Topic: Left Handed Drummers. (Read 5690 times)

Natejam71 · « **on:** January 31, 2006, 04:39:21 PM »

Do you believe that left handed drummers that play on a right handed drum set have an advantage on the set :?: I was watching waydrummer clips (mad respect and props to him and do check out his website) www.rpproduction.com[/ and was thinking, that it is an advantage playing left handed because:
1. Your not playing in a traditional arm position (arms are cross each other, I call closed postion), and your playing in a open position (left hand on the hi-hat and right hand on the snare).
2. It looks more confortable.
3. Easier to return to the hi-hat (start postion) after doing drums rolls or fills.
What do ya think FAM :?:
Stay Blessed, Nate J.

SabianKnight · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2006, 05:02:39 PM »

It is an advatage. Their fills sound different ... referene Carter Beauford, Gorden Campbell, Rayford Griffin ... and as you mentioned they seem to have increaased flexibilty.

Now the REAL TRUTH is that as a proficient drummer you should strive to be ambidextrious in your playing in both hands and feet PERIOD. So most of us have a long ways to go. Placing hihat's and floor toms on both sides as well as usina a double pedal is the big time way to make it happen and is seen in a vast number of touring and studio professionals setups. It is an idea heavily promoted by Gary Chester - New Breed teaching of NOT crossing over your body being more efficient.

It comes down to one word - INVEST. invest the time it takes to develop 4-way corindination and independence. Invest in remote hihats and x-hats, invest in larger drum kit set ups.

INVEST-INVESTMENTS. The difference between the cans and cannots, the haves and have nots, the rich and the poor. The understanding of that one word. As old folk use to say, "You will remember the lessons you pay for".

spida-man · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2006, 05:55:56 PM »

whassup, i am a left handed drummer that plays on a right handed set, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

SabianKnight · « **Reply #3 on:** January 31, 2006, 05:57:33 PM »

Quote from: spida-man

whassup, i am a left handed drummer that plays on a right handed set, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

You are not answering the questions posed in the initial post. Please do that...

Cherri · « **Reply #4 on:** January 31, 2006, 06:50:50 PM »

A few left handed drummers I know play traditional and they say it was because they were taught to play that way. Ask would they transform? Responds, “no to much work.” I am proud to saw I am ambidextrous. It was very frustrating at first; however I prevailed. This task also has aided my patience and versatility with drumming: learned to take things slow and with control. It’s NOT going to happen over night, you must make this a daily practice. Start with small things, opening doors, turning on and off lights, brushing your teeth, eating, putting on shoes, writing - whatever (safe things). Anything can become a habit after 21 “Consecutive” days.

Carter B. stated “ he learned to play open-handed by setting his set up like he viewed it from video he was watching as a kid.” That became a great habit. In my future endeavors of being a teacher of this art, this will be my path unto my students.

Sabian I have my drums set-up just as you stated. Working out of “4-Way Coordination” and ‘Stick Control.” Independence is a MUST. School them SK.

GDrummaFan · « **Reply #5 on:** January 31, 2006, 07:46:46 PM »

My Boy Dashawn that plays with me for the St.Louis Community CHoir is a left hander that plays a right set-up BUT HAVE HIS RIDE ON THE LEFT SIDE......

BUt I think that if you a right hander.. YOu can hit the snare better with your left than your right...

drummercat777 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2006, 08:26:59 PM »

when i first started learning and watching other drummers play. i started to play my ride with my left hand crossed over so it looked awkward because i played on a right handed kit as i still do today. i then switched to my right hand when i was told that that is the way you are supposed to play. i still played my hats with my left hand and snare with my right. then as i got a littel bit older, i was once again told that that was wrong so i learned to play my hats with my right hand so that i looked like everybody else. i wish i would have had someone tell me that it was ok to play that way as long as it felt good. now i see drummers like nisan stewart and carter beauford that play either left hand lead on their hats or their ride and love the way it looks. it also is actually easier to do patterns off the hats to the ride when they are right above them......i would say that if they are strong and even in both hands, then yes, they do have an advantage because they are ambidextrous in their ability to do just about anything evenly....

