EXTREMELY FLUENT........

[Eccentric-Rhythm]

Just thought I would give an update. and a Thanks to all those who suggested me trying Open Handed Playing (reminder: I am a leftie).

Over the last few weeks, I have become EXTREMELY FLUENT in my Open Handed Playing. I am so much more comfortable than before and I am hitting rhythms that I never thought I could. I only wish I would have tried this 5 years ago when I first began.

My next challenge will be to play completely left handed. That will be a little ways from now though. I am thoroughly enjoying open handed. Its helping me seperate my left hand from my left foot and same with the right.

Thanks again.

God bless.

[Cherri]

Congrats ER... Work it.

[etdrum86]

....yah, congrats. thats a huge inspiration. i think i might start workin on that myself.

[bigblackdrummer]

Work on being fully ambidextrous.

[Eccentric-Rhythm]

....yah, congrats. thats a huge inspiration. i think i might start workin on that myself.

It helps mightily with Developing 4 way coordination. I have even cut my set down to 12" rack and 16" floor and I feel so much better and I feel like I can do so much more.

Try it. Run with it. You wont be disappointed!

God Bless.

[Eccentric-Rhythm]

Work on being fully ambidextrous.

Hey you know me, so dont take this as a challenge, but rather a question,

How Ambidextrous are you? I ask because I respect your playing and musicianship. Could you sit behind a lefty kit and play with no problems? That is trully my goal. I want a kit like the one Sabe showed.... where its centered off of a snare, and mirrored on both sides!

[drumzalicious]

Hey you know me, so dont take this as a challenge, but rather a question,

How Ambidextrous are you? I ask because I respect your playing and musicianship. Could you sit behind a lefty kit and play with no problems? That is trully my goal. I want a kit like the one Sabe showed.... where its centered off of a snare, and mirrored on both sides!

thats where we all need to be because we never know when we might have to do a gig on another drummers set and he plays left handed

[SabianKnight]

It helps mightily with Developing 4 way coordination. I have even cut my set down to 12" rack and 16" floor and I feel so much better and I feel like I can do so much more.

Try it. Run with it. You wont be disappointed!

God Bless.

Suggestion take the other tom and place it on the left to get yourself started on going both ways. Just hand it from a cymbal stand.

Though this question wasn't directed at me... I can play really basic rock groove on a lefty kit. I am currently using Syncopation by Ted Reed top line patterns to develop my left foot by playing the top line on the kick (practice pad) with my left and crossing the left over the right hand to the hihat, right hand on the snare and open/close hihat on the right foot. Try it...it's a challenge.

[Eccentric-Rhythm]

Suggestion take the other tomand place it on the left to get yourself started on going both ways. Just hand it from a cymbal stand.

Though this question wasn't directed at me... I can play really basic rock groove on a lefty kit. I am currently using Syncopation by ted Reed top line patterns to develop my left foot by playing the top line on the kick (practice pad) with my left and crossing the left over the right hand to the hihat, right hand on the snare and open/close hihat on the right foot. Try it...it's a challenge.

Thanks Sabe. I dont have any cymbal stands, just the rack. I can probably hang it from my hat stand though. That indeed is my next challenge.

God Bless.

[fretai03]

Congrats ER. Keep at it man, very inspiring to hear.

[juSe]

Just thought I would give an update. and a Thanks to all those who suggested me trying Open Handed Playing (reminder: I am a leftie).

Over the last few weeks, I have become EXTREMELY FLUENT in my Open Handed Playing. I am so much more comfortable than before and I am hitting rhythms that I never thought I could. I only wish I would have tried this 5 years ago when I first began.

My next challenge will be to play completely left handed. That will be a little ways from now though. I am thoroughly enjoying open handed. Its helping me seperate my left hand from my left foot and same with the right.

Thanks again.

God bless.

What are some exercises that you do to work on this?  I am in the process of doing the Billy Cobham/ Gorden Campbell conversion myself.  What I do is practice all of my rudiments on the Vic Firth Rudimental Quadrants with a left hand lead  (shamless plug to my thread!! at the top of the furum...  Don't just look at it, post something on it!!).  Many of the rudiments have left and right leads built into the exercise. 

