Unrelated to the topic at hand, I just want to reinforce your comment about repetition. I used to do each of my exercises/warmups for five minutes at a time. I recently decided to try to up it to fifteen minutes and in just three weeks I've notice quite a bit of improvement. My grip is looser and I'm hitting the center of the pad/drums much more consistently. Around the seven or eight minute mark, my brain (might be different for other people) stops focusing so much on what I'm doing and starts focusing on how I'm doing it. So yeah, I'd rather do one exercise for fifteen minutes than three different exercises for five minutes each.
I started learning to play about 4 months ago. My most recent two lessons have added in the left foot and getting all 4 limbs going. Keeping time on my ride for the first time made me realize how loud it is and how much softer I need to play it with my right hand. I can start it soft, but as I bring in the other 3 limbs and start focusing on them, the ride seems to always get louder, as I end up playing it so much harder, kind of on auto pilot. This lesson is very timely for me at this point. I will practice these controled dynamic exercises on and off the kit and should easily see the results show up by being able to keep that super loud ride much softer. Thanks for another great video, Stephen!
Thank you for the encouragement and for showing things that are difficult, but that can be done with some old-fashioned hard work. My playing has improved exponentially over the past 2 months because of your guides, exercises, and videos.
I'm big on Dynamic independence, especially in the last 7 years or so, i'm mostly playing with low volume acoustic acts, and usually im not micd at all. I also recommend using several pairs of sticks, hot rods, cool rods, regulars sticks, brooms, brushes, etc. Try different woods too. Journey's dont stop believing is a great song to practice this concept with, heavy on kick, medium on snare and toms, and light on the cymbals. Check out steve smith's breakdown of it, he's refers to it alot.
This was a great lesson, Stephen... Thank you. At first the notion of macro controlling that which had become largely automatic for many drummers who pay attention to those with whom they play seemed daunting. It's like getting someone to describe and enact, each move by precise move, in how to walk or even breathe. You got me thinking on matters that I haven't consciously touched on since I first started playing and then later started to play in a band as a young base beginner. I started off in what was primarily a military marching band that would regularly perform publicly and would as a matter of course use sheet music so there wasn't so much in the way of personal interpretation but it did require all of the musicians to adjust their playing styles to the dictates of what the sheet music related and of course to how the bandleader/conductor would interpret the score. This lesson brought all of that back and I realised what it was that you were proposing. I say that if a musician recognises that they are a part of a band and that in being a part of that band they are equals, partners, and accompanists to each other where the main mission or cause is or should be to present their shared music in the best possible light, then they must listen to each other and themselves and adjust their own personal preferences to what the music itself requires. The band can only perform the music at its intended best if those members can each control, if not shelve their own individual egos and strive to serve the music. Being able to regulate the finer aspects of how we play, in this case, the volume and intensity, provides us with the ability to lend a refined accent to what we are playing. It enables the musicians to polish their performance to the sheen the music deserves. To me at least it is through this realisation where I find the feeling of "command" and where that feeling leads me to... A fine lesson Stephen. again my thanks. You've brought a smile to my face.
Your channel is fantastic Stephen. Your content is always so necessary. You are a great instructor. Thank you for all the great content. This exercise is invaluable.
As always thank you Stephen for such a wonderful lesson. I've once felt like I was close to complete 4-way coordination but now I believe I remember how to increase my coordination while playing.
So, there is a difference between beginner and beginner. I started playing the drums a half year ago, but i played piano and church organ for 30 years or so. And the independent dynamics is an old hat (at least for the piano part as church organs have no dynamics). And the four-way independence thing - as i have played with my feet for so long the difference is only on the organ it is spatial (you mostly have to hit a position in space where the key is) while on the drumkit it is rhythmic. But the question I have: does 4-way independence means that you split your brain in four threads which operate independent but in sync (which I cannot imagine for myself) - or is it one thread where you play one event after another, just like in a MIDI file?
It means that you're aware of each of the four independent motions, but don't need to consciously coordinate them from one moment to the next. They don't become automatic -- you just learn to trust them, after time and practice, not to do anything you wouldn't do.
I think this video with slapping on the hand misses one important thing. You want to achieve your drums to sound more or less loud, so when you play on the kit, this stops being "weird". You can triplets, varying the volume between them and all kinds of variation, but as long as you do it musically on the kit it's not weird anymore. Hitting your legs, fair enough, that's weird.
Unrelated to the topic at hand, I just want to reinforce your comment about repetition. I used to do each of my exercises/warmups for five minutes at a time. I recently decided to try to up it to fifteen minutes and in just three weeks I've notice quite a bit of improvement. My grip is looser and I'm hitting the center of the pad/drums much more consistently. Around the seven or eight minute mark, my brain (might be different for other people) stops focusing so much on what I'm doing and starts focusing on how I'm doing it. So yeah, I'd rather do one exercise for fifteen minutes than three different exercises for five minutes each.
