A workout in independence and accuracy...

[SabianKnight]

Just started doing this at like 2 am....


Set your metronome to 4/4 with Quarters, 16th notes and 8th note triplets playing (using Tama Rhythm Watch, Boss  Dr.Beat , Yamaha Click Station) at 35-40 BPM. *** If you don't have one of the fore mentioned metronome models set yours to 16th notes and 35-40 BPM.

Start with quarters on your hihat foot...

Add all 16ths on the kick (1e&a, 2e&a, 3e&a, 4e&a, 1e... etc)...

Then play 32nd notes over the top with your ands on the snare and later rolling around the toms later continously until you cannot play anymore or at least 20-30 non-stop. *** there are two 32nd notes to every 16th note with your kick so ther are sixteen 32nd notes in every quarter note played by the hihat foot.

Practice this leading with the left hand and then the right hand, say 10-15 min left hand lead 10-15 min right hand lead.

The next 30 min...

Keep the 16th on the kick

Play 8th notes (1&, 2&, 3&, 4&, 1....etc) on the hihat foot
*** there are two 16th notes on the kick to every 8th note on the hihat foot

first verbally count aloud the triplets over the top.... 1 trip let, 2 trip let, 3 triplet, 4 trip let or 1 tee ta, 2 tee ta, 3 tee ta, 4 tee ta

Once you can lock in the verbal ... play the triplets on the snare over the top then progress to triplets around the toms... KEEP IT LOCKED TO THE METRONOME and roll triplets form snare to left rack tom to right rack tom to floor tom back to snare and keep going then reverse it and snare to floor tom to right rack tom to left rack tom to snare etc.

Practice this with left hand lead 10-15 min then right hand lead 10-15 minutes continuous flow.... non-stop for a total 20-30 minutes

Then move the triplets to the ride and play 2 and 4 on the snare keeping the feet the same as before 10-15 min with left ride and right on snare then right on ride left on snare.

The whole object is to build endurance in the feet and indepence of the upper and lower limbs while making the feet more accurate in playing 16th notes (so flip it an d play all 16th on the hihat foot and 8th notes on the kick as well). Also the exercise introducxes 32nd notes in a proper perspective since most metrnomes don't play them.

You must remain relaxed and keep a level dynamic the whole time... note accents... lock in with the metronome on all levels to gain the necessary growth from the exercises.

As you get stronger them bump the BPM up 30-40, 40-50, 50-60, 60-70, 70-80 BPM. Only move up when you can do the whole 30 accuratley with now hick-ups or muscle tension. Keep you mind focused on the exercise and the click... no day dreaming.

After a month of this you will see a definte increase in your playing. More control. More dynamic control. Cleaner notes all around. And your time/pocket will improve in a MAJOR way.

Try a couple weeks 2-4 time a week (but preferably every day) for a couple weeks and let me know your results. You should see some moderate improvement during that time but after a 4 to 6 weeks is the real muscle development will start to show.

You will learn a new respect for time and the click I promise you.

[beantownborn]

Thanks for the post, Sabian.  I'm steadily learning theory, so this will be a challenge.  But the results should be awesome.  I've been watching the Thomas Lang DVD and this sounds like something he would suggest.  Independence and endurance are key.  

Hope you get some rest, bruh.  At 2 am, I'm in dreamland!

[sugabear]

Thanks for dropping the knowledge. Man I've been struggling with having more of a structure in my practice times and this seems to be the answer to that problem. Question, the thing you said about doing the exercise at slower tempos until you can do it accurately with no mistakes or muscle tension, does that apply to all exercises (playing on pillows, rudiments, etc.)? My problem is when I do these kinds of exercises I never know when to move on to the next exercise, how long to stay on an exercise, the length of time you should do them, etc. Another thing is monitoring my improvement. Don't quite know how to do that either.

[SabianKnight]

Thanks for the post, Sabian.  I'm steadily learning theory, so this will be a challenge.  But the results should be awesome.  I've been watching the Thomas Lang DVD and this sounds like something he would suggest.  Independence and endurance are key.  

Hope you get some rest, bruh.  At 2 am, I'm in dreamland!

Subliminally Thomas Lang, Virgil Donati, Mike Mangini technical virtuousity is part of my goals as a player however this one here came from my sick mind.  I am always trying to improve my understanding and playing of time.

