WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T PLAY FOR A LONG TIME??

[@maxmaximus8323]

I haven't played in a few years and shaking off the rust now, I've been practicing a lot and getting it going again. Having fun hitting the skins again.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Awesome Max! Welcome back and enjoy every moment

[@philipr1321]

Really happy that you nailed your performance in front of all those guys man, wow, playing in front of greg bissonette and all? Amazing! Thanks for the encouraging video - i've found most things in life are mind over matter and self confidence. You're an amazing teacher Phil, teaching not only the theory but the philosophy too! Hope the family is doing well man

[@philmaturanodrums]

I really appreciate you bratha! Thank you!

[@bruthax-ray8366]

I just started back again after being completely off the scene for 25+ years! Life took me in a different direction, career wise left boo time for playing, then I had major surgeries on both shoulders, sold all of my kits. Took a while to heal as best I could, but didn't think I would play ever again. Jan '23, decided to go at it again, got a new kit and worked on stuff in my basement. When I felt I was ready, I put out some tracks that I played over to some gigging friends and got a gig right away, been gigging steady about 3x per week!

[@philmaturanodrums]

Wow ma man!! That is the beautiful story of the day!! You are blessed to have drums on your life again and the world is blessed to hear you play again! I wish you all happiness with your music and welcome back to us!

[@sezar4611]

Phil, thanks for the wise advice! And, no matter how trivial it may sound, our most powerful resource is our mind. If we don't use the power of our mind, we have no control over anything, and we give control over to fate. Instead, our brain, our internal operating system, can work great for us, helping us achieve our goals.

[@philmaturanodrums]

100% right bro. If we could only tap into it at a deepest level!

[@ikeeptime]

My experience may be proof that cellular learning is real. I have had several episodes stretching from one year to about 3 years where I did not play at all. Coming back into practicing I found that my body recovered to its former elasticity and endurance within a short period of time, Maybe two weeks at most. Cellular learning. But here is the really interesting part. I found my level of creativity and improvisation catapulted forward to a level I had never had before. This was no fluke since it happened each time I resumed playing after a long pause. My theory is that my subconscious had been working out all along. Especially while simply listening to music even without thinking what I would play to the tunes I listened to.

[@philmaturanodrums]

100% bro. It is truly a real thing. Thanks for this great post! Many greetings!

[@PrinceAsmodeus]

Great message.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Thank you friend! :-)

[@luigisavoia2401]

Didn't play for 12 years. Got a new set of drums for my birthday. First month was terrible. Thought I wasted my money. After 3 months it all came back.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Wonderful!! Welcome back bratha!

[@EleanorPeterson]

In my experience, if a drummer doesn't play for a long time, the bassist comes over, gives her a slap and shouts, "WAKE UP, YOU DOZY COW!" [😁]

[@philmaturanodrums]

LOL yeehhoooo :-)

[@Stewsdrums]

I quit for 10 years after watching Chris Cooper in the movie adaptation. Been practicing average 5 hours a day for 5 years now. Took a lot longer than I thought it would to get back.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Hi Stew! 10 years is a long time! For sure. I am happy you are back with us. With the passion you have now the process of healing your body from not playing will be something that benefits your music for a long time! Keep it up bro! And welcome back!

[@PrinceAsmodeus]

Why Chris Cooper in Adaptation?

[@Stewsdrums]

@PrinceAsmodeus his part was based on a real-life guy who would find something interesting, become an expert, and then stop doing it, and then he would go off to another interesting thing to learn, become expert, repeat 😉

[@PrinceAsmodeus]

@@Stewsdrums great film

[@n8w8rem22]

After 40 y i play again , an i do it match better than i was 20 ,

[@philmaturanodrums]

Awesome brooooo!! Welcome back!!

[@bilhamcobbly2957]

Two words; muscle memory

[@RayFerretti]

Jascha Heifetz: "If I don't practice one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it."

[@philmaturanodrums]

hahaha!!! Thats a good one yes!

