It is extreemly important to learn to play along with a click track. If you want to be a seasoned drummer and your thinking of doing any studio work or putting together demo's, it saves you a cosiderable amount of time and money. After hanging around my son who is doing studio work in Orlando, it made me realize the importance. If you don't have a drum machine or device that produces a click time you can find a cd of a group that records strictly to a click track such as the Black Eyed Peas or anybody for that matter and practice along to it . You can play anything you want during the song. All your doing is using them in the backround to keep time. Then try putting in all your own fills. It works great. I mention drum fills because most of us drummers tend to speed up during the fills and thats the point where a drummer tends to speed up the time. Thanks for reading. Joe Ulisano ( jojo5050)

Sound advice Joe.
When playing out, I force myself to concentrate even harder when a fill is required. Also, I humm yes humm the melody and often I keep in sync by bobbing my head in time with the music. This may be old school, but it works. I use this method untill I am comfortable with the piece, and it becomes routine later.
Regards, Bob T

Yo are right on with that advice. I do harmony without a mic to keep up with Mark and my dad. I will quote the drummer Scott Travis of Judist preist "if you cannot keep a beat then you are useless as a drummer."
I agree with that. I tend to go out more and watch bands to see what other people are doing with some of the same songs I might play. I feel everyone is a better drummer than I am. If you change that frame of mind than there will be no more influences right?