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Thread: Leading Hand?

  1. #1

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    Default Leading Hand?

    It has only been a couple of weeks since joining here and my drumming has really improved.. thanks so much for your great advice..

    I would like to know if there is some sort of rule of thumb about which hand to lead with.. SO im banging out a decent 4:4 groove and its time for a change, do i lead to that change with my left hand or right hand? what kind of things do i need to know and think about so that i get the first beat right of the fill or change on the correct hand?

    what i have noticed is that if i lead with the wrong hand i tend to diddle a bit towards the end of the fill or whatever im doing to get the next leading hand to start the groove again

    thanks again for this free online tuition and advice.. you guys are the best!

  2. #2

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    Cool Re: Leading Hand?

    Thanks for the props (compliments), r00n!

    Now a question for you? Are you right-handed or left-handed? As a righty myself, I tend to start things with my right hand and, as the changes come, start them with the hand I would still use if I was maintaining the 4/4...

    Sounds a little confusing, but that's why drum lessons have you practice with both RLRL RLRL RLRL and LRLR LRLR LRLR sticking patterns.

    If you can develop the ability to lead with either hand, that's a big step toward independence...

    Good luck, mate!
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  3. #3

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    yes bro
    im a righty! with a slow lefty

    i got a book yesterday you see - Joe morillo? master studies.. and last night i read it for bedtime reading.. Do you know this book? the dude is very cool.. i wonder if he is still alive.

    its got some great exercises in it an i will practice a page everyday. but what i did notice in it is that when it had a exercise RLRLRR the very next one was the mirror image of that LRLRLL. THis is what got me to thinking about the leading hand.

    that should put me well on the way to ambidexterity and independance!

  4. #4
    1DrJoy Guest

    Default Re: Leading Hand?

    Hey buddy, what I have found useful is to play ordinary patterns (Rock for starters!) normally first (ie right hand on hats, left on snare) and then when that is really comfortable, open up the pattern so that I am playing "Open handed". (Left hand on hats, Right on snare) don't worry about fills yet, get used to switching hands in grooves first as this will aid independence quicker!! The other thing to do is to make sure you mix up your rudiments around the kit when you practice....

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Leading Hand?

    Roon, the Old School of sticking is the "Right hand Lead" system. Play 4 quarter notes starting with the RH and you have R L R L. Now, count out loud 1 2 3 4 and you see that the RH plays on beats 1;3 and the LH plays on beats 2;4. So, if you have an exercise book with quarter notes in vaious patterns, you can play them easily enough. An exception to this is consecutive strokes on beats 1 & 3. Rather than play them consecutively with the RH, you can should use alternate R L sticking. The same is true for consecutive Off-Beats.

    With eighth notes, play one measure hand-to-hand starting with the RH and you get:
    R L R L R L R L. As you count out loud 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &, you see that the RH plays On the beats - 1 2 3 4 - and the LH plays Off the beats - &'s. So, now you mix up the quarter and eighth notes and you know which hane plays which note. Do the same with sixteenth notes and you discover that the RH plays the 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & and the LH plays the e's and a's. With this system, you have a standardized sticking. With syncopated rhythms, you can see how this sticking will help to develop the LH. It's worth taking a little time to write the sticking in your exercise book under the notes. Doing this will give you the visual of what sticking pattern is. As you get comfortable with this, Rudimental Sticking comes easier and so does playing on the drumset.

    A note about consecutive sticking as mentioned above... this is meant when there are more than one or two measures of the same pattern. You don't want to play 4 measures of quarter notes on beat 1 3 all with the RH...alternate this with hand-to-hand sticking. This applies to any pattern that would normally use one hand instead of the other.
    Last edited by fiacovaz; 06-14-2008 at 07:11 PM.

  6. #6

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    ooh brother..

    that was a technical explaination. i had to read it six times! I*ll never forget it now ! thanks fiacovaz.. just excellent!

