It doesn\u2019t take a rocket scientist to figure out that physical or mental health concerns can force a drummer to bow out. For someone with depression, practicing drums every day (or at all) might be out of the question. For a drummer with a physical injury, it may be impossible to achieve the motion or comfort you need to play properly.<\/p>\n
Health problems are especially prevalent in full-time working musicians. According to one German study, over two thirds of professional musicians live with chronic pain<\/a> – which means that even after months or years of injury, many people keep playing through the pain, which could result in permanent damage and an early end to their career.<\/p>\n While some health problems understandably mean quitting the drums, many conditions should only result in a temporary setback. There may still be time to prevent hearing loss<\/a>. Even a common drumming injury like carpal tunnel syndrome can be fixed<\/a> if you catch it early enough. So if you\u2019re worried about an injury or health problem threatening your love of drumming, talk to a doctor and make sure it\u2019s definitely worth putting down the sticks for good.<\/p>\n Many of the health problems that keep drummers off the kit come up with age. It gets harder to heal from physical injuries as time goes on. Sadly, arthritis, hearing loss, memory loss, and other age-related conditions can permanently debilitate even the most experienced drummers. And for some people, it can also get mentally exhausting to play for 50+ years. Neil Peart retired from drumming<\/a> in his mid-60s. Phil Collins\u2019 injuries<\/a> added up over time, eventually forcing him off the drums. Lars Ulrich still tours, but he suffers from hearing loss<\/a>.<\/p>\n While it\u2019s inevitable that most drummers will have to retire at some point, you can take steps to help stave off some effects of aging. Stay active, eat well, use good drum technique<\/a>, and go to the doctor as soon as you notice symptoms of a problem.<\/p>\n Many drummers quit because they don\u2019t have time to play anymore. Some say that this isn\u2019t an excuse, and that we make time for our priorities when we really want to. If your priority has shifted from drums to something else (work, family, a new hobby), there\u2019s no shame in packing up your instrument. Maybe you\u2019ll come back to it one day, or maybe you\u2019ll be perfectly happy with drumming being a part of your past.<\/p>\n If you want to make more time to play drums, make it a part of your schedule. Even 15-30 minutes of practice a day is better than nothing.<\/p>\n Are you a chronic procrastinator? Do you keep telling yourself you\u2019ll play tomorrow, but one day off turns into months or years? Sometimes we just don\u2019t feel motivated to drum, and time gets away from us. It\u2019s normal to want to take breaks. But eventually you might realize that you haven\u2019t played in over a year or longer. It can be hard to get back into playing when you\u2019ve taken time off, especially if you\u2019re feeling rusty.<\/p>\n Some drummers are unmotivated because they\u2019re bored; they\u2019ve been playing the same beats and styles for years and don\u2019t know where to go next. Other drummers get down on themselves because they aren\u2019t progressing as quickly as they feel they should.<\/p>\n New players might give up when they realize it\u2019s taking too much work to develop limb coordination and independence and think they\u2019ll never get the hang of it. They might have a drum teacher they don\u2019t like. And unfortunately, some players feel like someone \u2018forced\u2019 them to play drums and they never had the passion to begin with.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re feeling guilty about not being motivated, identify why you\u2019ve lost your mojo<\/a> and try to get that fire blazing again.<\/p>\n Guitarists have it easy. They don\u2019t need to haul 10+ pieces of gear to a gig or a campfire jam. They can easily put on headphones and practice at home. While drummers can buy electronic kits, the tapping can still be heard through thin walls sometimes. And acoustic sets are a no-go for almost anyone with neighbors (read this article if you want to know how to compromise<\/a>).<\/p>\n Some drummers might even feel like quitting because they don\u2019t find their current setup inspiring. Great-sounding drums are expensive, and \u2018starving artist\u2019 is a popular saying for a reason. When your hands say \u2018go\u2019 but your wallet says \u2018no\u2019…you\u2019re in trouble. If you live in a city with local hourly rehearsal spaces, you could book a few sessions to use the drums there, and use a practice pad to stay limber at home.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re thinking of quitting drums, it\u2019s okay – sometimes it\u2019s just not possible to keep going. You might have other things to take care of right now and there\u2019s no need to feel guilty about it. But if there\u2019s any way to make it a temporary<\/i> hiatus, hopefully you\u2019ll be ready to pick up right where you left off (or close to it).<\/p>\n The drums will always be there for you. They will never judge you for taking a break. And they will be patient while you get reacquainted, step by step, at whatever commitment level you\u2019re comfortable with.<\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t played in a while and are concerned that it won\u2019t be easy to make your big return to the throne, check out this short video with 5 tips to help you get back into drumming after a long break:<\/p>\nAge<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Not enough time<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nNo motivation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Not enough space<\/strong><\/h3>\n
You may not need to quit<\/strong><\/h3>\n