The physical aspects of drumming . . . building endurance and speed

[hanayalator]

You can check out a little vid about the drumometer at drumometer.com

[FlamTriplet]

Thanks Pete!

No, I am not being sarcastic. Working with a drumometer is fun. Set it for 10 seconds and go, it will count how many strokes you play. This is like sprinting. Set it for 60 seconds and it's like a marathon.
And it is a lot more fun if you have a room full of drummers going back and forth.

You can also use the d-meter with a metronome to see if you are accurately playing the correct amount of strokes at a certain tempo and time period.

The only music that is concerned with endurance speed is death metal and uptempo jazz. So listening to these kinds of music is important as well. It's like training your brain to think fast, which is basically what technique is. You must feel and hear all the notes you play.

You can also pick up Jim Chapins Speed and Technique video, which is excellent.

[Nicky Mas]

Art Verdi has a 10 second record for single strokes at 220.

[beats]

What everyone above suggested, you should definitely employ.

For your hands you should check Morello's Master studies,i love that method, worked wonders, decent concise text too.

For your feet Colin Baileys Bass drum control book. As valuable as 'Master Studies'.

In fact those 2 method books should be sold as a set.

I personally rarely take breaks, not because im macho or something, but for the sheer fact that i waver with being spastically uncoordinated to being sublimely smooooth. That being said, i value muscle memorization that comes with rigourous practicing. But thats obviously a personal perspective. I do have natural breaks if im exhausted from shows and the riguers of life.


Im never with out a practice pad................

best of luck......practice like u need it to survive........love and respect.......beats

[buga]

I pretty much echo Beats suggestions and whomever mentioned Lang's sentiments about working on precision rather than just trying to attein speed.

There's so much that could be mention on this particular subject but i'll stick with a logical thought: PRACTICE

The pillow method is really good to build up basic hand speed, sum "drum gurus" don't recommend it in which case a "gel pad" might a replacement. Do all your rudiments with it, really work on volume as well. I don't know what sort of technique you have but this was the way I built my finger speed up. Rudiments are valuable tools that, when properly used, will build your technique behind the kit and give control over the instrument. The time I put in practicing the rudiments (and Stick Control/Master Studies) has had a dramatic impact on how effectively I can apply single, double strokes, buzz rolls/press rolls around.If you have a bit of self-discipline, working out of a book on a regular basis will improve your skills and make good use of your practice time. Once you get behind the kit and start the creative process, forget all the technical applications and trust that all the practice work you have put in will allow you to accurately play what you hear in your head.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 05, 2003 11:15 PM: Message edited by: Bozzio ]</font>

[Ant Man Bee]

Originally posted by beats:
What everyone above suggested, you should definitely employ.

For your hands you should check Morello's Master studies,i love that method, worked wonders, decent concise text too.

For your feet Colin Baileys Bass drum control book. As valuable as 'Master Studies'.

In fact those 2 method books should be sold as a set.

I personally rarely take breaks, not because im macho or something, but for the sheer fact that i waver with being spastically uncoordinated to being sublimely smooooth. That being said, i value muscle memorization that comes with rigourous practicing. But thats obviously a personal perspective. I do have natural breaks if im exhausted from shows and the riguers of life.


Im never with out a practice pad................

best of luck......practice like u need it to survive........love and respect.......beats

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">This is quite a coincidence! I just got those books, together, about 2 weeks ago. So far they're working out great for me.

"I pretty much echo Beats suggestions and whomever mentioned Lang's sentiments about working on precision rather than just trying to attein speed.
There's so much that could be mention on this particular subject but i'll stick with a logical thought: PRACTICE

The pillow method is really good to build up basic hand speed, sum "drum gurus" don't recommend it in which case a "gel pad" might a replacement. Do all your rudiments with it, really work on volume as well. I don't know what sort of technique you have but this was the way I built my finger speed up. Rudiments are valuable tools that, when properly used, will build your technique behind the kit and give control over the instrument. The time I put in practicing the rudiments (and Stick Control/Master Studies) has had a dramatic impact on how effectively I can apply single, double strokes, buzz rolls/press rolls around.If you have a bit of self-discipline, working out of a book on a regular basis will improve your skills and make good use of your practice time. Once you get behind the kit and start the creative process, forget all the technical applications and trust that all the practice work you have put in will allow you to accurately play what you hear in your head."

Apio! er . . . Noel, yes. It's Chris, Arf!, etc. Dude, you've got onto AIM more! Anyway, you know you can always count on me to practice . . . a lot. Oh yeah, on get on AIM or MSN rapidamente.

Except for the next 6 days, since I'll be on vacation [img]tongue.gif[/img] .

[Nicky Mas]

i'm looking into a video www.drumometer.com by art verdi practicing the right way. I would like to know how to get the most out of practice time. Sometimes we waste good time practicing in a wrong way.

[peter c]

I'm not sure where you can
get the Verdi video. I'd try
his site and see about it,
there, if you can't find it.

As for practicing, Mangini's
"Rhythm Knowledge" has some
great stuff in it, IMHO.

A music scholar once lectured
about how practice and playing
were radically different and
that it was MOST important to
practice as slow as possible
so as to be certain you will
succeed at your exercise.

It's the number of successes
that will determine your level
of confidence and the number
of failures that will determine
your lack of it.

I thought it was good advice
and now, I "practice" as slow
as I need to to do it RIGHT.

Their techniques and results
are radically different, besides
the speed issue and that is
crucial for someone like me.

Check them out and make your
own decision.

[img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 06, 2003 07:07 PM: Message edited by: peter c ]</font>

[Nicky Mas]

I figure guys like Mangini or Verdi have to be doing something right when they practice to play over single strokes in 60 seconds. I saw on the www.drumometer.com a dvd is about 17 dollars and a video is 14 or 15 dollars. I didn't see any preview video clip of it though.