Recommendations for right hand independance.
I'm finally starting to get some more interesting patterns going with my kick drumming, but I've realised that my right arm is 'locked' to the kick and I want to break it.
Basically I can hit the hats without hitting the kick drum, but not vice versa. So if I find myself trying to do a kick drum groove that involves playing on the 16th in between the eighth note hat rhythm, I can't help myself but put in an extra hat hit in the middle which shouldn't be there.
Can anyone recommend some exercises to help break this?
Re: Recommendations for right hand independance.
How about a paradiddle or a double stroke roll between the hat or snare with right hand? Other patterns might be good to try also. Say something like:
B B S B S S B S
B B S S B B S S
B B S B S B, S S B S B S
B B B S S S B B B S S S
Re: Recommendations for right hand independance.
This is what I've been practicing which is from the beginning of "Rockin' Bass Drum".
Count in 16ths - Hat and Bass play on the "number" and the "and" (i.e. 1e&uh)
Then for the next measure....
Continue to count in 16ths - Hat stays the same place it was for the last measure but instead of playing the bass with the hats you play the bass on the "e" and the "uh".
Rinse and repeat over and over and over again until it stops feeling awkward. It is boring...hell, it's very boring. But you will gradually start to feel more at home with your "rights" playing independently. I generally practice this for about 15 minutes of my usual 1 hour practice time. The "Rockin' Bass Drum" book is great for giving some good bass patterns as well as forcing you to gets your strong side legs/arms to work independently. Give it a whirl.
P.S. Try playing "Black Betty" by Ram Jam if you don't feel like sitting there repeating the pattern above. Throwing in the music makes it feel less like an exercise.
Re: Recommendations for right hand independance.
Invest in a drum book. Notes are great for learning everything. Or maybe even a drum teacher! My teacher has helped me a boatload!
Re: Recommendations for right hand independance.
+ 1 on all the above comments.