I created this exercise out of trying to improve my kick foot and my hands to play 32nd notes while making time swing (enter the triplets). When time swings it grooves.

This also stems from conversation on this forum hwere I mention the complexities of the "pocket" or time playing. In one quarter note beat you have a maximum 16 notes that can be played, that is sixteen 64th notes and that is without doing any triplet or oter duplet subdivisions. This is how guys like Gadd and Purdie can put play so well behind the beat without loosing time according to the quarter note beat. You have all these little spots that you can move around to and still be on time. Any combination of these notes starts the complexities to rolling.

Drum and bass guys really have it down. Learning to play the same kind of "math" as a drum machine. The math is the subdivisions in all there possibilities.

I have always thought too much in my playing now I am learning to merge that into musical feel and practicing it to create a natural response in my playing.

People who think they are playing "fast" most times are not fast they are playing or trying to play more subdivisions. So when you slow things down to 35-40 BPM you are more ab le to "live" in the space that you are trying to play in. This increases your understanding at higher tempos and you are cleaner because you are exactly where you need to be.

Example of a seemingly fast foot : play a sextuplet 16th grouping inside of a swinging eigth note groove. *** now I cannot play this yet but it is possible to play . All this sextuplet is is six 16th notes played in the same space as four 16th notes (1e&a) so it is (1ea 1ea or 1 trip let 1 trip let).

So the groove on the kick could be 1e a  3 &  , 1ea 3ea3ea 4e&a...

Now that is seemingly a fast foot but the tempo may only be 50 BPM which is not fast at all but the subdivisions allow for the playing of a lot of notes in a small space which sounds faster than it really is. However if you practice things like this SLOW and CLEAN then gradually increasing the tempo when you get to around 80-90 BPM and can hold it there for extended period of time playing 32nd notes you have a truly fast foot.

So as I have preach here so many times it is not about speed it is about technique and accuracy which is why pocket guys and studio players get paid the most money in terms of work frequency and the callabor of opportunity.

Do most of these guys think this way? No. But they can feel the space.... Dennis Chambers is a great example of that. Purdie is a great example of that. Carter is another.

So, I hope this explains it a bit.

[SabianKnight]

Thanks for dropping the knowledge. Man I've been struggling with having more of a structure in my practice times and this seems to be the answer to that problem. Question, the thing you said about doing the exercise at slower tempos until you can do it accurately with no mistakes or muscle tension, does that apply to all exercises (playing on pillows, rudiments, etc.)? My problem is when I do these kinds of exercises I never know when to move on to the next exercise, how long to stay on an exercise, the length of time you should do them, etc. Another thing is monitoring my improvement. Don't quite know how to do that either.

Well students and monsters are practicing about 3-4 hours a day. If you only have 1-2 hours break them up into small 20-30 min sessions. Warm-up/Stretch, Rudiments, Weak points, Independence, Time, New Licks, Then Rehearse current music for Sunday etc. or break it up over days. 2 days a week Weak Points exclusively, 1 day a week New Licks exclusivley etc. Keep a journal of your practices and how you feel coming into it, during the session and after. Monitor your progress: dates. times looking for consistency or lack there of.

[4hisglory]

Well SB, do you have something for the beginner beginners (like myself).

[SabianKnight]

Well SB, do you have something for the beginner beginners (like myself).

I suggest actually trying that exercise. Learning to play time in the feet is the hardest thing to do next to gaing 4-way independence. THe feet aren't use to doing precision movements. This exercise helps with both by teaching you how to play subdivisions and how they line up. It makes play a simple 2 & 4 groove that much more groovy.

Follow the instructions and use a metronome. Get the kick and the hihat fot going first then add 2 & 4 on the snare so that you'll know where the backbeat is (as most folk use that as their anchor). Add the ride last.

The longer you avoid exercises like this the longer you miss out on playing your best. Drum set is a full body workout that demands cordination and discipline. Believe me I struggle with both these days... this is why I developed this exercise (should I say the Lord gave it to me).

I hope to have my website up soon. At least by the end of the year or New Years '06. I can't give away all the  goodies yet.

[4hisglory]

Its the 32nd notes on the snare that is hard for me to get now, but I will take your advice and try it.  Thanks SB.