I started learning to play about 4 months ago. My most recent two lessons have added in the left foot and getting all 4 limbs going. Keeping time on my ride for the first time made me realize how loud it is and how much softer I need to play it with my right hand. I can start it soft, but as I bring in the other 3 limbs and start focusing on them, the ride seems to always get louder, as I end up playing it so much harder, kind of on auto pilot. This lesson is very timely for me at this point. I will practice these controled dynamic exercises on and off the kit and should easily see the results show up by being able to keep that super loud ride much softer. Thanks for another great video, Stephen!
Thank you for the encouragement and for showing things that are difficult, but that can be done with some old-fashioned hard work. My playing has improved exponentially over the past 2 months because of your guides, exercises, and videos.
I'm big on Dynamic independence, especially in the last 7 years or so, i'm mostly playing with low volume acoustic acts, and usually im not micd at all. I also recommend using several pairs of sticks, hot rods, cool rods, regulars sticks, brooms, brushes, etc. Try different woods too. Journey's dont stop believing is a great song to practice this concept with, heavy on kick, medium on snare and toms, and light on the cymbals. Check out steve smith's breakdown of it, he's refers to it alot.
This was a great lesson, Stephen... Thank you. At first the notion of macro controlling that which had become largely automatic for many drummers who pay attention to those with whom they play seemed daunting. It's like getting someone to describe and enact, each move by precise move, in how to walk or even breathe. You got me thinking on matters that I haven't consciously touched on since I first started playing and then later started to play in a band as a young base beginner.
I started off in what was primarily a military marching band that would regularly perform publicly and would as a matter of course use sheet music so there wasn't so much in the way of personal interpretation but it did require all of the musicians to adjust their playing styles to the dictates of what the sheet music related and of course to how the bandleader/conductor would interpret the score.
This lesson brought all of that back and I realised what it was that you were proposing.
I say that if a musician recognises that they are a part of a band and that in being a part of that band they are equals, partners, and accompanists to each other where the main mission or cause is or should be to present their shared music in the best possible light, then they must listen to each other and themselves and adjust their own personal preferences to what the music itself requires.
The band can only perform the music at its intended best if those members can each control, if not shelve their own individual egos and strive to serve the music. Being able to regulate the finer aspects of how we play, in this case, the volume and intensity, provides us with the ability to lend a refined accent to what we are playing. It enables the musicians to polish their performance to the sheen the music deserves.
To me at least it is through this realisation where I find the feeling of "command" and where that feeling leads me to...
A fine lesson Stephen. again my thanks. You've brought a smile to my face.
Your channel is fantastic Stephen. Your content is always so necessary. You are a great instructor. Thank you for all the great content. This exercise is invaluable.
As always thank you Stephen for such a wonderful lesson. I've once felt like I was close to complete 4-way coordination but now I believe I remember how to increase my coordination while playing.
Layers of complexity. Beautiful! Thanks
Always great tips, thank you!
This is great! These excercises will be a real challenge! Thank you for the lesson!
Thanks for the video, it was useful! Will incorporate this method into my practice
Great videos man I have learned alot about hand techniques from you .👍🤘
Booooring! But it's definitely what I need...and yes the 4 way coordination plan is working...I just need more practice time... thanks again!
It's challenging to not start flamming when changing one limb's dynamics...interesting exercise.
Nice tutorial.. dynamics
i'm a beginner (2 months playing drums) but this was really easy somehow
So, there is a difference between beginner and beginner. I started playing the drums a half year ago, but i played piano and church organ for 30 years or so. And the independent dynamics is an old hat (at least for the piano part as church organs have no dynamics). And the four-way independence thing - as i have played with my feet for so long the difference is only on the organ it is spatial (you mostly have to hit a position in space where the key is) while on the drumkit it is rhythmic. But the question I have: does 4-way independence means that you split your brain in four threads which operate independent but in sync (which I cannot imagine for myself) - or is it one thread where you play one event after another, just like in a MIDI file?
It means that you're aware of each of the four independent motions, but don't need to consciously coordinate them from one moment to the next. They don't become automatic -- you just learn to trust them, after time and practice, not to do anything you wouldn't do.
Oh boy, when she called herself Mama Bear.
🥵
I think this video with slapping on the hand misses one important thing. You want to achieve your drums to sound more or less loud, so when you play on the kit, this stops being "weird". You can triplets, varying the volume between them and all kinds of variation, but as long as you do it musically on the kit it's not weird anymore. Hitting your legs, fair enough, that's weird.
FELL ASLEEP AFTER 3 MIN