This morning I received a message from one of my very best friends and almost family member, Kevin S Flee. He has been dabbling on the drum kit and asked me on some advice for the below.
1. Bass drum rudiments
2. Limb independence exercises
3. Drum rehearsal : what should i be practicing ?
I have decided to share with you what I had sent him and you can take this to your drum pad or drum kit and apply the below. The concept to remember behind drumming, is that once we have mastered muscle memory and the control of our limbs, then everything else falls in to place with the correct amount of practice on speed and control.For me the best thing that I developed and have been working on is my technique. Hand technique offers that you play just with your wrists while keeping your shoulders and arms relaxed. You can practice a single stroke roll which is R L R L by using the up and down motion of only your wrist.
Rudiments:
Here is a site that will help you with drum rudiments (amongst other things). Remember that the same in the english language, rudiments are letters that make up words and then words make up sentences. Keep in mind that playing drums is talking through an instrument and one should also play soft (whisper), play loud (shout) and then talk normally.
http://www.drumlessons.com/
When playing these drum rudiments, focus on each beat and if you can organize a metronome that would be fantastic. The aim is to play each stroke consistently with one another and also taking into account your technique by only using your wrists.
Limb Independence exercises:
Here you can take the rudiments that you have learn't and take them, firstly, to one surface (snare, pad) and then onward to a full drum kit. Incorporating groups of one, two, three and four using each limb. Play these to a metronome and start off slow and slowly increase your bpm (beats per minute) by 10 bpm as you get more accurate. Also focus on each limb using only wrists and make sure that each stroke is clear, consistent and on time.
For example: (RH: Right hand, LH: Left hand, RF: Right Foot, LF: Left foot)
Use single stroke roll:
Groups of Four: RH RH RH RH, LH LH LH LH, RF RF RF RF, LF LF LF LF
Groups of Three: RH RH RH, LH LH LH, RF RF RF, LF LF LF
Groups of Two: RH RH, LH LH, RF RF, LF LF
Groups of One: RH, LH, RF, LF
Another great exercise is to incorporate subdivisions, so for instance,
Quarter notes: 1 2 3 4
8 notes: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
16 notes: 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
Count these out loud and use a metronome. Then use the above independence exercises
Example:
Quarter notes:
1 2 3 4
RH LH RH LH
8 notes:
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
RH LH RH LH RH LH RH LH
RH LH RH LH RH LH RH LH
16 notes:
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
RH LH RH LH RH LH RH LH RH LH RH LH RH LH RH LH
Repeat this using only your feet.
And then incorporate each individual limb with this exercise. You will build speed and control.
Example:
Quarter notes:
1 2 3 4
RH RH RH RH
Drum rehearsal:
The most important thing when sitting down to play, is to formulate a goal and learn something new at every sitting. A lot of people sit down and rehearse for hours on end but only repeat the same exercises and grooves and never develop further. All you need is 15 minutes a day and if used constructively you can achieve much more than by sitting for hours on end doing the same things over. When I sit down to practice, I work on my weak areas. This would be in the form of practicing my reading, moving around the drum kit, technique and limb independence, rudiments, working on my groove, accuracy and feel. I also put a lot of emphasis on being creative with fills and overall building muscle memory. If you are starting off, I would spend some time on using click and playing rudiments, the above exercises on a single surface, and then moving around the kit. All this starting from a low tempo and upping the speed by 10bpm as you go. Also work on counting out aloud and this will make it easier for you when learning notation.
I hope this helps you with your goals on improving your skills behind the drum kit,
See you soon !
Drum lessons are available in the Edenvale area: email me on drummerstorm@gmail.com to book your slot
