What will it take for me to be able to do this?

JLoveDrums94

Senior Member
(2:20-2:22)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGtIuhQrxzU

I think I've seen every single drummer in this style of music do this with their wrists and it has always taunted me because I've always wanted to be able to do that, but I just can't get my wrists to move that freely. Does anyone have any advice on how I can get my wrists to do this?
 
(2:20-2:22)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGtIuhQrxzU

I think I've seen every single drummer in this style of music do this with their wrists and it has always taunted me because I've always wanted to be able to do that, but I just can't get my wrists to move that freely. Does anyone have any advice on how I can get my wrists to do this?

That is more finger control than anything to do with the wrists. You can see his hands are turned over more in the French grip position.
 
His right hand is pretty clear on camera. Looks like finger to me too.
 
what will it take ? .... two Ps

practice and patience

nothing more ... nothing less

I will add just one more "P".

Pay attention to what your hands look and sound like.

Stay away from everyone's "opinions" on hand technique. Only a real pro with serious hands of his own should be listened to. This isn't about art, this is just pure technique, and while there is no one "right way", there are definitely some wrong ones.
 
That is more finger control than anything to do with the wrists. You can see his hands are turned over more in the French grip position.

His right hand is pretty clear on camera. Looks like finger to me too.

That's not right. He's playing "French" grip with a couple of things on the cowbells, but the busy stuff on the drums is a ~normal snare drum grip. The only place I'm seeing significant finger technique is on the cowbell in the first part of the slow section, and on the big singles at the end.


(2:20-2:22)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGtIuhQrxzU

I think I've seen every single drummer in this style of music do this with their wrists and it has always taunted me because I've always wanted to be able to do that, but I just can't get my wrists to move that freely. Does anyone have any advice on how I can get my wrists to do this?

Practice in front of a mirror, so you can see that you're really articulating your wrists, and not compensating for lack of wrist motion by using arm and fingers. For getting this technique, it helps to play a lot of full strokes-- each note starting up, and ending up (like 5-12" off the drum), so your wrists learn to do a smooth follow-through as well as the attack. It's easy to tense up doing this controlled technique, so pay attention to how you feel- your grip should feel light.

If I were you, I'd be working on pp. 5-15 of Stick Control a lot. There's also a book called Chop Busters by Ron Fink which you can order for ~$5, which is full of stuff like the guy in the video is playing-- or things that will be helpful in playing stuff like that. PM me if you want some other suggestions. Any good snare drum teacher should be able to help you with this- even a drum corps guy- there should be a lot of old Sac. Freelancers guys around town there, I would think.

You can totally do this within 1-3 years if you're practicing every day. Actually playing this music will accelerate your progress, too-- play as much as you can, and be around people who are playing. And remember Tony and Jeff's three Ps.
 
That's not right. He's playing "French" grip with a couple of things on the cowbells, but the busy stuff on the drums is a ~normal snare drum grip. The only place I'm seeing significant finger technique is on the cowbell in the first part of the slow section, and on the big singles at the end.


The OP is only talking about 2 Sec. worth of footage. 2:20-2:22 It's a lot of fingers.
 
2:20 to 2:22 looks like fast single stroke , all finger.
I can't do that kind of stuff but can have the same effect/sound with doubles. As long as it comes out the wsy you want it, the sticking doesn't really matter.
 
Toddbishop, Chopbusters by Ron Fink GREAT BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not that many people know that one. I picked it up in the very late 80's. My son has also used it. Just a fun cool book.
 
They are just fast singles phrased like triplets right?

To answer your question, work on the almighty single stroke roll, the mother of all rudiments. To a click.

Your weak side will be the major limiting factor.

Strengthening my weak side first is how I'm prepping for tackling singles.

It's like painting a wall. Most of the work goes into the prep. Filling in the deficient areas.
 
2 sec @ 2:20 is French grip. Or maybe American but not German.

But the three P's still apply.


.
 
whether the grip is American or French or whatever the in-between (which upon further review, looks to me), I'd be working on finger dexterity and control.

Practice pad singles at least 10 to 20 minutes a day with a metronome.

Also, perhaps tune your snare or drum a bit more, at least medium-high tension..that can really make a difference in execution while your chops are still coming together.
 
Just for the record, i'm not talking about the work on the cowbells from that 2 second bit, just the way the guy rolled through those three drums with what appears to me as such ease, flexability, speed, and space between the heads and the sticks. Also, my drums are already tuned pretty tight. So do i just practice and excersize my "flexability" with single stroke rolls in order to get that?
 
Thanks, I just wasted 20 min watching Banda videos on youtube.

Hmm... I wonder if I can find a gig like this in Phoenix. Looks like a much easier load in than taking a full kit.

To answer your question, keep working on your hand technique. Go through stick control and see a teacher to reinforce good habits. Eventually you'll be able to roll just like that guy and then you'll move to Phoenix and start gunning for my Banda gig. On second though... Stop practicing and stay in Sacramento! ;)
 
Thanks, I just wasted 20 min watching Banda videos on youtube.

Hmm... I wonder if I can find a gig like this in Phoenix. Looks like a much easier load in than taking a full kit.

To answer your question, keep working on your hand technique. Go through stick control and see a teacher to reinforce good habits. Eventually you'll be able to roll just like that guy and then you'll move to Phoenix and start gunning for my Banda gig. On second though... Stop practicing and stay in Sacramento! ;)

So, do you play to Banda or any other styles of Regional Mexican music?
 
No, I was just being silly. I'm a Jazz guy who happens to be Mexican and my wife who is white actually plays mariachi music.

I would like to play Banda but the only gig I have at the moment is playing church music. It seems to me that those real working gigs are all word of mouth, every now and then I see some Cumbia or Tejano band looking for a drummer but I lose my nerve and don't go for it. People complain that there aren't paying gigs anymore, you just have to play the kind of music that the people who actually pay for music like to listen to.
 
Actually, here in Sacramento, I think it's ridiculously hard to find a gig with a banda. I've only had two offers here in the last year. The first was to play with this guy who was trying to form a banda with a bunch of guys who either never played an instrument in their lives, or were just beginners. He hired this teacher to try and school us, but the teacher was some rip off artist who wanted to charge everyone of us $20/hour for lessons, it was that or travel all the way to his hometown, which was about 2/3 hours away from where I live for $10/hour lessons. The second offer, was by this band that was already well formed and trained (they actually knew what they were doing). They fired their drummer, they asked me on a friday night if I could try out for them. I responded back the day after, and they told me that they changed their mind because they already found someone. I will never understand how they found someone to play for this style of music so fast, because it's so hard for me to find anyone who wants to do anything that has to do with banda. Even online, I wish I could find more percussionists and musicians who specialized in banda, so that I can ask them questions about how to tune their drums to what particular sound. I'm still not sure if my drums sound presentable for a banda, but I don't exactly have a source to go to and ask for help. All I know is that their drums need to be tuned really tight (I think -the 16" timbale), something that I think every drummer on this site isn't familiar with and or doesn't favor. I'm sorry, this has been my rant.
 
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