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Thread: Left hand wobble?

  1. #1

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    Default Left hand wobble?

    I was watching video's yesterday and noticed this guy trying to teach speed and when he plays you can see he has some real bad left hand wobble and it ocurred to me I have the same issue and have never really addressed it.

    I cannot really find any help tips or video's addressing this issue, sure there are weak hand tips and video's but they all seem geared toward getting endurance and speed up to the dominant hand.

    It seems in this video and in my own circumstance as well that the left hand seems to be playing exactly the same as the rh but the stick in the lh seems to wobble and almost make circle's? any tips or links that address this would help. I slow it way down but once you get to a certain speed it seems the lh stick just will not stay straight.

    here is the video and when he does the drivers seat views you can see it really easy.
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  2. #2

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    Default Re: Left hand wobble?

    Well, there's a lot to say here. First, you should work on consistent stroke, regardless of grip (French, German, Swiss/Basel, hybrid, etc). Slow the stroke and focus on quality of sound and maintaining a vertical stroke, even and marcato (same speed up and down). Then work on staccato (faster down than up) and legato (faster up than down). Eights (8 eighth notes per hand) is fine for doing this. Be less concerned with how it looks than how it sounds.

    Second, he's done an admirable job of gaining speed with (and I don't mean to sound judgmental here) pretty unrefined technique. Learn to use your fingers, wrist and arm to create motion. Think of these as a range: closer to the stick is finesse, farther from the stick is power. Practice rudiments from slow to fast to slow, pianissimo to fortissimo to pianissimo, open to closed to open. What you'll notice is that fingers are more responsible for pianissimo, arm for fortissimo; fingers for fast, arm for slow; fingers for open, arm for closed.

    There is a great Sonny Emory video on YouTube where he shows a great exercise where you maintain your fulcrum but you finger exercise each finger through sets of eights. I'll look for the video and add the link.

    Link: http://youtu.be/-ah_XSXj0Pw

    Once you improve fingers, wrists and arms, the next big leap is combining these into the Moeller motion. There are several good videos on YouTube about this, but it is the most natural means of playing fast, musically.
    Last edited by ettsn; 12-24-2013 at 11:53 AM. Reason: Added link

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Left hand wobble?

    Just an observation about speed, etc.: If only we all had the same muscle/tendon/ligament/bone strength and elasticity, stamina, blood pressure and circulation, respiration rates, ate the same energy producing foods, burned those at the same rates, etc., and produced equal adrenalin amounts, put off waste at the same rates, etc. then you could say here's a way to play perfectly fast: copy that and you're done!
    But we're all different or we'd all be "Buddy Rich" with practice. Well, actually, not much practice according to his biography.
    So we can work at technique developed by others, hoping those work for us because maybe we have enough physical similarities and can actually use their techniques...Sometimes they don't jive wit our make up.
    Case in point: I 'm just as fast bouncing a stick with my index finger on top of the stick as I am with Fr. Or German grip, fingers under the stick or with stick angled out and fingers wrapped around the stick. Go figure...
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  4. #4

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    Default Re: Left hand wobble?

    All of the "techniques" out there that are taught by various drummers, are both great and BS at the same time.

    No 1 technique will work for everybody.

    Speed is wrists and fingers. Your arms just move you around the set.

    I would use sticks 1 size up from my normal sticks and do singles, doubles, and paradiddles, and, according to some, developed a decent amount of speed around the set.

    Speed comes with practice, and speed around the drums comes from, obviously, moving around the set.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Left hand wobble?

    Yeah I am slowly learning that not every technique is correct for everyone. I have actually been trying to use my left hand more in day to day tasks but I usually forget about it after awhile. I can do singles and doubles easily enough but at a certain speed the lh really gets painful and stiff. I have tried all the usual things like grip lightly and breathe, relax play softly etc etc but I am starting to think it may just be an achilles heel for me and I will have to learn to play just below the pain limits...probably happens to alot of drummers that start in their 40's or later.
    Ludwig Classic Maple 22x16,10x8,12x9,16x16
    7" Moon Gel Practice Pad
    Sabian HHX Legacy

    Decide whether this is love for the craft or simply an ego thing

    http://www.redskymary.com/ NOT MY BAND, JUST A GREAT LOCAL BAND WHO SHOULD BE SOOO MUCH BIGGER IMO

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Left hand wobble?

    It's funny you call it technique even tho it's a problem , maybe it should be the opposite diss-technique . Anti-technique

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Left hand wobble?

    Every drummer has a technique. It may not be a good 1, but all drummers have 1.

    The trick is having 1 that is comfortable for them, not 1 some teacher says they should use.

    I can play reasonably fast for a long time because I let the drums do the work and I just guide the sticks to where I want them.

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Left hand wobble?

    I sometimes suffer from drummer's throne wobble, especially late in the show when I've become tired........sucks getting old.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Left hand wobble?

    "sucks getting old."

    Found that out, did ya?

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Left hand wobble?

    Quote Originally Posted by itchie View Post
    It's funny you call it technique even tho it's a problem , maybe it should be the opposite diss-technique . Anti-technique

    maybe tech-no

    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    Every drummer has a technique. It may not be a good 1, but all drummers have 1.

    The trick is having 1 that is comfortable for them, not 1 some teacher says they should use.

    I can play reasonably fast for a long time because I let the drums do the work and I just guide the sticks to where I want them.

    My Dad used to always say "be smarter than your tools"

    Quote Originally Posted by inthpktplayer View Post
    I sometimes suffer from drummer's throne wobble, especially late in the show when I've become tired........sucks getting old.

    I normally get the "wobble" when I've drank a little too much.................

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