[@jefflyon2020]

Whether or not you find your self behind a orchestra, eyes on the conductor then your sheet music, or giant montors to your right and left up on a riser,hot ass lights burning your neck and scalp, maybe your down in a sweaty basement ,far from home with smelly drunk punk rockers throwing themselves into each other while a body takes out your floor tom and ride cymbal-have fun, enjoy yourself and the music.You usually get paired with the band your the best match for without much thought or reflection.If the beginning of the tour was difficult, by the end you'll be hardly breaking a sweat, pace yourself and LISTEN to your bandmates.Nobody will boo you offstage if you give it your best regardless of how many folks showed up,or how many tickets sold.Bands destroy themselves taking themselves WAY to seriously.Oh, and when its time to record, set up a pre -roduction and try putting some tracks onto tape, and listen to the music carefully,does it sound like it does in your mind? sound lke shit? snafre way to high? or ringing like a fucking bell? but dont take my word for it-this video says it all better than i can.cant help myself.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Beautiful post Jeff! Thank you for writing

[@brianherald5756]

Honestly Iv found that taking a break makes me play better feels like a new surge of motivation and inspiration

[@robwitt1621]

yeah me too

[@philmaturanodrums]

Hi Brian. Taking break definitely has benefits! It's like your ears reset. And it feels fresh to be on the kit again. Everyone needs a break once in a while. Thanks for writing in and many greetings to you :-)

[@claygee8471]

When I take time off from playing....my playing improves. It's like my muscles needed a break.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Yes its true! Also the ears reset! It's something actually many cats talk about. Many friends actually hate listening to music that is "background noise" Like in taxis, supermarkets, malls etc. Because it interferes with this resetting process. There is definitely something to it. Thank for writing bro! All the best

[@MetricMod]

Love this video. I took 5 years off. Legit did not touch my drums. It was a choice. Not due to Covid or anything. I just wanted a break and changed my career for a few years. When I went back to it, I was a bit rusty, but the feeling I immediately got when I was thrown into the studio was close to that feeling at my first gig when I was 16. I always remember Tony Williams story of quitting for 10 years and I just told myself that the feel is all that matters for the first while. The chops and the metric modulation will come back with time. It all did. This is a great video. Thank you.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Man great post too bro! Really appreciate that. Five years is a long time but I am happy you came back! That feeling you mentioned....the blue oceanic phase in the body that drumming creates. The dopamine rush. The out of body experiences...It all comes back too for those with the calling like you. Many greetings!

[@MetricMod]

@@philmaturanodrums Same to you, brother. Happy Holidays to you and your family.😊🙌🏾❤️

[@Diesel0807]

My expeirience from 10 years off was humbling .. i suppose it depends on how advanced you were when you stopped too.. but my compound strokes were trash and all the really complex stuff took a wnile to get back togetner...

[@philmaturanodrums]

Hi bro! Well....10 years is a very long time. The good news I can see from your note here is that you are at least aware of all those things. Awareness of these things is something that not every drummer has. Sounds like you know a lot about drumming. So i have no doubt the passion for the craft will see you through this recovery time. Keep me up tp date on your playing. All the best

[@artguti1551]

I played drums from the age of 14. At the age of 51, I moved out of Southern California to a different state. I couldn't find any musicians nearby. So, I only practiced a handful of times over the 10 year period. Then in May 2023, I moved back to So Cal. My old band mates wanted to get together to play. But I told them that I would only sing. But 3 days before out get together...my bandmate wanted me to play drums. I told him that I hadn't played with a band in over 10 years and hadn't practice in over a year. So I practiced for 3 days. And when we met, it was like riding a bike. I didn't have the endurance...but the moto skills came back pretty fast.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Thats is a wonderful story bro! I am very happy you are back on the kit! A blessing! All the best and many greetings to you!

[@johnmckenna1776]

Thanks Phil for doing videos on really practical subjects like this one. One advantage to taking time off of drumming, is that you can go back to basics & weed out any bad habits you may have developed in the past. This is because you will have a more objective view of your drumming. Also the mind/ego will try to keep you from doing what's best for your life, don't let fear fake you out of true success!

[@philmaturanodrums]

Right on bro! You got it!

[@citydrums7525]

Good video. I saw an interview with Terry Bozzio and he said during Covid he didn't play for two years! Damn!

[@philmaturanodrums]

Damn! Yes its a serious subject that we all went through sadly.

[@Arbigale]

Neil Peart, i think was 5 years due to tragic things that happened, but it was in heart/muscle memory that drums was that natural to him

[@philmaturanodrums]

Yeah Niel was a hero to so many young drummers when I was coming up. We were all very sad when he passed :-(

[@mr9246m]

I haven't gigged in 20 years but always played alone at home. Pretty much everyday. I've just started meeting up with others again. Confidence is an issue!

