are the odds that Jenny calls?

Is it me, or is this terrible?

Oh, and I contacted another doctor on Friday by sending him a fax, explaining my situation and asking for help. And I called that office again this morning and left a message. So far no reply. What the heck? I'm at a loss...

Bob's Back Issue - Part 3

1-Sep-2017

9:00 AM - Lumbar Medial Branch Block Procedure

I was injected with an anesthetic multiple times in order to relieve the pain from the nerves. If I felt much better after this, then I'd be a candidate for RFA, which would deaden the nerve(s).

I was originally told I'd wait for about 20 minutes after the injection, and then let the doctor know how I felt. Instead, they sent me home after the procedure and told me to call back that afternoon with how I felt. I did call back, and left a message. Twice. I got a call back after hours. I explained that I felt a little better, but I still couldn't stand for more than a minute or so. The lady said that RFA probably wouldn't work, and they wouldn't know what to do for the next step until they're open again on Tuesday, after the three day weekend.

So I'm back to lying down 24/7 until someone can figure out what's wrong.

I also sent a fax to another doctor today for a second opinion. But again, three-day weekend, so I'm just waiting.

Bob's Back Issue - Part 2

Fri, 25-Aug-2017

I woke up to start working only to find that I could no longer stand or sit. I could stand for maybe 30-40 seconds before the pain became too much and I had to get back on the ground.

I called Advanced Pain Management (APM) for help. They suggested Vicodin or go to ER. I had my wife leave work to go get the Vicodin. They ended up giving us Hydrocodone. I started taking it that day.

Sat

Medication not helping. Went to ER around 6:00 AM. ER doctor said he can give me a drug through the IV that would help with the pain, but it would only last for a couple of hours. He also said I can take way more Hydrocodone than what I was told. I was told to take 1 every 12 hours. ER doc said I could take 2 every four, so I decided to do that.

Sun

Medication still not helping. Still can't stand, or sit. In pain all the time, even when lying down, or on all fours.

Mon

Called APM. They said they can give me another prescription (Gabapentin). They can also do a trigger point injection (in the muscle) that would alleviate the pain immediately.

Went to APM at 1:00 PM. Had to crawl from the car into the building, then crawl to the waiting area. Went in to get the shots. Doctor said relief would be immediate. He told me to sit up. I did and it hurt. No help at all.

My wife and I talked to the doctor and assistant afterward. We asked what to do. Doc said to go to ER. We asked: "Go to the ER every two hours?" He said yes.

After haggling with insurance, I made an appointment for Friday, 1-Sep for the pre-RFA shot. Basically RFA will deaden the nerve, causing me not to feel the pain. The pre-RFA appointment is to numb the nerve to see that the pain goes away. This confirms that RFA will work.

Tue

Working while lying on my back, waiting for Friday...

Bob's Back Issue

I'm hoping this post generates some ideas from others as to what I can try to fix my back pain.

Issues:

• Low back pain over the last two years
• I've been seeing a chiropractor, on and off, for 15+ years
• Pain has been more significant in the last couple of years, even more so in the last two months
• Pain is believed to be caused by a bulging disc hitting a nerve (see MRI image below)
• Pain is severe enough that I can't do my two hobbies (tennis and drumming), ride in the car for a long time, focus in the morning (when the pain is most severe), sit for more than 20 minutes, etc.

Actions taken over the last two years:

• Four chiropractors
• Physical therapy
• Pain management (one steroid shot at one doctor, then three steroid shots at another)
• The second set relieved pain for about two weeks
• Stretching exercises, including an inversion table
• NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, Aleve, Meloxicam)
• Ibuprofen and Aleve haven't helped. Trying Meloxicam now.
• Two MRIs (Apr 2016 and Aug 2017)

Latest suggestion by doctor (15-Aug-2017):

• Does not recommend surgery because the bulge isn't specific enough, or severe enough, to warrant surgery and the possible longer-term complications that go with it.
• By "specific enough," I mean there isn't a smaller bulge to cut away; it's a bigger, overall bulge.
• Recommends radio frequency ablation (radio waves that generate heat that stop the nerves from transmitting pain signals)
• Apparently this can last from 3-18 months.

What I want:

• Some suggestions for things to try to make the pain go away. If you have any, please let me know.

Simple Example of JavaScript *this* Referring to Two Different Objects

Let's say we have this JavaScript object:

What will this display in the console log?

That depends on how displayThis() is called.

If we called it this way:

musician.displayThis();

this would be the musician object:

Why? Because we called displayThis() via the musician object, and the musician object's this is itself.

If we called it this way:

var outside = musician.displayThis;
outside();

this would be the Window object:

Why? Because we called displayThis() via the outside object, and the outside object's this is Window.