DRUMMER CAFE

I studied with Rick Steed of Riverside, CA. He was one of Murray Spivack's students.

I'm a big fan of Murray Spivack's concepts, which can be seen at work with the likes of David Garibaldi, Vinnie Colaiuta, Chad Wackerman, Chuck Silverman, Louie Bellson, to name a few.

While Spivack's concepts form a whole system of grip and hand motions (somewhere in between Moeller and Gladstone), it does use the middle finger as the fulcrum. To be more specific, it uses the FIRST JOINT of the middle finger. What I like about it is that there's always a "reference" point for gripping the stick.

For more info, check Chuck Silverman's site--

http://chucksilverman.com/technique.html

I'll be happy to answer any question as well... to the best of my ability!

Give it a shot, and ask your teacher plenty of questions. Any new technique - particularly one so fundamental to your overall playing - will feel strange at first.

I was trained to use the index finger for classical and "legit" playing, as well as for uptempo jazz ride cymbal work. But for the majority of my work, I use more of the middle finger. That happened without a lot of conscious effort - I think it's possible I adopted it as a sort of "shock absorber" for the heavier playing that I've done over the years.

The nice thing about any new technique is that it won't harm your old technique. It will just be a new tool in your collection. Be patient, and good luck!

Well, that post is doing a good job of selling the DVD.  I have held out because I have plenty of materials already that I have not tapped out.  But with the words you just used, I think I Have to get that CD. 

Usually I associate a fulcrum or technique (moeller- reduced or heavy whip) with different patterns, dynamic passages or attitudes I'm trying to play or convey.  So when the pattern comes out my playing technique is already committed.

And NO, I don't think about fulcrums at all and have not thought about one for probably months.  But I practice using different ones (sometimes).  This does not mean I did not spend time working with playing technique, cause I have.

Everyone is different tho'... I'm sure some guys think about mechanics and work on it all day long.

You mean you play "matched grip" and your son is learning "traditional" grip from his teach.

Not really a fulcrum topic, but that's ok.

Felix,

Actually I play old school traditional grip with the straight middle finger in the left hand.   My son is learning only matched grip at this point. But the stick runs along the fingers and out the side of the hand. My right hand runs straight down the middle of my hand in the crease.   Thumb and index finger fulcrum in the first joint of the index finger.   The percussionists of our local symphony orchestra play the middle finger fulcrum with the thumb and index barely touching the stick.  Like I stated before Mr. A's point about learning as much as you can only makes you a better more knowledgeable player.   

I use index-based for lighter finger work like jazz comping or any french grip situations and middle when I open up for funk or rock on the drum set.

One of the worst things any musician can do while playing is be distracted with thoughts about things like technique, or anything else besides making music, or responding to the music.

When I play at [band] practice, I try to avoid looking anywhere else but at my drums.  This gives me total concentration, and it helps keep me free from distractions.  The moment I look at a band mate, I am distracted by that social interaction, and then I tend to "ignore" the song while I'm playing.  It's so important to me to keep my "head in the game".  One super-simple example is the song Takin' Care of Business by BTO.  I like to help introduce the chorus.  But this song's drum part is basically the same thing over and over.  If I'm not careful, then I could EASILY get lost in my thoughts (and I do)!!  And before I know it, I'm in the chorus!!

Now, I also own Jojo's Secret Weapons DVD.  But, the first video I learned this middle-finger grip from is Dave Weckl's How To Develop Technique, and then I later (much later) added Steve Smith's Drumset Technique and the History of the U.S. Beat.  After I watched Dave's, I learned that I was already using this very, very natural grip with my right hand, but my left was terrible.  I don't know WHAT it was doing.

But anyway, my point, although impossible to detect, is that I recommend Dave Weckl's How To Develop Technique video.  I recommend it because he talks about things that I think Jojo should have talked about.  And of course, Jojo says things that Dave should've said.  But Dave's way of teaching it is an excellent compliment to the way everyone else teaches it.  So, get that video.  I strongly recommend it.  I have really only taken the BASIC stuff from that video, and it has already improved my playing enough to where the band noticed!  They said it sounds like I'm playing with much more power and control.  And yeah, I guess that, even though I'm never happy with my playing, I do have much more freedom on the drums now than I did before getting Dave's video.

For ME, I make sure of several things:

1.  My index and thumb aren't squeezing the stick as before
2.  My index "becomes more of a guide", as Dave Weckl describes.
3.  My ring and pinky never leave the stick (especially the pinky).  In fact, I use them to help control the stick (and I was VERY happy to see Jojo actually teaching this.  It made me very proud of myself lol)
4.  My stick rests and BALANCES on my middle finger, just as Dave Weckl described at a Clinic I attended.
5.  My shoulders are relaxed (I shrug my shoulders as a "check")
6.  I'm not leaning forward.  Try this:  lean forward and pretend like you're playing your pedals.  Now continue playing while you gradually lean back more and more.  You're going to discover that there's a point where it's WAY easier.  So, leaning forward is a no-no because it makes my legs heavier (I saw a video where Bob Gatzen teaches this)
7.  And finally, for my brain, I need to make sure that I am focusing on wrapping my pinky, ring and middle fingers around the stick while keeping the index finger "dead", and I'm using my thumb to help out (this is important.  I need to keep reminding myself to avoid forgetting about my thumb).

All in all, I am trying to get my left hand to look exactly like Mister Acrolite's.  Look at it in his first pic.  Now look at it in his second pic.  Beautiful.  That's my goal.  You're a lucky guy, Mr. A.

And to help me achieve this goal, I'm trying to teach my left hand how to do EVERYTHING my right hand can do.  Even things that don't involve manipulating physical objects.  Like pointing.  Or Mr. Spock's "V" thing (he splits his fingers to create a nice V for "Live long and prosper").  Or the "peace" sign, rabbit ears, or "2" (whatever we want to call it).  I am also practicing making a fist with my left hand.  I am also practicing snapping my fingers in my left hand.  But I think the most important and most relevant hand "trick" is pointing.  I noticed that my right hand is excellent at it while my left is basically retarded.  So, I'm trying to improve it (and as a result, my left hand's drumming has improved).

After doing all of this "teaching", I'm truly seeing how important it is to have a very strong hand.  But not "body-builder" strong.  I mean "race horse" strong.

But[/u][/I] - if I'm thinking about any of this stuff while playing, I notice that my playing suffers because I'm distracted from the music, and I stop listening as a result.  It's the same thing as when I'm trying to hold a conversation. If I'm concentrating on where I should be standing, how I should be standing, how my face should be looking while I'm talking, etc, etc... then I end up not being able to listen to the person with whom I am having a conversation.  I can't give them my full, undivided attention, and then my ability to interact with that person suffers.  The same thing happens with playing music.  My band mates noticed that my best performance comes from when I'm off in my own little world and the only thing IN that world is the music.