Finger technique for uber speed!?

[Ethel_The_Frog]

Hey.
So, you may or may not have noticed, but I've been aways for the last 2 weeks, in the magical land down under (as I write this I'm jet lagged beyond belief).
Anyway, I'd brought my sticks with me, to stop me from getting bored and so I could practice. Thrashed out a couple of tunes on the ol' iPod but I'd also brought along a book about independence on the drumset, which made me attempt some rudiments again. I found my double strokes a little lacking so I began practicing them. RRLL and that triplet thing, LRR RLL e.t.c.
After a while of practicing at a certain tempo, I found that I could easily push my speed up even further by doing some kind of weird technique. My fingers had automatically begun doing it, and I broke it down and looked at it. Basically, it only works for doubles and involves the usage of all fingers. Stick is in the fulcrum of the hand but instead of gripping it with your fingers, position them a little bit away from the stick in a fan type shape - so all 4 fingers together, no gaps e.t.c.. Striking from the wrist, hit once, and then using the fingers, tap the stick again with the fan shape. Essentially, it's a double hit with only one wrist action. After practicing with both hands, I tried to do a continuous double roll with it, just pushing as hard as possible. I managed to go faster than ever before, as well as retaining my consistency.
Just thought I'd share it with you. Might vid it to explain it better (I AM JET LAGGED).

[Roger]

That's basically how I got my hand speed up, constant doubles with one hand. Play the other hand in between strokes with the same technique and you have some fast stuff.

In fact that's also when I built up my hand speed, on holiday on the coast with nothing to do most of the day. It was great fun, you have no idea how much time you can put into a sandwich until you have no internet or cable TV.

[Shazane]

That sounds like the push-pull technique, you just invented it again, wonder what Buddy Rich would think...

[fiacovaz]

Hey ethel, I was wondering where you had been...hope you're enjoying yourself. Good for you about the finger technique. I've used similar approach and it does help you play faster and, as you pointed out, with more consistency and less wrist action. If interested, take a look at moeller technique dot com. Mike Michalkow has a tremendous DVD devoted to this.

[HeistheLamb]

Vid it lol

[Ethel_The_Frog]

That sounds like the push-pull technique, you just invented it again, wonder what Buddy Rich would think...

YAY!

[drummerdavie]

good to hear from you again ethel

[Drumslave]

Hey.
So, you may or may not have noticed, but I've been aways for the last 2 weeks, in the magical land down under (as I write this I'm jet lagged beyond belief).
Anyway, I'd brought my sticks with me, to stop me from getting bored and so I could practice. Thrashed out a couple of tunes on the ol' iPod but I'd also brought along a book about independence on the drumset, which made me attempt some rudiments again. I found my double strokes a little lacking so I began practicing them. RRLL and that triplet thing, LRR RLL e.t.c.
After a while of practicing at a certain tempo, I found that I could easily push my speed up even further by doing some kind of weird technique. My fingers had automatically begun doing it, and I broke it down and looked at it. Basically, it only works for doubles and involves the usage of all fingers. Stick is in the fulcrum of the hand but instead of gripping it with your fingers, position them a little bit away from the stick in a fan type shape - so all 4 fingers together, no gaps e.t.c.. Striking from the wrist, hit once, and then using the fingers, tap the stick again with the fan shape. Essentially, it's a double hit with only one wrist action. After practicing with both hands, I tried to do a continuous double roll with it, just pushing as hard as possible. I managed to go faster than ever before, as well as retaining my consistency.
Just thought I'd share it with you. Might vid it to explain it better (I AM JET LAGGED).

My instructor uses it and can do multiple bounces. He tried to teach me in passing but I did not really pursue it. Another thing he does is use the index finger as fulcrum and drive the stick with his thumb ala Billy Cobham.