[@t-bone6467]

Ok i think i have the record. Drums sat stacked in basement untouched for 30 years until couple months ago

[@philmaturanodrums]

Well....30 years is a lot! BUT....if you can rediscover your passion for them it would be nice :-)

[@t-bone6467]

@@philmaturanodrums yes i continued to play in my head for these thirty years. Set up the kit couple months ago as part of cardiac rehab to get some stamina rebuilt. It's been challenging but fun. Some of it coming back slowly. Everything on KZbin now, so easy to relearn.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Thats awesome man! For health...drumming is one of the most beautiful things you can do! I wish you good health in your return journey! @@t-bone6467

[@t-bone6467]

@@philmaturanodrums thank you!

[@billkujawa]

Yeah, if I lay off any more than a few weeks, I start getting a little depressed not a good feeling!

[@philmaturanodrums]

Dopamine! Drums are a factory for that!

[@christiancanalita6487]

Thanks for this video Phil. I’ve been struggling with imposter syndrome for awhile now especially more when I don’t get to practice.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Try not to dwell on that imposter stuff. You are not!! Its all mental noise. Don't worry. We all went through it at some level

[@markmerrill6852]

As a professional drummer and drum instructor I have only 1 question to ask to other drummers online promoting 'lessons' and 'how to..' gimmicks. Why is there so much emphasis on building up "speed" and not enough on the basics of rudiments, tempos, and styles of music?

[@philmaturanodrums]

I suggest watching this video Mark! kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6uUmGBooteAbdE This will explain a lot!

[@timothyslaughter476]

Actually good things can happen. The great Neil Peart once took a full year off and was amazed at all the new ideas that were percolating. Sure there's some rust physically but a few shed days cleans that up. But drummers can get caught in a loop of paralysis by analysis so ya don't know what ya don't know, or maybe never thought of.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Yeah the whole thing with Niel was so sad. Its gonna happen to all of us. So we have to enjoy drumming while we can

[@ivansargent4481]

I feel you, this is a legitimate performance issue"knocking off the rust"... What I do is I play air drums, seriously and deliberately, the muscle memory translates over to the actual drum set...🎉

[@philmaturanodrums]

you know....I truly believe that this works! I have heard Changuito and other great drummers say that memory recall of playing and simulation can definitely touch on things that are important in maintaining levels. It goes without saying of course that visualization and deep recall is used by top athletes and very serious yoga / spiritual practices around the world. So what you say is truly very relevant to the topic! Thank you for writing and many greetings from Indonesia :-)

[@dmgsoultogetherness6667]

and.....when you stop playing with other people...your timing gets slightly out

[@philmaturanodrums]

True!! Controlling a band especially Big band or something with a lot of players takes a lot of hands on experience. Thanks for writing friend :-)

[@daveweed2765]

Yeah if you dont play everyday or at least every week you lose it. Weeks dont matter. Years do. And pandemic? Why would you not play?

[@philmaturanodrums]

True! Years will take a toll for sure

[@mikeoxlong8272]

Blisters all over again.....you will have band aids on every knuckle of every finger all over again.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Hi Mike! Well you know I used to get a lot of blisters! Had to wear gloves even at one point. But them I discovered Murray Spivack and it never happened again. So there are solutions to not having that process damage your hands. Just takes a little patience and time :-) Thank for writing bro! All the best

[@IplaySignatureDrums]

Thanks Phil

[@JoeIzzo]

Thanks Phil. This is definitely something I've always been curious about. Really interesting stuff!!

[@philmaturanodrums]

Right on Joe! Thanks for writing! Al the best!

[@johnmckenna1776]

Phil I saw your interview with Joel Taylor....awesome!! Joel is one of those drummers that can do anything he sets his mind to, well just like you!!

[@philmaturanodrums]

Joel is a master musician! He is one of my favorites i must say!

[@celebmrk9]

What about seven years of not playing after 35 years of playing? …weeks?

[@philmaturanodrums]

Hi bro! Well first of all welcome back to drumming! Seven years is a long time but a comeback ...it absolutely can be done! With your playing experience it all depends on how much time you have now for your body to recover from not playing. With a very organized practice routine and dedication you could be back up and running at least 6 months to a year. IF you put the time in. Your advantage is that 35 years is a whole lifetime and if you trust your body and passion for drumming...you will be fine! Welcome back and thank you for writing in. All the best!

[@celebmrk9]

Hey, I appreciate your encouragement! I am looking forward to working it all back up (and beyond)…set to retire soon, so I’ll definitely have the time…thank you!

