Hands and feet are equally important in contemporary drumming. The programme II is designed to be as efficient as possible in providing you with guidelines on how to be able to control the drum set with your complete body. It contains different routines and combination exercises, that are easy to remember and applicable to variety of problems, you might encouter on a drum set. Practising this systems
will improve your control over the instrument, strenghten symmetry and eliminate the idea of a weak side. In the last sections of this programme, you will also get all the steps to achieve ambidexterity and find ideas or inspiration for yourself.
Some exercises can be practised as “dry” workouts, meaning with only your hands and feet.
The programme II consists of the preliminary routine and the following categories:
* Get to know:
a) Exercises for fingers ‐ »finger cardio«
b) Stretching exercises
1. Beatcoin
2. Pyramid schemess II
3. Matrix system
4. Practical use of exercises
GET TO KNOW
In the second handbook, you will start with finger exercises that will help you achieve a higher level of coordination, endurance, strength and better control of the stick at peak tempos. Musicians like pianists, guitarists, flutists, etc., and also other people from many lines of work used them regularly in their
* A) FINGER EXERCISES »FINGER CARDIO«
Example 1
routines. All exercises illustrate the natural movement of the fingers, thereby helping you to further improve your motor skills.
In the first handbook, you encountered a form of bending, and in the following two cases you will get an idea of folding and pushing fingers.
Put your hands together with the fingers fully extended. Then use each individual finger of both hands to cross another on one side and vice versa, as shown in the picture. Also use two, three, four or all fingers at the same time.
Example 2
Put your hands together with the fingers fully extended. Then use each individual finger of one hand to push the finger of the other hand and vice versa, as shown in the picture. Also use two, three, four or all fingers at the same time. It is important that you do not exaggerate with pushing and possibly get injured.
* B) STRETCHING EXERCISES
Stretching means to draw out or extend (in this case a limb) to its full length or extend. This helps to eliminate muscle contraction, increase flexibility, to relax after exercise and also to accelerate regeneration. The purpose of exercises is to supply your muscles with oxygen and prepare them for different tasks. Drummers frequently suffer
from soft tissue injuries, therefore I recommend regular stretching to prevent them. It is important to execute exercises slowly and evenly, while concentrating on staying calm.
Stretching is not advisable in case of a damaged or sore joint and in the presence of swelling of the muscles, fractures, wrinkles, etc.
I. BEATCOINS
Similar to computer programming, where the basic building blocks are 0 and 1 and everything else is based on a combination of these two numbers, there are 2 basic blocks in drumming ‐ single strokes and double strokes. All other controlled strokes are combinations of these two, such as three strokes, four strokes, five strokes, paradiddles,
Example 1
Single strokes
R L R L R L R L R L R L (R ‐ right hand, L ‐ left hand) or
L R L R L R L R L R L
Example 2
Double strokes
flams, etc. These are basic rudiments and are of key importance for a drummer. You can achieve the necessary dynamics on a practice pad or on drum set only with a combination of accented and unaccented strokes. This means using different techniques to separates one or more notes from their “neighbors” by playing them louder or quieter.
a) Exercise »Stone killer 1« by Joe Morello from his book Master studies.
(accented strokes on 1, 2, 3, 4 etc.) or R
b) Exercise »Stone killer 2«
L L R R L L R R L L or
R L L R R L L R R L L (accented strokes on off‐beat or »and«).
R R L L R R L L 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
II. PYRAMID SCHEMESS 2
The next pyramid schemess are among the best exercises you can do to develop both sides equally. It represents the third basic linear coordination exercise between hands and feet. It starts at the top with single strokes or »singles«, and continues up to nine strokes at the bottom. You can try splitting strokes between different playing surfaces to make it even more challenging. For example, use a combination between rack toms and bass drum, snare and bass drum, only hi‐hat
Example 1
The first pyramid starts with alternating strokes between right hand and right foot, then left hand and left foot (further on Rr, Ll). For example Rr‐Ll, Rr‐Ll, followed by Rr‐Rr, Ll‐Ll, Rr‐Rr, Ll‐Ll and so on to the end Rr‐Rr‐Rr‐Rr‐Rr‐Rr‐Rr‐Rr‐Rr,
cymbals, or any any other percussion instrument. These exercises become more dynamic and interesting, and at the same time boost your creativity in various playing situations, especially in drum solos.
You have already encountered all these coordination exercises in the first handbook. A bit different combination of hands and feet accurs only in the last example.
Ll. Then reverse the circle and go from nine strokes per right side to one stroke per left side at the end. These exercises will help you develop a balance in the center of your body.
Clue: A second floor tom (if you use one) on left side is most naturally played by the left hand (if you are a right‐handed player) or right hand (if you are a left‐handed player)
Example 2
The next pyramid schemess continue with combinations. Right side performs ostinatos (repetitive phrases); the other side goes through the entire system from one to nine strokes.
a)
b)
Example 3
Next pyramid schemess continue with left ostinatos (repetitive phrases).
Rr Rr Rr Rr Rr Rr Rr Rr Ll Ll Ll 2x Rr Rr Rr Rr Rr Rr Rr Rr Rr Ll Ll Ll 2x d) 1 ‐ 9 RIGHT ‐ right, 4x LEFT ‐ left g) 1 ‐ 9 RIGHT ‐ right, 7x LEFT ‐ left e) 1 ‐ 9 RIGHT ‐ right, 5x LEFT ‐ left h) 1 ‐ 9 RIGHT ‐ right, 8x LEFT ‐ left f) 1 ‐ 9 RIGHT ‐ right, 6x LEFT ‐ left i) 1 ‐ 9 RIGHT ‐ right, 9x LEFT ‐ left
Example 4
In this two exercises, connect the left side of the parallelogram with the right side, as shown in the pictures.
a)
Example 5
In the last example start with alternating ptrokes between right hand ‐ left foot, left hand ‐ right foot. This will help define where you weak limb is and therefore, where you are as a drummer.
III. MATRIX SYSTEM
Matrix1 system is a clear and comprehensive system of exercises that helps you overcome certain limitations or difficulties in your coordination, independence and interdependence behind the drum set. You will be working on accuracy, balance, endurance, machanics of movement, technique and timing at the same time, with all four limbs. This may be different from what
Example 1
In the first example, you choose a foot ostinato (D‐L‐D‐L) and play all hand patterns on the top (D‐L‐D‐L, L‐D‐L‐D), doubles (DD‐LL, LL‐DD), and so on. More frequently used
How it works
FOOT OSTINATOS
1. »singles« : RLRLR; *LRLRL
2. »doubles« : RR LL; *LL RR
you have done before and can pose a challenge, but there is nothing that is unplayeable. Mastering these exercises will help you apply ideas in the context of a song and experiment with numerous playing possibilities.
Some combinations are more useful than others, but they all contribute to your playing and help you gain the ability to play any pattern with the hands or feet.
patterns are used in this section, but you can expand it even further and play 6 strokes or 8 strokes as combinations (1+7, 2+6, 3+5, etc.)