juSe · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2006, 09:11:03 PM »

I'm so invious of lefties!!! I first became aware of them thru watching Saturday Night Live and seeing Carter Beauford with Dave Matthews Band and Billy Cobham on Drummerworld.com. Shortly after that i got the privelage of seeing and meeting Will Kennedy in clikic in KC. One of my absolute favs is Johnny B-well because of his unorthodox, quasi-lefty style. They ase so much at an advantage because they don't have to fight their bofies to do the things that we do. If anyone has seen Gordon Campbell play you know what i mean! I've even started setting up my ride on theleft... I think i want to be converted!

SabianKnight · « **Reply #8 on:** February 01, 2006, 12:23:59 AM »

Quote from: juSe

I'm so invious of lefties!!! I first became aware of them thru watching Saturday Night Live and seeing Carter Beauford with Dave Matthews Band and Billy Cobham on Drummerworld.com. Shortly after that i got the privelage of seeing and meeting Will Kennedy in clikic in KC. One of my absolute favs is Johnny B-well because of his unorthodox, quasi-lefty style. They ase so much at an advantage because they don't have to fight their bofies to do the things that we do. If anyone has seen Gordon Campbell play you know what i mean! I've even started setting up my ride on theleft... I think i want to be converted!

First off, Great Signature Quote!!!

Second you don't want to be converted you want to be complete. Or should I say you shouldn't want to be converted just complete.

Stigmas about the left hand (being dirty, evil etc) stim from religion caused people to shun lefties. Manufacturers design most of their products for right-handed people. God designed us balanced and symetrical

Drumworkshop · « **Reply #9 on:** February 01, 2006, 12:35:53 AM »

wassup fellow drummers....

i'm a LEFTY!!, OR Opened-handed

i think we do have some advantages: playing loose, able to acess the drums a little more fluently. but at the same time i personally struggle with fills.
since i play on a right-handed set up i often have to concentrate on which hand is going to come up to finish the roll, or whateva on the crash.
and another dis-advantage, well i guess it can be listed as a semi-disadvantage. i play with my ride on the left side, just off of my hi-hat, therefore its 2 miles away from my toms, so i can't do some of the things i see right-handed drummers do....especially on shoutin.
thats really only a temp. thing though, i plan to have a 2 ride set up pretty soon, and i'm also going to add a tom to my kit, on the left side, along with my lonely ride.

being a lefty is pretty cool though....jus being different from most is cool

cckdl · « **Reply #10 on:** February 01, 2006, 06:45:17 AM »

What's up. I'm a lefty on the drums.It is more comfortable and easier to move. Thats why I play the open position

cckdl

Zelevo · « **Reply #11 on:** February 01, 2006, 07:00:10 AM »

Mark Mondesir - The Mystery unfolds DVD -explains the concepts of playing open handed and how to check out of your fills without getting confused.
I highly recomend this dvd for all the Blessed lefties in the House

Is John Blackwell a lefty or converted one

keydrummer · « **Reply #12 on:** February 01, 2006, 08:29:54 AM »

I found that Left hand lead opens the drumkit up more also it can bring about a great backbeat.

rjthakid · « **Reply #13 on:** February 01, 2006, 09:09:03 AM »

The best drummer I've ever seen was a Lefty. He's Bishop Jonathan Wallace's Drummer in Baltimore. Since then I've been practicing playing the Hi-hat with my left.

Playing open makes so much sense. He was able to play the Hi-Hat with his Left and had his Right free to explore the rest of the kit.....and yes, I started playing with my ride on the Left after I saw him play. Because he was a lefty he used his basepedal ALOT in fills and they sounded awesome.

