I love learning from other drummers – even if they are not drum kit players. A type of drumming that I have always admired is drum corps. If you want to learn drums, I would encourage you to take some time looking at how these guys build up their chops.
I have been studying some of the drills that are practiced and trying some of them out on the practice pad. I’ve already noticed an improvement in my playing. Here is a link to some of the drumming drills that I have been playing.
Drum Corps
If you’re a drumkit player and think it is just plain boring playing one drum – think again! Once you reach a certain level, there is just so much that you can do. Have a watch of this video – the guy just blows me away!
My Past in a Military Band
I did play in marching band when I was in Army cadets as a teenager, but we didn’t have a structured way of learning how to play properly – we didn’t even learn rudiments! I did enjoy that time though, and I did get to play in front of crowds at firework displays, carnivals and of course, Remembrance Day Parade.
How About You?
Have you found that playing different styles has helped you to learn drums? If you have, I’d be interested in hearing from you.
This week I have been focussing on trying to improve the speed of my double stroke rolls. Even if you have been playing for some time, it is sometimes worth revisiting the basic drum rudiments to see if improvements to technique can be made.
You are probably already familiar with the fact that the double stroke roll is played with two strokes of the right hand followed by two strokes on the left, like this: RRLLRRLL. The strokes are played evenly and cleanly.
The Key to Playing Fast Double Stroke Rolls
At lower speeds, you will be pushing down on each of the double strokes. But as you speed up there will come a point where you cannot play any faster using this technique. The key to playing faster is to use a controlled stick bounce for the second stroke – although you only play with one downstroke, the drum is struck twice.
I have been concentrating on starting slowly and building up to greater speeds. There comes a point where there is need to change technique from ‘individual strokes’ to ‘bounced strokes’. This so-called ‘breaking point’ should be clean and imperceptible from the listener’s point-of-view.
The key to the bounced double roll technique is stick control. I find that by slightly tightening the grip on the stick it is possible to a faster bounce, whereas a slightly looser grip will result in more delay.
Below is a video that you may find useful in your practising of the double stroke roll.
The Advantages of this Technique
This ‘bouncing’ technique does take a little bit of practice, but is worth persevering with because it can open up allsorts of new possibilities for your playing. If you want to play jazz it is essential for your playing technique but even rock drummers will benefit from adding it to their chops.
I have now started practicing the exact same technique but with the triple stroke roll. A little bit more challenging but I’m seeing improvements already.
NAMM 2012 has been great for seeing upcoming drum products and one of the most talked about is the Roland TD-30 electronic drum kit. This bad boy is the new flagship model in the range of Roland electronic drums. Technology behind the Roland TD-30 The main selling point of the new model is the ‘SuperNATURAL’ [...]
Want to make a real statement with the look and feel of your drums? Then MyDentity Drums from Mapex may be the ideal kit for you. No longer are you constrained to the specific drums that make up your kit, you can mix and match drums to make up the perfect kit that fits both the [...]
Just had a fantastic night at the Warwick Arts Centre at an event called the ‘The World’s Greatest Drummer’. This was a showcase of professional drumming talent all backed by a live 15-piece big band. The Highlights There were 8 professional drummers on stage to show off their talents. I was particularly looking forward to [...]
I’ve been concentrating on practising the buzz roll drum rudiment (also called the multiple bounce roll). It’s one of the rudiments that is an essential part of any drummer’s repertoire and can impress friends and fellow musicians in your band. Improving the Buzz Roll I’ve read on forums that buzz roll is one of the [...]
Come across this quote recently on FreeDrumLessons facebook page, and really loved it: “My neighbour knocked on my door at 2:30 this morning. Can you believe that?! 2:30am! Luckily for him I was still up playing my drums.” If you’re struggling with trying to keep the neighbours happy but still want to take your drumming [...]
This week I’ve been practising the single stroke 7 drum rudiment. This is a great little pattern to practice and it can be developed into quite fast patterns that can be played around the kit. The video below shows how it should be played. As always, it’s a good idea to start slowly and ensure [...]
I’ve been enjoying the free videos from the Bass Drum Secrets Boot Camp series. I’ve just received the third instalment which has introduced the ‘Flat foot technique’. This builds on the previous two videos that explain the ‘Heel-Toe’ and ‘Slide’ techniques. I would highly recommend that you get these bass drum lesson videos – they [...]
This week I’ve been practising the single stroke four rudiment. It is composed of 4 stokes – three sixteenth note triplets followed by an eighth note. You can see how it is played by watching the video below Improving the Rudiment I have found that I can play this rudiment accurately and at a decent [...]