Spill the beans plyrr!!  I wanna know!!

[Eccentric-Rhythm]

What are some exercises that you do to work on this?  I am in the process of doing the Billy Cobham/ Gorden Campbell conversion myself.  What I do is practice all of my rudiments on the Vic Firth Rudimental Quadrants with a left hand lead  (shamless plug to my thread!! at the top of the furum...  Don't just look at it, post something on it!!).  Many of the rudiments have left and right leads built into the exercise. 

Spill the beans plyrr!!  I wanna know!!

To be embarassingly honest, I havent had time to practice. Work has me going crazy at the moment. What I did was I made the switch at church. I went an hour before service, and re arranged my cymbals. ride on the left, I added a secondary ride to the right just in case I would get locked up. and that was it. I started playing. If I got jammed and confused, I would just do the same exact thing with both hands...32nd notes on the hats with both hands, and then 1/4 on snare with both hands until I was back on track. It took me about 3 church services to feel real comfortable with it. and even at that point, after a fill, my right hand would forget to put the 2 on the snare. haha. I finally got that fixed too. For me, the best practice was to just do it. And I did.

Now for practicing, when I actually have time.... I will be practicing rudiments, but I will hopefully be practicing to songs. and thats when I will switch the kick and hats. so I will practice all out lefty.

God bless.

[thedrum1]

im right handed... been playing for 4 years and left lead since last october - once you can do it mayn it opens up the possiblities
if you havent tried it... you neeeeed to try it

[drumzalicious]

To be embarassingly honest, I havent had time to practice. Work has me going crazy at the moment. What I did was I made the switch at church. I went an hour before service, and re arranged my cymbals. ride on the left, I added a secondary ride to the right just in case I would get locked up. and that was it. I started playing. If I got jammed and confused, I would just do the same exact thing with both hands...32nd notes on the hats with both hands, and then 1/4 on snare with both hands until I was back on track. It took me about 3 church services to feel real comfortable with it. and even at that point, after a fill, my right hand would forget to put the 2 on the snare. haha. I finally got that fixed too. For me, the best practice was to just do it. And I did.

Now for practicing, when I actually have time.... I will be practicing rudiments, but I will hopefully be practicing to songs. and thats when I will switch the kick and hats. so I will practice all out lefty.

God bless.

ah your doing it differently from me. im actually keeping the ride on the right side.

[Eccentric-Rhythm]

ah your doing it differently from me. im actually keeping the ride on the right side.

How is it open handed with the ride on the right? Are you playing it with your right hand or left?

[thedrum1]

its john blackwell style innit... i guess it keeps you coordinated

[SabianKnight]

How is it open handed with the ride on the right? Are you playing it with your right hand or left?

It is still open handed. That clip on gospelkeyboard.com of Jessie Caraballo shows him playing open with the ride on the right as well. Jessie's use of left hand lead is predominantly from his playing of the timbales. You can also reference the Nissan Stewart clips.

[L.V.Drumma]

Suggestion take the other tom and place it on the left to get yourself started on going both ways. Just hand it from a cymbal stand.

Though this question wasn't directed at me... I can play really basic rock groove on a lefty kit. I am currently using Syncopation by Ted Reed top line patterns to develop my left foot by playing the top line on the kick (practice pad) with my left and crossing the left over the right hand to the hihat, right hand on the snare and open/close hihat on the right foot. Try it...it's a challenge.

I just got that book yesterday........this is a shameful question but exactly what does the upside down quarter notes stand for?

[j_kay]

Ay, there should be a key near the front of the book that outlines what each line represents.  If not, it's usually the bass drum line. 

[SabianKnight]

I just got that book yesterday........this is a shameful question but exactly what does the upside down quarter notes stand for?

The second space from the top of the staff is the snare drum.

The bottom space (which  in Syncopation has the quarter notes upside down) is the bass drum.

The jazz ride is not written but it is understood that it is to be while plaing the melody (snare) with the left hand an playing 4-on-floor (quarters) on the kick or playing the melody between the snare and the kick.