xdrummer2000
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« on: January 29, 2005, 04:55 PM » |
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Is there any possible way I can continue playing the way I normally do while at the same time improving the speed of my left hand/foot to match my right hand/foot.
Do weights help?
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sirdrumalot
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« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2005, 05:01 PM » |
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I do just an eighth note exercise alternating between my two hands to warm them up and keep them alike, in terms of speed. R = right L = left / = next measure 1. RRRR LLLL/RRRR LLLL 2. RRRR RRRR/ LLLL LLLL 3. this one is in 6/8: RRRLLL/RRRLLL/RRRLLL/RRRLLL 4. RRRR RRRR/ RRRR RRRR/ LLLL LLLL/ LLLL LLLL I hope this helps.  Ps: If you want to include your foot, alternate your eighth notes between the hands and feet, for example. RfRf LfLf/ RfRf LfLf |
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Bart Elliott
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« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2005, 05:48 PM » |
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Practicing, not weights, is the key. Use your left hand/foot more and it will gain strength and control. Practice being able to do everything with your left that you can do with your right. Read this ... http://community.drummercafe.com/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=7678 |
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Hammertown Drummer
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« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2005, 08:07 AM » |
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good advice from both bart and monkey....the other thing that I do to help with my left hand and foot is play your hats with your left and it you play double bass practice useing your left foot only. Our weak limbs are this way because we always lead with the strong side.....for me I've led with my right hand for over 20 years thats alot of 8ths or 16ths on a set of hats versus 2 and 4 on the sd with my left hand. Years ago when I was going through "new breed" I started to lead with the left hand and it has paid huge dividends.
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I never stop learning new things.....but it keeps getting easier!!!!!!!!!!
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sirdrumalot
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« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2005, 11:53 AM » |
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Yeah, I've been practicing open handed playing lately and it's definitely helping with my left hand speed.
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Hammertown Drummer
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« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2005, 06:12 PM » |
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its helps huge with left hand speed and will vastly improve your coordination.....nothing like killing two birds with one stone.
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I never stop learning new things.....but it keeps getting easier!!!!!!!!!!
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nothingyet
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« Reply #6 on: April 09, 2005, 05:17 PM » |
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I have found that starting EVERYTHING I practice with my left hand has improved my left quite a lot.
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wildcrazydrummer
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« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2005, 03:43 PM » |
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I have found that doing a triplets then a quarter note like this,
LLL R LLL R and so on, then do just tripletts, LLL LLL LLL LLL,
then do, LLR LLR LLR LLR, it will help alot then do it faster and u will get it
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jonpaul
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« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2005, 05:53 PM » |
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Is there any possible way I can continue playing the way I normally do while at the same time improving the speed of my left hand/foot to match my right hand/foot.
Do weights help?
Turn the kit around and play left handed/Left Footed. Give that a month of solid playing 1 hour a day and your left hand and foot will be 50% better in 4 weeks. |
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josephinecounty
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« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2005, 02:06 PM » |
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hehe, man... I'm tempted to turn my kit around..
.... but also afraid. =D
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felix
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first class all the way :-)
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« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2005, 06:35 PM » |
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You can do that. I just lead with my left.
I use a metronome and just work my left side until tired. I also adjust my playing technique and dynamics.
Like Bart said- I think it boils down to knowing good technique then practicing.
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Sonor, The Drummers Drum
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LaelsMom
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« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2005, 08:14 AM » |
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Lael's last drum teacher had her use whatever limb was best at something to "teach" her weaker limbs. So if her left hand was slow, low, sloppy, what ever, he had her practice using her hands in unison -- the right hand teaching the left hand. It worked great for her left hand speed, double strokes, etc. It has worked great for improving her bass drum speed too, with her hi-hat foot or right hand teaching her bass drum foot. It sounds terrible! That is the kind of practice I close the music room door on. Poor lonley girl . . .
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Kid logic: Practice makes perfect + Nobody's perfect = Nobody practices.
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felix
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first class all the way :-)
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« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2005, 08:33 AM » |
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I can't imagine having to teach- it's not easy and I'm very poor at it.
I've had some teachers and have read in places where they recommend doing things you normally do with your right hand to try and get in the habit with your left hand. For example, brushing your teeth.
But really as Bartman mentioned above it boils down to just nasty, horrible sounding practice. Encouragement is key. If one is consistent, I've found that within about a years time you can really get that left side closer to the right side in performance.
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Sonor, The Drummers Drum
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bubbadrums
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« Reply #13 on: April 22, 2005, 10:33 AM » |
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It sounds terrible! That is the kind of practice I close the music room door on. Poor lonley girl . . .
Practice should sound terrible. Practice is about practicing something that you haven't mastered yet. If it sounds good during practice it's called rehearsal. Sounds like she's doing it right. |
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Ranman
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« Reply #14 on: April 22, 2005, 10:44 AM » |
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I mostly pratice what I "can't play".
When I stated to train my feet (ex millitary drummer) if I didn't know nothing about drumming and I heard myself I would think "How nice that the retarded are forming a band.
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xdrummer2000
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« Reply #15 on: May 06, 2005, 05:55 PM » |
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Yeah. Starting yesterday I have started to train my left hand. I play "Thunderstruck" and "TNT" by AC/DC with my left hand on the hi-hat and my right on the snare. I also lift an 8-pound weight until my arm falls off (not literally). I only lift it with my left hand, though, as I want my left arm to get closer to being as good as my right. Thanx for the advice everyone! |
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BloodMagician
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« Reply #16 on: May 07, 2005, 03:48 AM » |
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Something to consider is the idea of playing open handed for a time. "Open handed" playing is the practice of using your weak hand as the leader, particularly in drumset patterns. Typically, an open handed player's setup places the Ride cymbal on the left hand side, keeping the hi hats lower than normal, and both are played with the left hand. I'm left handed by nature, and when I was learning (early Elementary school, actually) I wasn't allowed to move the cymbals or drums around to accomodate for my left handed nature, so I learned to play open handed on the hat, and traditionally on the Ride - something that helped me tremendously down the line. To this day, I use an open handed setup: toms are situated right-oriented, with my primary Ride on the left and my hats a bit lower. For more information (and a demonstration) on open handed playing, look at Dom Famularo's cyber lessons here. Personally, I don't keep my hats as low as he does, and I certainly don't cut my hi hat rod like that. |
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bilkay
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« Reply #17 on: May 07, 2005, 03:12 PM » |
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Yeah. Starting yesterday I have started to train my left hand. I play "Thunderstruck" and "TNT" by AC/DC with my left hand on the hi-hat and my right on the snare. I also lift an 8-pound weight until my arm falls off (not literally). I only lift it with my left hand, though, as I want my left arm to get closer to being as good as my right. Thanx for the advice everyone! I say skip the weight. I also think the LLLR LLLR LLLR LLLR advice is an excellent starting point. While practicing either the AC/DC stuff or the simple exercises, focus on staying relaxed. You'll get faster and more relaxed as you practice consistently. |
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xdrummer2000
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« Reply #18 on: May 07, 2005, 03:16 PM » |
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I say skip the weight. I also think the LLLR LLLR LLLR LLLR advice is an excellent starting point. While practicing either the AC/DC stuff or the simple exercises, focus on staying relaxed. You'll get faster and more relaxed as you practice consistently.
I still want to lift the weight. But in the past couple of days, I've noticed a very slight improvement in my speed. Imagine how it'll get in a week or so. |
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"Real Men Love Jesus"
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Dave Heim
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« Reply #19 on: May 07, 2005, 06:47 PM » |
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Imagine how it'll get in a week or so.
Sore? |
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