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by bongobro View Post

    If you can develop the ability to lead with either hand, that's a big step toward independence...

    :
    Spot on Bro. Independance around the kit is so important and weaker hand starts (or feet) help big time. Playing open handed with left on hi-hat and right on snare as DrJoy kindly pointed out is a great exercise too. Frank, you always come up with the goods, mate.
    I play, Gretsch Catalina Birch, 7 piece in the vintage sunburst finish.


    RIP, Frank. You will not be forgotten. Missing you, mate

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Leading Hand?

    yeah...independence...you guys nailed it...thats one thing i started working on after about 4 years of playing...that was 2 years ago...lol...so that makes me a drummer for 6 years....lol....anyways....its so very hard to train that left hand (in your case) to act like the right hand...once you get it trained, its sooooo fun to play then....for example when you come off a roll and you crash with your right hand, in fast tempos you dont have to rush your right hand back over to nail the start of your next line of notes...just start with your left!

    good luck!
    My Kit - Mapex Saturn 6 Pc., Iron Cobra Double Pedal, 14 Sabian HHX Evolution HH, 20 Avedis Ping Ride, Zildjian 16 Vintage Crash, Zildjian K 17 Thin Dry Crash, Sabian HHX Evolution 16 Crash, Evans Heads, Sennheiser Mikes

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by r00n View Post
    yes bro
    im a righty! with a slow lefty

    i got a book yesterday you see - Joe morillo? master studies.. and last night i read it for bedtime reading.. Do you know this book? the dude is very cool.. i wonder if he is still alive.

    its got some great exercises in it an i will practice a page everyday. but what i did notice in it is that when it had a exercise RLRLRR the very next one was the mirror image of that LRLRLL. THis is what got me to thinking about the leading hand.

    that should put me well on the way to ambidexterity and independance!
    Excellent book you chose my friend, Joe Morello is a major influence in many of todays top players, read and study this book , and most importantly really practise the parts you find hardest!! dont skimp on the tricky stuff. I think this book has some fun triplet sticking patterns if I remember correctly/ coulda been modern drummer though?. Joe Morello a true gentleman, still alive and ripping some tastey rudiments last time I checked on youtube.
    I know I posted a reply in another post that mentioned the left hand lead to you roon so I hope youhave nailed that excersize, You didnt report back buddy.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by ratmycue View Post
    Excellent book you chose my friend, Joe Morello is a major influence in many of todays top players, read and study this book , and most importantly really practise the parts you find hardest!! dont skimp on the tricky stuff. I think this book has some fun triplet sticking patterns if I remember correctly/ coulda been modern drummer though?. Joe Morello a true gentleman, still alive and ripping some tastey rudiments last time I checked on youtube.
    I know I posted a reply in another post that mentioned the left hand lead to you roon so I hope youhave nailed that excersize, You didnt report back buddy.
    HOLA como estas RATMYCUE*CREATIVE ARTISTIC DRUMMER ARTIST(CAT) EXCELLENT ADVICE *& (KNOWLEDGE ) AND also JIM CHAPINS MADVANCED TECHNIQUES for THE MODERN DRUMMER * VERY HOT BOOK**
    THEIR is (2) Volumes *I been useing (WORKING) OUT of these My whole Life **GRACIAS I recommend These BOOKS *EXCELLENT KNOWLEDGE ***

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by ratmycue View Post
    I know I posted a reply in another post that mentioned the left hand lead to you roon so I hope youhave nailed that excersize, You didnt report back buddy.
    im starting to nail it!
    still working very very hard...

    as a matter of fact i recorded for the first time a track with me actually playing drums on it..just a triplet with a bit of a shuffle, so the confidence is building.

    QUote 2:
    Hey buddy, what I have found useful is to play ordinary patterns (Rock for starters!) normally first (ie right hand on hats, left on snare) and then when that is really comfortable, open up the pattern so that I am playing "Open handed".

    great advice .. thanks..

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