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Thread: Tightening Up

  1. #1

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    well im not a beginner as ive been playn for over a year now but i dont get to practive that much and im not that good. how do you get faster withou tighteing up so much
    max

  2. #2

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    what i used to do is get the drum stick dounuts and try to do like paradiddles with them, or single-stroke rolls, you know the old school percussion band section days... or duct tape magnets or whatever to em if ur in a pinch, like some of us...

    basically work your forearms
    When drummers are away from their instruments, which is quite often, they often resort to air drumming. Although often distracting to others, playing air drums provides drummers with a mental practice session that can help a great deal.

  3. #3

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    Forget about trying to get fast. That will come on it's own. Focus on good form & perfect timing. Before you know it, you'll not only be faster but (more importantly) good at what you do.

  4. #4

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    Practice alot and the tightness will go away. It'll come with time. Warm up with rudiments before the gig.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boo
    Forget about trying to get fast. That will come on it's own. Focus on good form & perfect timing. Before you know it, you'll not only be faster but (more importantly) good at what you do.

    That's the key right there.....speed will come with time...just focus on getting tighter.....When trying to get faster i've always found it more benificial to slow down and get it right...once you've gotten the groove into your muscle memory...speed just naturally follows

  6. #6

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    correction......i don't mean tighter as in tense....i meant it as in good form and perfect timing and being able to play each hit at just the precise right time and not be sloppy....

  7. #7

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    ...practice...
    When drummers are away from their instruments, which is quite often, they often resort to air drumming. Although often distracting to others, playing air drums provides drummers with a mental practice session that can help a great deal.

  8. #8

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    to be more specific, create little excercises for yourself, like what i used to do is get a willing friend to work a metronomre and whenever he felt like it, he would increase the speed or decrese the tempo and it made me adjust so i was in time. i assume it worked, and it helped if you are going to play a song with crazy tempo changes, it helps in melting into them. im such a scrap drummer!! haha
    When drummers are away from their instruments, which is quite often, they often resort to air drumming. Although often distracting to others, playing air drums provides drummers with a mental practice session that can help a great deal.

  9. #9

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    that's not a bad idea....i should try that sometime...i bet even if you don't have tempo problems that will still improve your listening skills

  10. #10

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    glad to help!
    When drummers are away from their instruments, which is quite often, they often resort to air drumming. Although often distracting to others, playing air drums provides drummers with a mental practice session that can help a great deal.

  11. #11

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    Also stretching beforehand, helps me out big time. It gets the body a little more relaxed, so you won't be as tense right before sitting behind the set. Hope this helps.
    Romans 8:28

    And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.


  12. #12

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    Hey, I found this on DrumLinks, looks pretty good for stretching...

    http://puppetista.org/drums/stretch.html

    Hope this helps.
    Romans 8:28

    And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.


  13. #13

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    Focus your attention on your thumbs, specifically how much pressure they're applying to the sticks. Tightening up is directly proportional to applied thumb pressure. Stay light with the thumbs and you'll play without tension in your arms and chest.

    Speed will improve over time as a result

  14. #14

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    When I was focusing on speed in college I kept a practice pad in front of my couch so as I leisurely watch TV I would just be cranking off 16th notes in each hand. You get a lot of practice time in without realizing it

  15. #15

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    Wow, this thread has been dead for almost a decade! It's ALIVE!!! lol...

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by xsabers View Post
    Wow, this thread has been dead for almost a decade! It's ALIVE!!! lol...
    We need a like button here.

  17. #17

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    You have to wonder how well thunderdome's playing has improved since'06!
    SONOR 6 pc Special Edition 3007's red maple, old Pearl Brass 14x6 FF snare, Yamaha Tour Custom maple 8 pc., Tama 4 pc., honey amber B/B, Ludwig Supralite chrome 14x6.5 steel snare, Paiste, Saluda & Zildjian
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  18. #18

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    The best advice that I can give is don't worry about speed, especially when practicing. When you're doing rudiments, practice them slow while focusing on proper technique. Doing this also really commits the rudiment muscle memory as well as helps with your understanding of the rudiment and potential applications. If you're technique is good, the speed will just come.

    I had been playing for years before I heard a teacher explain the importance of good technique over speed. Once I started applying this knowledge to my practice the results were spectacular. It's so easy as a drummer to want to be fast and impress people with our playing, but it needs to be understood that it doesn't happen overnight. Also, rudiments are something that you NEVER get too good at. All of the world's best drummers use them to keep their skills sharp or to improve on things.

    Look at any really good drummer (Dave Weckl, Vinnie C., Steve Smith) and watch their speed. They are prime examples of what practicing good technique can lead to when putting in YEARS of dedication. I've heard drummers use poor technique REALLY fast and it doesn't sound the same. It almost sounds choked and that's because the drummer isn't very tense and straining themselves to go that fast.

    Good technique, relaxed muscles will not only allow you to play faster and cleaner, but for MUCH longer periods of time. I don't miss the days of getting cramped up in the middle of the song. That NEVER happens anymore.

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by slinglander View Post
    You have to wonder how well thunderdome's playing has improved since'06!
    I bet he is now "beyond the thunder dome".
    click to see my kit re-veneer/finish
    http://www.drumchat.com/showthread.p...168#post379168

  20. #20

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    Wow...I've seen some pretty old threads revived on here but this one takes the cake.
    Matt

  21. #21

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    Gotta agree with all the posts on here. A Martial Arts teacher one told me "Quick Crap is still Crap!" and its as true for drumming as anything else. I've been playing for a few years now and have worked hard on clean rudiments at speed - not there yet as otherwise I would be rocking out stadiums not local pubs
    Few things I have found along the road that have really helped:
    1. Play rudiments slowly to a click. Make sure you are playing each stroke correctly and the strokes are in the right place in the measure, accents in the right place etc. check your technique, do it in front of a mirror so you can see what your hands are doing.
    2. Incorporate them into your practice routine everytime you sit down, to help build the muscle memory. Daily 10 mins of practice is far,far,far better than an hour once a fortnight!
    3. Set yourself a speed practice challenge (I do this all the time). Print off a sheet with 21 days on it. Day one, play the rudiment at the best speed you can maintain clean execution for 30secs, and be honest with yourself, if its 60BPM, so be it! That your baseline, write it on the sheet. Each day, sit and play, and increase your speed by 5bpm increments. When you can play it cleanly for 30secs with no tension or fluffs, move up another 5bpm. Mark your best speed down each day (thats not the fastest you played it, thats the best speed you played it cleanly for 30secs!) Some days you won't improve, some days you will. I guarantee over the 3 weeks you will get quicker tho!!
    4. One thing to avoid is starting a rudiment slow and getting quicker and quicker. Play to a click. Endlessly practicing accelerandos just teaches your muscles and nervous system to speed up. Not good in a drummer, steady is the way!!
    5. So you won't play flam paraddiddles at 200bpm for a long time to come, who cares? You want progress, not perfection

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