But ambidexterity is still the ultimate goal for any drummer. Oh well....I guess I still have alot of practicing to do.

mrwhite · « **Reply #14 on:** February 01, 2006, 09:46:55 AM »

I'm a lefty too, that also plays on a right handed set up. I do feel I have an advantage, but I'm still working on getting my right hand just as fast :oops: !!!!! I know that I will have the advantage once I get up to speed though. Sabe's been giving me advice on what to do, and it's starting to work, but still needs work.

djdrummer · « **Reply #15 on:** February 01, 2006, 12:58:56 PM »

I'm a lefty also, but still have my setup totally
left handed. I have experimented with the
open right handed style, after watching Carter B.
on his video "Under The Table and Drumming"
He is awsome to say the least. Anyway, I did it
mainly because when we would go to other churches
I would have to take my set, and find a place to set up.
Also, if another drummer needed to play at my church,
such as my back up it would be easier to transition a few
things instead of all of it.
It worked out ok except for the fills, and hat openings.
I got frustrated because I couldn't play like I knew I could
and went back to lefty.
How did you other lefty drummers get "converted"?

For Him, DJ

SabianKnight · « **Reply #16 on:** February 01, 2006, 01:14:03 PM »

Quote from: djdrummer

I'm a lefty also, but still have my setup totally
left handed. I have experimented with the
open right handed style, after watching Carter B.
on his video "Under The Table and Drumming"
He is awsome to say the least. Anyway, I did it
mainly because when we would go to other churches
I would have to take my set, and find a place to set up.
Also, if another drummer needed to play at my church,
such as my back up it would be easier to transition a few
things instead of all of it.
It worked out ok except for the fills, and hat openings.
I got frustrated because I couldn't play like I knew I could
and went back to lefty.
How did you other lefty drummers get "converted"?

For Him, DJ

Buy a remote hihat and clamp. Carry a boom stand and ride with you. Then you can sit your ride on the left and clamp your hihat on the right. All you have to move themn is the floor tom to the left when you visit a church and you don't have to take your kit.

Just a suggestion.

djdrummer · « **Reply #17 on:** February 01, 2006, 02:58:17 PM »

Thanks for the idea Sabian!
I'm toying with the idea of setting up
right handed, and playing open handed
the the ride on the left just to be able to
play somewhat comfortable whatever the setup
is. If I did what you suggested, it would work
until I did a tom fill or some type of run.
I do ok just playing the basics, except for the hat
control and fills.
Thanks for the input

For Him, DJ

SabianKnight · « **Reply #18 on:** February 01, 2006, 04:30:50 PM »

Quote from: djdrummer

Thanks for the idea Sabian!
I'm toying with the idea of setting up
right handed, and playing open handed
the the ride on the left just to be able to
play somewhat comfortable whatever the setup
is. If I did what you suggested, it would work
until I did a tom fill or some type of run.
I do ok just playing the basics, except for the hat
control and fills.
Thanks for the input

For Him, DJ

Tom fills don not have to go in order of size. Tome fills should be melodic riffs on the drums.
This is one reason why Gerri Brown, Virgil, Purdie, Billy Cobham has their toms flipped.

Mike Mangini kit is mirrored : same diameter different depth oon right and left sides with a 6" in the middle of the rack. Everythig gets bigger from there.

communionboi · « **Reply #19 on:** February 01, 2006, 08:54:46 PM »

I am a "conventional" left hand player. (i play on a right-handed kit with the ride next to the hi-hiat stand) But I can also play on a REAL left-handed kit without sounding like boo-boo (lol). When I do play standard left-handed I feel the same amount of comfort level as if I was playing on a standard right handed kit. B/c if you think about it, the only thing that is different from a left & right handed kit is that everything is reversed.

So to me its not a matter or comfort, its just a matter of cordination.

But RIGHT-HANDED players that play on a convntional laeft-handed set have more of an advantage than conventional leftys b/c the leftys would have to cross the left arm over there right arm to get to the ride. And thats major trouble if the ride is next to the floor tom.

But all the rightys have to do is bring there right arm over to the ride which is next to the hi-hat. Their right isn't crossing the left arm so it isn't that rescrictive. (spelling)

Author Topic: Left Handed Drummers. (Read 5690 times)

rjthakid