Ok... i've tried some of that approach like air drumming. i get what you meant by that. But i still can't seem to play with out your know striking IRON lol. Is there an approach to fills and rolls? I've seen one instructional video were there break it down between beats like with the pedal as the first stroke then snare then toms. I can understand things a lil bit but as far as when to use certain fills stills comes as a science to me. Can you help me out on that a lil. Anyone thanks for the info
Start your set up placement with your bass drum hi-hat and snare placement. You should be able to close your eyes and naturally play your hi-hat and snare with both hands without clipping the sticks (hitting them together). Then place the floor tom even in height to the snare. Again you should be able to go from the hi-hat to snare to floor tom and eve criss-cross your hands between the snare and floor tom with your eyes closed.
NOTE:Sometimes you may want to place the floor tom slightly higher than the snare say an inch or so for comfort. Especially if you sit low or are use to hanging/suspended low toms.
Next place the first rack tom or left rack tom. If your are playing a kit that has 3 rack toms across the front then the first tom will be slightly left of the center of the snare drum and the 2nd tom would be slightly right of the center of the snare drum.
If you are playing a standard 5-piece kit or a 4 piece kit then place the first rack tom directly in front of the snare drum. this creates what known as the "power square" configuration which makes getting around the kit the most efficient/effortless setup.
As far has the height between the snare and the rack tom... it should be at least the height of a full stick rebound of the snare so as when you hit he snare and let the stick "naturally" rebound up that you only have to ext end your arm forward slightly and the stick will land in the center of the rack tom.
When striking the rack tom and allowing a full natural rebound of the stick you should only have to angle your arm outward and it land on the center of the head of the floor tom or low tom. You should be able to do the same in reverse striking the floor/low tom and ed up center of the rack tom without effort.
Place your cymbals no higher than eye level angled slightly to prevent you from hitting directly on the edges as well giving you a sweeping angle of the bow of the cymbal.
You should not have to fully extend your arm to reach any drum nor cymbal on your kit with either hand and you should be able to do this with your eyes closed. This is when you know you kit is set up correctly for you. Always measure your distance from the center of the drum head(s). When rolling around the kit your arms should never be fully extended (1) it slows you down (2) it puts stress on the elbows (3) it reduces power and control because your sticks are too far away from the core/center of your body which is where music and tonality and power is generated.
Virgil Donati's video Power Drumming
Ray Luzier's DVD: Double Bass Drum Techniques, Hand & Foot Coordination, Drum Fills And Warm-Up Exercises (*Ray Luzier taught at Musicians Institute)
Both will teach you how to get around your kit properly, cleanly with power and accuracy.
Michael Packer's DVD is another great example of how to setup and get around your kit. (* Michael Packer is an instructor at L.A. Music Academy and the inventor of the heel-less DW 5000 and 8000 pedal
http://www.michaelpacker.com/)