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CoolShoeshine26
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« on: July 23, 2002, 01:23 PM » |
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Hey fellow drummers! 
I am a fairly new percussionist...I just started August '01 when I entered high school. I joined marching band as a clarinet player, but I didn't want to march, so I joined pit.  After falling in love with mallets and percussion, I made the final switch, and I became official. Unfortunately, this year, they have decided to expand my horizons and put me on 2nd bass drum. Since I am only 15, and have never done an activity as strenuous as this before, I am having a bit of difficulty. My shoulders are super sore, along with my lower back, and since I have more boney hips, the harness is really killing them. (sigh) I guess I'll have to grin and bear it. But while I'm bearing it, does anyone have any good advice on excersizes/stretches for arms/back? Also, any advice from current/veteran bass drummers would be great. Alrighty, thanks for your time!  Rock on,
CoolShoeshine26
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BAnimalG
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The Animal is in the house...and he's hungry!
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« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2002, 02:25 PM » |
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Welcome to the Cafe!!
Aaah, the woes of the marching drummer. Been there done that! One strectching excercise that helped me during those days was lying on the cold tile floor after marching and making my entire back touch the floor. Inother words, stretch your back out, until you feel the cold tile on every muscle of your back. there are also the stretches you should do before going out on the field. "Picking cotton" is one of these. I'm sure you are familiar with it: stand with your legs spread as wide as you can make them go with your feet still flat on the ground. Bend over and touch your fingers to the ground until you are touching as far behind you as you can go (without it hurting, of course). That and a bunch of Tylenol is about all that got me through High School and College marching band. Good luck man!
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MVanDoren1
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« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2002, 02:51 PM » |
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Hello there-
I as well as Bartman here used to play marching bass drums. We had the Slingerland chrome over wood style- talk about heavy. I wimped out my first year at it and Bart stepped up to the plate to carry the largest bass- that was our sophmore year I believe- after that Bartman went to mallets and I took over the monster. I say all that to say this- what type of harness do they have with the drums. I don't know if you have baby brothers/cousins etc. or do laundry at your house but if you were to hold a small child or laundry basket on your side where would they sit? That place just above the hips is a likely candidate for where the harness straps should tighten around- its a different sport (and don't let anyone fool you into thinking that competition marching- especially for those heavy laden- isn't as demanding as most sports) but backpackers use this natural ledge (hips) to cinch up their straps on as well. If the harness straps around the upper chest then that might be part of the problem. Make no mistake- these things are heavy- not much can do about that- just strech out before AND after as much as you can. I'll let someone else comment on possible weight lifting excercises since I don't know too much about that.
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CoolShoeshine26
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« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2002, 09:47 AM » |
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Thanks guys, for the awesome advice! I have a practice today and the day after, so I'd better get stretchin'...
Also, about the harness. It doesn't have straps, but it's just an over-the-shoulder harness, and the drum just hooks on to the front. The back end of the harness falls just below my shoulders, and has padding, but <feh> the padding's not really working that well. ^.^
And if anyone knows good warm-up techniques for the wrists/arms, or things to watch out for (forming bad habits/bad techniques), lemme know. Getting tendonitis would be a downer.Rock on,
CoolShoeshine26
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rlhubley
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« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2002, 10:03 AM » |
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SOunds like you need to replace the padding. The best padding I know of is shaped like bar-b-que packs from McDonalds and velcros to the harness. It cushiony but firm, works great. Pearl makes it I think, not sure though. Try the DCI forum.
As for warm-ups. There are a bunch of warm-ups for drumlines. FIRST, make sure to stretch out your wrists. Your line should be doing 8's, Bucks, etc. Does the line warm up together??
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felix
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first class all the way :-)
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« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2002, 10:19 AM » |
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Join the club...let's just say your are being initiated into the "elite". LOL
Show the majorettes or flag bearers your blisters on the bus ride home or try to get a few massages from them...or both. Let nature do the rest.
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Sonor, The Drummers Drum
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Dark Drummer
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« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2002, 01:05 PM » |
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hey bro....another good padding is insulator foam.....I use it myself on my 5th (bottom bass) and as for strethces lay on ur back...bring ur feet strait up in the air. let them fall to the right while u turn ur torso to the left and visa versa it helps alot
Peace
Dark
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groovsmyth
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« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2002, 11:45 PM » |
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Hey! This is a good thread to mention... What on earth ever happened to rudibass2 !?!?!?! He just dropped out of sight after being a regular here on the board.
I feel for ya, coolshoes, I used to play a 36" bass. What's #2 in your line? 'bout a 20"? It wasn't athletic in my day though...'up and back' formations...old drum corps. When you're feeling sorry for yourself, think of carrying a 29" tympani, in a 2 mile parade, in scorching sunshine, in a wool and satin uniform. . .no harness, just slings. Backache? BWAHAHAHAHA!!!
From the 2nd joint of my index finger around the webbing to my thumb I had so many blisters that I eventually developed a callous so thick it felt like leather.
Have you tried that liquid bandaid stuff they have out now? Was wondering if that stuff could help in that department.
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Dark Drummer
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« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2002, 09:25 PM » |
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dude a 36in...god I play bottom and I only march a 28in and I thought I had back aches
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BlueDevilsSnare
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« Reply #9 on: August 02, 2002, 11:20 PM » |
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Hey -- I played bass 2 my freshman year. Advice for th back.. when you're resting, lean over, not back. Also, every now and then have a friend pop your back.. cross your arms over your chest and have them pick you up and kinda shake you from behind -- feels great. for the past 2 years ive been on the snare line, so I dont have as much trouble, but I know what it feels like. as far as playing.. dont listen to the rest of theguys.. if you do that you'll drop out when they start dropping notes. Also, take the dynamics of the snares into effect.. my line uses inches: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15.. basses should mimic those -- maybe go a little smaller than that. however, play confidently.. youre the loudest thing on the field. -- Keith -- MontyBroD1@aol.com |
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Drumbo
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« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2003, 08:24 PM » |
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When I joined the Navy and went to the School of Music, they made us sailors march with the Marines because there weren't enough Navy students to make up a band.
The Marines made me carry a 36 inch chrome on wood bass drum and I was only about 140 lbs. It was brutal HooRah! - but worse was what they threatened to do to me if I ever got out of step with those white pants and all of them wearing dark blue with red stripes.
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slotrods
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and don't forget to BOOGIE.........
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« Reply #11 on: March 04, 2003, 12:51 AM » |
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back in the day, we had shoulder straps and leg braces for the snares and tenors, with ludwig hydraulic heads that spit oil on you when you cracked the top ply. my fellow bass drummer had a canvas strap harness that cut into the skin, his mallets were the big fluffy cotton candy types and all he played was quarter notes. my harness was a "y" shape aluminum with urethane foam padding. I played whatever the snare drummers played to give them some" bottom". when it was windy that drum would torque my back like a corkscrew, and when you had to do quick, snappy turns the drum went one direction and I went another. then we once went to bradenton, florida and marched a mile in march in full wool dress uniforms.....and people made fun of the fact that I couldn't stand up straight. I wouldn't trade those years for anything.
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