[@rmmccarthy1240]

Great posture (and I like your dirty cymbals).👍

[@philmaturanodrums]

Thank you kindly bratha! Posture is important for healthy playing yes. I try to keep it in mind always. And these cymbals changed my sound for the better! I love them! Thank for writing in and many greetings :-)

[@rmmccarthy1240]

@@philmaturanodrums you bet. - and many greetings, Phil!

[@nunnayuhbitness6708]

Please share with us the cymbals --- the brand & model of each one.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Hi Nunnay. You can see all about these cymbals here...kzbin.info/www/bejne/aofanYCKh9ehj6Msi=Nuj0ZHdgPYzgI_gQ

[@biodhya1080]

For me it s different i play with lot of alone with loop funny .but lack group situation

[@philmaturanodrums]

Alone is ok. But you will probably enjoy playing with people when you find the right situation. There is great joy in sharing your passion with the world when its the right time. Keep playing bratha! All the best!

[@biodhya1080]

Yes I m always ready

[@peterkahlenborn8163]

Yeah - being a musician became making videos ;) - a good thing anyway, since we finally about to close the gap between musicians and audience. I feel like we all grow together more consiously day by day. As one just music loving family, finding out: finally we're all just people - inspired by the drums one or the other way. And that has a meaning. Drums matter. I enjoyed the walk! Thank you for the calm vibes & good energy. It makes me feel like »yes Sir, ready to do my best to be a helpful part of a community«. A community about showering the world with the many good vibes we ourselves experience in music. I wish you a Merry Christmas surrounded by family, and all the very best for 2024!

[@philmaturanodrums]

Awesome post Peter! Thank for writing in!

[@peterkahlenborn8163]

thx for all the great work!@@philmaturanodrums

[@Bizkitlove]

not playinf for a while allows you to freshen up and come back with new creative ideas,that's been my experience,great vid mate,good subject and content.Birdland vid sounded great.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Hi Mark! Yes absolutely! Another drummer posted about this effect too. Its like your ears reset and everything seems fresh. I love that feeling. If only we could keep it going while on heavy tour or practice schedule. And thank you kindly for the nice words about Birldand, I appreciate you man! hugs from LA!

[@GarryChecora]

“Effortless Mastery” by pianist Kenny Werner is a MUST read for EVERY musician.

[@philmaturanodrums]

Absolutely!

[@soko1450]

My wife got me my first kit in 20 years. She heard me talk a lot about the old days of jamming and gigging. I was surprised at how much I could still do but I definitely lost some skills. It’s all coming back much quicker than I could have dreamed though. I’m so thankful to my wife for giving me this part of my life back. I highly doubt I’ll gig again but the joy is back and it’s therapeutic. Jam on, everyone!

[@philmaturanodrums]

Hi Soko! Man that your playing again is fabulous! Thats the main thing. Its really good for your health too. if you are happy then other people around you might get happy too! Ya never know what happens once your back on the kit! Many greetings and thanks for writing! :-)

[@christophpeschel3848]

7:27 learned is learned

[@philmaturanodrums]

This!

[@johnruddleston805]

Hi Phil, great video. I was only this week thinking about this subject. You see I’ve not played for twenty years plus and I felt very rusty. I’d not been playing for about twelve years prior to that. I’ve been active backing cabaret and worked in a twenty piece big band in my time but the big question is, what will happen if I’m invited on stage to play? Do you still have the same answer? I’m in my late sixties now and muscles aren’t the same anymore. Is the muscle memory still there? Thanks for the video, much appreciated!

[@philmaturanodrums]

Hi John. Thanks for writing. 20 years is a lifetime basically. You have to give your body a chance to recover from not playing. Before you get yourself in situations where your music might suffer. Take it easy. Day by day. Enjoy every moment of your return and savour the passion that brought you baxk to us in drumming. Many greetings and dont leave us again. The world needs you. :)

[@uglypinkeraser]

Whats the sabian crash on your right side in the intro? the raw bell, shiny lathed one

[@philmaturanodrums]

Hi bro! Its a prototype Sabian gave me. I think there are some like this in the AAX series though. :-)

[@ernestlmorellsr]

Oh please! Man you're talking about a couple of weeks? What about a decades, huh? Now that's what um calling not having played for some time 🧑‍🦽

[@philmaturanodrums]

We talked about a year also remember?