Left Hand

[in_the_pocket]

What is the best exercise to do with the left hand in traditional grip to develop flexibility, fast stokes without loosing power...?

[harmonized]

Originally posted by in_the_pocket:
What is the best exercise to do with the left hand in traditional grip to develop flexibility, fast stokes without loosing power...?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Down, tap, up. The Moeller Technique.

Jim Chapin has a great video on the subject.

See ya.

[Kurt R]

Vic Firth has a few w/ Dom and Jim.


http://www.vicfirth.com/education/dr...mfamularo.html

[peter c]

Take a risk and lead with the
left-hand on the high-hat on all
your rhythms.

[img]cool.gif[/img]

[BennyAndTheSkins]

I had severe tendonitis in my right hand from swinging a pick axe, and went to the doctor, who said, "Unless you want surgery, put the hand/wrist in a splint, and DONT use it!". Unfortunately, I had a gig that night. Luckily, it was a blues gig, with mostly shuffles, and rock beats. So, instead of cancel the gig, I set my ride cymbal low, and left, just over my hi-hat, which was also set up much lower, and played the whole gig with my left hand only. (Actually, my bandmates said they liked it alot, presumably because I was handcuffed from over playing!)

However, by the end of the night, I noticed an amazing increase in facility with my left hand. I was easily shuffling between hi-hat, and snare, and my left hand power/motion had become much more efficient. So, I would recommend just using your left hand, to do doubles, singles, snare/bass doubles, snare/bass singles, move around the toms with your left hand only, etc... The more that brain to left-hand command path is excercised, the better the left hand/arm is able to carry things out........

[peter c]

Cool, Dave!

My playing open started with an
injury, much like that.

Up until two years ago, I played
right handed lead my whole career
on the drums. Now, I play totally
left-handed lead.

[img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 18, 2004 09:30 PM: Message edited by: peter c ]</font>

[sw_p5282]

First of all, you have to 'stretch' your left wrist. Play rebound strokes on your practice pad then, gradually, try to raise your left stick the most you can. You have to be relaxed while doing this or you'll hurt yourself. You'll see a huge difference if you keep doing this everyday for an extended period of time.

To gain 'articulation' in your playing, you have to practice accent/tap exercices like this one:

Vic Firth Student Center
http://www.vicfirth.com/education/ex...accenttap2.htm

Start this thing very slowly. Make sure the accented notes are very loud and the taps (or ghost notes) are as soft as possible. Articulate every note! Remember that your hand speed will come with articulation/control exercises. Good luck!

P.S.: Don't worry if you see words that you never saw before, my english sucks!

[mwm]

I've been working on my left hand as well. I've been exercising by doing paradiddles and then moving to the high hat -- doing the left hand there and the right on the snare, or anywhere else. I start slow and then work faster and faster. Then I switch to riding the high hat with my left hand (as was mentioned above). All this seems to be working.

[mja61]

Benny - Great story, man! That effect you described reminds me of something I heard Mangini say. He said that for a while he practiced with his kit set up for a left-hander, and just tried getting basic grooves and things together. After a few weeks of this, he went back to a right-handed kit, and was amazed at how much his right-handed facility had increased, even though he wasn't practicing right-handed. His words were that his "brain was sending the signals to my hands and feet with much more 'wattage.'"

For example, by practicing a left foot lead on the bass drum, he indirectly increased the speed of his RIGHT foot. I did a little asking around, and it sounds like this is a legitimate psychological effect. I guess it doesn't really help get your left hand faster, but it's kind of a neat way to try to improve technical facility.

Samuel - What are you talking about!?!? You're English looks great to me! It's better than most people who speak English as their first language! [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

[sw_p5282]

Oh damn, what a shock!

Thanks [img]smile.gif[/img]