beginner player - decoupling arms/legs?

[irnbru83]

 

How I try to approach it is playing pairs of hits, i.e. hi-hat + kick, hi-hat + snare, kick + snare... this is fine, but as soon as I add the third (or fourth) limb, it screws up what I was doing before (for example I start to hit the kick and snare at the same time).

 

 

Pairs is definitely a good way to go about it.

 

Okay, so here is simplest way to initially unglue that left foot from the ground:

 

HH x-o-x-x-

SD --------

KD x---x---

 

So you're going to use three limbs here. The trick is that to open that hi-hat on the 'o', you basically lift both feet at the same time and close them at the same time. The moment of lifting the feet should correspond to hitting the hi-hat with your left hand.

 

 

 

Similar thing can be done with both hands and the right foot:

 

HH x-x-x-x-

SD ----x---

KD x---x---

 

 

There will be many times in your drumming life where the snare and kick drum land at the same time. I would suggest starting to do this deliberately as a way of gaining confidence and slowly isolating the Snare. If you notice, you're only hitting the snare on ONE of the two kick drum notes. As you master this, remove that second kick drum note:

 

HH x-x-x-x-

SD ----x---

KD x-------

 

 

Not intending on this being condescending. This is how I got my wife playing this pattern.

[irnbru83]

Well, since I obviously didn't read your entire post closely enough, you can go ahead and disregard most of what I typed. I'd edit it, but meh, I'd rather have another post.

 

 

 

 

When i was learning this stuff, my teacher made me flash-cards. They were as follows:

- - - -

1 - - -

- e - -

- - & -

- - - a

1 e - -

1 - & -

1 - - a

1 e & -

1 e - a

1 e & a

1 - & a

- e & -

- e - a

- e & a

- - & a

 

I think that's them all. Maybe forgot one. Anyway, I had to be able to play each pattern individually with each limb, repeating the pattern over and over. Did this for a looooooong time.

 

The next step (I think) was adding a constant eighth note pulse on one limb while performing one of those patterns repeatedly with another limb.

 

Then it turned into playing eighth notes on the HH while playing one of the patterns, alternating each pattern between left hand and right foot. So, something like:

 

HH x - x - x - x - x - x - x - x -

SN x x - - - - - - x x - - - - - -

KD - - - - x x - - - - - - x x - -

 

 

After this, I would pull a few flash cards and form a bar worth of noise to create.

[AlexMC]

 

Well, since I obviously didn't read your entire post closely enough, you can go ahead and disregard most of what I typed. I'd edit it, but meh, I'd rather have another post.

 

 

Heh... I did wonder where you were going with that stuff! As I said, I can manage a simple kick-snare with eighth note hi-hats pattern pretty well. It's just when it breaks out of that simple pattern that it begins to fall apart.

[irnbru83]

Stupidly ridiculously slow is the way to go.

 

 

 

And rhyming is lame.

[turdadactyl]

 

When i was learning this stuff, my teacher made me flash-cards. They were as follows: - - - - 1 - - - - e - - - - & - - - - a 1 e - - 1 - & - 1 - - a 1 e & - 1 e - a 1 e & a 1 - & a - e & - - e - a - e & a - - & a

 

 

This is a HUGE help. Make each of your limbs be able to do each 1/16, 2/16, 3/16 and 4/16 combination. Then mix and match. This is one of the approaches I like to take.

[Dendy Jarrett]

In the spirit of this community, thanks to those of you offering helpful info. That is what this is supposed to be about.

 

I want folks to come here and find answers. Think back about the time you first grabbed some drum sticks. It is helpful to have answers.

 

To the original post:

 

Another great way of learning independence is playing paradiddles around the drumset. Once you master paradiddles between two voices on the drumset, then go to paradiddles between hand and feet.

Once that is mastered, advance to Flam-paradiddles (flamaddigles) between on different voices between hands and feet.

 

You'll be amazed at how much of what you play on a set is simply rudiments broken down between limbs!

 

Hope this is helpful.

Thanks

Dendy