| Simple , go back and find the reson you started to play in the first place, and carry on from there with re-kindled interest.
The band that has always inspired me was Deep Purple and whenever i want to get away from reality, the routine or whatever i dig into my large collection of DP and go back 30 years. I never bored from listening to them.
Iv'e never forgotten the few albums as a youth that inspired me to pick up the drum sticks. One was DP MkI and MkII double album, The Beatles Rock and Roll Music double album, and the other a Mowtown greatest hits album with songs the likes of River Deep Mountain High, Papa was a Rolling Stone, etc.
Don't get hung up on how good or bad you are, the important thing is to have fun with it. I know exactly how you feel, iv'e had a few nights where iv'e nearly chucked it in and people have said how good i was, but i was feeling i wasn't giving it all and in a rut playing same songs in same band over and over and getting annoyed at fellow musicians for their faults. You have to stick in there no matter what and make it fun and interesting whatever it takes to do that.
I started working on not just playing with good time but playing to suit the song with groove, and making the most of bad situations, thinking about the big picture instead of myself when playing. I have stacks of un-learnt instructional material, DVD,s and books etc, i'm never going to get through it so will do what i do the best at the best and work on the rest when i get round to it.Probally because i get by with what i have a grasp of makes it a bit harder to learn new stuff, but to keep interst and match fit i still plod at rudiments and try to listen to as many diferent types of music that interest me ( have a great drum sound, drummer, beat) over an above the band work.
Last few years i have gone right back to basics to work on groove and i think i am a better drummer for it, at least more musical player for it , i even think it has rubbed off on the rest of the band raising the performance level.
Stick at it, pull your kit apart, treat it to a new set of skins, tune them up nice, and have some fun.
Hope of some help.  |