What percentage do you practice bread and butter?

I agree that having your hands "together" makes an entire world of difference of being able to execute. Though I don't think having blazing speed matters all that much.

I spent a few years studying locally with a percussionist at one the renowned music universities where we worked on JUST hands, we never touched a drum set or cymbal.

Ironically enough, developing speed just was not part of that focus. It was more about touch and control. To this day I think my singles are not that fast and I could care a less. I don't think it has hindered my ability to execute.

Over the last 30 years, I've worked through many of the classic library of material with some awesome teachers but at this point I split my available practice time as follows:
30 minutes - Master Studies
30 minutes - Wilcoxon solos (also apply these to the set)
60 minutes - John Riley Books (Beyond Bop Drumming & Jazz Drummers Workshop)
30 minutes - Depending on my mood: 4-Way Coordination Book (Dahlgreen/Fine) (been through it before but decided to do it again) or The Complete Guide to Playing Brushes (Florian Alexandru-Zorn)

When not behind the set, I'm currently checking out John Riley's DVD.
 
Singles and doubles? I do alot of play alongs and i play on pillows mostly, so to work on speed and control i do alot of singles and doubles on pillows. Great work
 
I play 3 hours a day and dedicate an hour and a half to my rudiments. Since they are divided into 5 categories, double strokes, single strokes, paradiddles, flams, and drags, I pick one from each category every Monday and work on them for 15 minutes a day until the following Monday when I select a new 5. The last 15 minutes I spend on either the triple stroke roll, the blushda, or the eggbeater.
 
I just (re)started playing and 90% of my time is spent on bread and butter trying to get whatever chops I had, back, and, more importantly, learn a LOT of new things.

I will go back and forth between singles, doubles and paradiddles while kicking LRLR on the bass drums for 30 minutes and have a great time doing it. I couldn't bounce a stick a month ago and now I can do this routine with the kicks going 320BPM and the stcks at 640.

That is with a simple right kick/right hand, left kick/left hand. I was recently humbled (yesterday) when I tried to do the same thing (double bounce, alternating kicks) in what I learned is a 12/8 timing and had to start all over again. I can do it with the kicks at 240BPM and keep up for a while but it is nowhere near comfortable and I don't know how long it will take to get there.


And.....I don't practice anything withou using my feet. I dig the double bass licks. Makes it sound like you are doing more than you are :)


I'll stick with bread and butter thru the rest of the year then maybe move forward.

Sorry about the blog ^. I'm just excited about this stuff and have no one to share it with. Drums kick ass!!
 
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