I don't understand how it's possible you can't hear yourself...but nothing will happen for you without headphones and the tune/click turned up nice and loud. You can hear a drum kit through most any headphones, and if you can't hear yourself you can feel what you're playing. Headphones and turn it up or nothing doing, I'd say.

Mitch

I have been told by my bass player to practice with a metronome. The one I bought has a light that blinks, I can set it on a music stand and play with the band, no headphones. At home I practice along with the studio recordings I have downloaded to my phone. My drum instructor told me that was the best way to learn tempo.

Try a metronome app for your phone.

Ludwig Metronome is fine.

Eventually get a small mixing board to mix click

and other instruments for your own headphone mix.

I have a Tama RhythmWatch that I like to use. It has a plug in for standard ear buds and it's perfect for practicing along with. Using a metronome is very important because it's never wrong. Locking in with it will help your playing tremendously

hey Justin that, Tama watch sounds pretty cool. Have you ever heard of the soundbrenner pulse?

Downtownfarmer.Let me explain:i CAN hear what I'M playing but CAN'T hear (because i've misplaced my smartphone headphones&don't have/own either a Ipod/monitor etc) what i'm playing/practicing TO EVEN with using brushes!,

I'm either too fast or slow(speed up or slow down) &i miss certain fills in the songs.It's only after i stop to hear&listen to the music that i realise this.Interms of practicing to a 'click" both what tempo(s) should i start with&excercises?

The answer would seem to be;

1) buy a smartphone headphone/earbuds. They are cheap and you can get a set from Woolies. Short of that you will have to gaffer tape your phone to your ear.

2) Download a metronome app.. plenty of free ones for your Smartphone.Some of the apps also have a light that flashes on the beat. You don't have to hear it, you can see it. You don't have to practice with drums, listen to the metronome and tap you feet, play on your pillow/leg/table with your hands.. get that right at the start and then progress.

3) Practice very simple beats to start with, Just one hand, one and 2 and 3 and 4 and. You can set the metronome to match that, or just the quarters. Start at a tempo of 60 BPM (slower is good but more challenging to start with). Stay at that speed until you can't hear the metronome (i.e. the click of the metronome matches exactly what beat you are playing and the sound of the metronome is buried by the sound of the drum, H/H). When it does don't increase the speed yet, increase the complexity of what you are playing .. get to a simple rock beat, hands and feet, again until the sound of the metronome matches exactly what you are playing. Use page one of stick control to play to.

4) Keep practicing, play sixteenths, play a repetitive fill over and over.

5) increase the speed and repeat.

6) When you think you have it nailed, go all the way down to 40 BPM. This is much harder than going faster.

It might be frustrating at first, but practice is your best friend with this.

Cheers

Have you considered headphones that completely cover your ears instead of earphones or earbuds? You'll still hear your drums fine and can crank it up in the cans as much as you like. I used to do it all the time when I was younger, it works very well.

Yes, large, closed-back headphones are what I would suggest too. But do be careful to not crank up the click too much or you will be investing in future tinnitus (from which I have suffered for years).