30 days to get your hands together...

[Gaddabout]

Totally agree with Matus and Niles.The weak hand requires extra focus on mechanics, stroke, delivery, rebound, resting position -- everything that goes into every stroke. Practicing fast doesn't always = playing fast ... or at least, not cleanly. You want articulation and command as well. I'd isolate the left hand and work on clean, effortless strokes, and work up speed from there.

[john lamb]

One thing that has worked for me is to start doing as many things as possible with my left hand, in effect treating it as the strong hand.

That would include everyday activities like brushing my teeth, shaving, etc., as well as work-related things like using the computer mouse left-handed, using hammers and screw drivers the same way, and in sports shooting/swinging with the left hand.

This helped me, as did/does running scales on the marimba. But maybe not the hammers ...

Great advice here, although I'd suggest that strength training may miss the point entirely. You see the 12 year old wizards on the drums... they don't have the strength an adult has but has great speed. Its not in the muscles - its in the development of technique ... the how you go about doing things. Jojo Mayer's seal exercise can help develop quickness (at least, the theory is sound!), but really your talking about a few percent improvement over what a 12 year old can do ... not a multiplying factor. That comes from better technique... better understanding of technique.

[mind_drummer]

Take your thread title and search it with the name of Johnny Rabb...

What you'll get is -> Johnny Rabb 30 Days To Better Hands DVD

[Josiah]

there's the 'lifetimes hands' or something like that as well from tommy iggoe, though like others have said. if you can identify your weakness, concentrate on it.

learn a few snare solos or work through a progressive snare text of some kind. different ideas, in context, while still punishing the hands. i found it's also nice to memorize either a solo or two, or some cadences or longer exercises that then don't have to think about and can concentrate on the mechanics, pushing your hands in all directions, power, touch, dynamics, etc

get a laminate pad, so much better then rubber or use a actual snare if you don't mind burning through heads

[electrizer]

Im surprised that no one so far mentioned Jim Chapin's book. It's all about being able to solo with the left hand (or right, as he recommends switching them). I've just started doing those exercises and they do help develop your left hand dexterity.

Also thumbs up for the idea of doing everything with your left, makes a lot of sense!

Best!

[chris perra]

Ha ha... That Johhny Rabb video comes across as... Ok. day one... we are going to start off easy with 150 pound biceps curls.... GO......

[cristaples]

I wonder about the whole strength/speed thing, I've been described by others as fast and dexterous, but when I see some guys I realise that there is a lot further to go for the speed to match these gospel chops guys, but then do I need too? I have strength, not muscles so much, but I can play for 2 hours in 5th gear, hitting like I'm playing for Metallica...the last 2 nights I have been playing at very loud volume and intensity, not tired at all, maybe Ive got the strength from 20 years, respectable speed from pad practice for up to 6 hours a pop, but maybe Gene Hackman's character had it right in The Unforgiven.... I could draw and shoot faster, but I wouldn't hit anything or end up blowing my foot off.... Didn't help him later in the movie though......lol.

Just my Sunday morning thoughts maybe...

[Andy Vermiglio]

Julián Fernández wrote:

Nice guys! Keep it coming...
Andy, do you mind sharing the details of what you worked with Dave? Thanks!

Julián I picked up a copy of Dave's "Exercises for Natural Playing" it basically has everything that he was showing me in the lessons plus a little more. Reading the text is like listening to him speak.

I had posted this a while back, but at the top of the first lesson, Dave asked me to play his kit. The first thing I noticed was how bad Dave's drums sounded. I just figured it was because he had been practicing on them that he hadn't had time to retune them. He said my playing was tight, precise and small. He said it sounded like I had spent a lot of time practicing and that he could show me how to get a much larger and more fluid sound from the drums.

The next 45 minutes of the lesson was spent on Dave showing me how to play one note with the Moller stroke. It was 45 excruciating minutes of "That's not it,that's not it, that's not it, that's close, that's not it, that's not it..." I thought my head was going to explode. I had been studying the drums seriously for over 30 years at this time, so this was very frustrating for me. After this, I tried applying this rough version of the technique to the kit....the sound of his kit totally opened up and started to sound really nice and big and full.

I was in a state of shock. I had never before heard such a radical demonstration of how your technique could affect your sound. I was hooked. And made a committment to invest the time needed to develop his technique. I'm still working on it! After studying with Dave I started getting complements on the sound of my kit. Inside, I was laughing because the only thing that I had changed was my technique.

For two years I didn't practice any of the stuff that I had worked on before. I just worked on the lessons from Dave. After two years I broke out my old exercises and was amazed at how much my sound and speed improved! Thanks Dave!

[Frank Briggs]

Hey guys...
I´m happy to say that for the last month I was able to keep my routine of playing 4 hours a day (except for sundays).
The thing that keeps buggin me is my left hand. So many thinks I wanna play and I just can´t because of my weaker hand.
I will continue to play drums 4hr/day but I wanna hear your stories about what you found useful on developing your hands... I just finished playing Wilcoxon´s book and I´m familiar with all 40 PAS rudiments...
Never really tried the pillow thing, and was also wondering about doing short periods of time on the pad but really pushing it, or working for long time aiming for stamina...
Would like to find a plan for the next 30 days and see real improvement to keep inspired doing it...
Anyway, advice is always welcome!
Thanks!

Julian, I didn't read the other answers so my apologies if someone already suggested this.
I have my students "use" their left hand for daily tasks. I did this while at college (I think one of my teachers suggested it).
Open doors, talk on the phone, pick things up etc. I found that it helped me develop more coordination with my left hand after awhile and made some things a little easier on the kit.

[Julián Fernández]

Thanks, Frank, Andy and everyone else taking the time to share some experience...
Beside using my left hand for some casual activities, I´ve been doing the Rudimental Ritual almost everyday trying to own it (once and for all, jajaa!). It´s been really helpful!
If you guys didn´t had the chance to really try it, do yourself a favor and check it out!