Granty
26-03-08, 10:48
I do - it's great!! :yesyes:
Seriously it completely takes my mind off everything like nothing else other than what I'm trying to get each limb to do!
I don't mean knocking lumps out of a kit as stress relief - I can't play my kit due to space and noise restrictions.
I mean I sit in front of the telly with two sticks and either a rubber practice pad or just hit my legs (not too hard!!)
No joke - trying to co-ordinate four limbs into a steady pattern means you have no time to think about anything else even if you wanted to.
Try this exercise:-
Count to 4: - 1, 2, 3, 4
Leave a second or two between each digit.
Tap your left hand on your left knee on every digit ie 4 times, in time with the count. (This replicates keeping time on a hi-hat cymbal)
Then, at the same time, tap your right foot on 1 and 3. (this represents the bass drum)
Now tap your right hand on 2 and four (this represents the snare drum)
All the time keeping your left hand going 1, 2, 3 & 4.
If you want to get really flash tap your left foot on 2 and 4 also. (this represents the hi-hat pedal)
This is harder than it sounds!!!
Congratulations, you can now play drums along to approximately 80% of any popular music on the radio today!!!
Another good one for concentrating the mind is called a Paradiddle!
The Paradiddle is eight beats ie 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4
The pattern just uses hands for now.
It goes thus:
Left, Right, Left, Left, Right, Left, Right, Right.
(pa), (ra), (did),(dle), (pa), (ra), (did), (dle)
Try doing this as fast as you can without going out of time!
Again, harder than it sounds! Your instinct is to alternate your hands rather than double hit the third and fourth beats with the same hand - to get really smart play your right foot on the first beat (the 'pa' of paradiddle - each syllable of the word represents a beat)
Even if you don't have a clue what I'm on about I bet you've forgotten how your feeling after reading this long-winded post :winks:
Seriously it completely takes my mind off everything like nothing else other than what I'm trying to get each limb to do!
I don't mean knocking lumps out of a kit as stress relief - I can't play my kit due to space and noise restrictions.
I mean I sit in front of the telly with two sticks and either a rubber practice pad or just hit my legs (not too hard!!)
No joke - trying to co-ordinate four limbs into a steady pattern means you have no time to think about anything else even if you wanted to.
Try this exercise:-
Count to 4: - 1, 2, 3, 4
Leave a second or two between each digit.
Tap your left hand on your left knee on every digit ie 4 times, in time with the count. (This replicates keeping time on a hi-hat cymbal)
Then, at the same time, tap your right foot on 1 and 3. (this represents the bass drum)
Now tap your right hand on 2 and four (this represents the snare drum)
All the time keeping your left hand going 1, 2, 3 & 4.
If you want to get really flash tap your left foot on 2 and 4 also. (this represents the hi-hat pedal)
This is harder than it sounds!!!
Congratulations, you can now play drums along to approximately 80% of any popular music on the radio today!!!
Another good one for concentrating the mind is called a Paradiddle!
The Paradiddle is eight beats ie 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4
The pattern just uses hands for now.
It goes thus:
Left, Right, Left, Left, Right, Left, Right, Right.
(pa), (ra), (did),(dle), (pa), (ra), (did), (dle)
Try doing this as fast as you can without going out of time!
Again, harder than it sounds! Your instinct is to alternate your hands rather than double hit the third and fourth beats with the same hand - to get really smart play your right foot on the first beat (the 'pa' of paradiddle - each syllable of the word represents a beat)
Even if you don't have a clue what I'm on about I bet you've forgotten how your feeling after reading this long-winded post :winks: