Back at it (working on blast beats plus double kick)

JJKK

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I've been restarting my practice, playing relaxed, staying loose, and keeping on the click.

My max speeds are at 150 bpm or so, for both double kick and blast beats. I have no idea how I could muscle out faster speeds earlier, but it happened a year or two back. Currently working on the movements, trying to incorporate fingers, and keeping a loose hold on the sticks. I've had numerous breaks from practice due to not focusing on this 100%.

I suppose I'll work on relaxed playing and practice like it, adding one bpm to exercises when feeling confident in a practice session. I also need to pick up new songs (Velvet Revolver is cool!) and listen to more music.

Now I've been doing 20 minutes of finger control (strength exercise, 8th notes with one finger only, switching fingers every eight strokes, 60bpm), 5 to 15 minutes of double kick practice, doing stints at 115 to 135 bpm at a time. Really simple routine, still aiming at playing hardcore, metalcore and death metal eventually.
 
I think I've underestimated the need to build endurance. When recording my playing sounds weak, lacking energy. Finally started doing single stroke rolls as an endurance exercise. The same routine I've done with double bass drumming so far.

I want to develop that vigor you get from some players, especially in the extreme metal category.
 
This is a cool thread. It's good to put stuff like this into words. Some metal drummer is gonna google this up someday and find it very useful.
 
the transition from 150+ up on double kick means you have to change what you're doing with your feet. Its very very difficult to stop your feet that fast. You have to use your ankles a lot more. You can practise this on a chair without pedals. Just sit there, lift your heels reasonably high, then bounce your knees up and down with the front of your toes on the floor. Now try that on your pedals. Try moving your feet around to a point on the pedal where it makes the beat hit the head, and boom, you can now do fast double bass.
 
I started doing the stone killer for my hands, trying to get my left wrist more loose (rubbery :) ) and getting the stick heights to the same level when doing a single-stroke roll. Some days I push for 30 minutes of hand technique per day. Doesn't feel bad, so I'll keep doing it.

I'm also doing 125-130 bpm endurance runs for double bass drum, not increasing the bpms too much. I'm adding tom fills and cymbals into the mix so I can keep the beat with my feet despite what is going on.
 
the transition from 150+ up on double kick means you have to change what you're doing with your feet. Its very very difficult to stop your feet that fast. You have to use your ankles a lot more. You can practise this on a chair without pedals. Just sit there, lift your heels reasonably high, then bounce your knees up and down with the front of your toes on the floor. Now try that on your pedals. Try moving your feet around to a point on the pedal where it makes the beat hit the head, and boom, you can now do fast double bass.
I will work on this before I get to practice 150+ speeds.
 
Back at it after weeks of "break". Discipline has been lacking and life interfered.

Debating the benefit of an online school. I don't think I need additional lessons right now. I need to work on the ones I have received already.
 
Back at it after weeks of "break". Discipline has been lacking and life interfered.

Debating the benefit of an online school. I don't think I need additional lessons right now. I need to work on the ones I have received already.

I agree...once you have figured out the tecnique you want to use, it is just a matter of getting stronger, and more agile.

I also started to work on speed of bpth types of beats years ago, and the biggest hurdle is just finding the time to commit to it. I don't play blasts and fast double in the music I play. It is more d-beat and thrash beat minus the double bass...

my issue is that my hands are way faster than my feet right now...and core balance for when my feet need to float under me
 
I agree...once you have figured out the tecnique you want to use, it is just a matter of getting stronger, and more agile.

I also started to work on speed of bpth types of beats years ago, and the biggest hurdle is just finding the time to commit to it. I don't play blasts and fast double in the music I play. It is more d-beat and thrash beat minus the double bass...

my issue is that my hands are way faster than my feet right now...and core balance for when my feet need to float under me

I'm trying to work on other types of music as well. Blasting (attempting to) takes tons of energy on an acoustic kit.
 
I did some training with a click. Skank beat at 195 bpm, kept it together with cymbal hits at one. No hope of doing fills that fast.
 
Very good practice Just now. Tried blast beating at 150 and it felt solid, better and sounded really good. One of these days!
 
I have a wrist mobility issue on my left side. The stick height is 2 centimeters or so lower than the right stick when doing unison strokes or rolls. How can I remedy this?
 
I have a wrist mobility issue on my left side. The stick height is 2 centimeters or so lower than the right stick when doing unison strokes or rolls. How can I remedy this?
Learn to use your fingers to bounce the stick. It takes your wrist out of the equation. It's also easier to maintain speed this way.
 
Learn to use your fingers to bounce the stick. It takes your wrist out of the equation. It's also easier to maintain speed this way.

Yeah I started working with the finger technique on a bouncy surface, first getting the stick to go straight down instead of sideways :D

Gives a good feeling of control after a good workout. I don't really know why. Also, after yesterday working with the click for about two hours, today I got into the groove quicker when sitting at the kit and working double bass drumming. Definite forward momentum.
 
I have a wrist mobility issue on my left side. The stick height is 2 centimeters or so lower than the right stick when doing unison strokes or rolls. How can I remedy this?

just mirror the movement of your right hand...but do it slowly to catch what and how your hand RH is moving

at what point do the hands start to look and feel different? That is your trouble area...work to make the weak hand look and feel like the strong hand
 
just mirror the movement of your right hand...but do it slowly to catch what and how your hand RH is moving

at what point do the hands start to look and feel different? That is your trouble area...work to make the weak hand look and feel like the strong hand

I will work on this. Thanks for the advice!
 
Back at it. Doing the suggestions in this thread, and also Bruce Becker stuff on Drumeo. My coordination on triplets was abysmal on the first day. Today I managed a flow exercise with them :)

My headphones broke down, so I'm doing stuff at my place instead. Any ideas for noise-canceling bluetooth headphones?
 
Practice for many hours at about 70-80% of your max speed where it is tight. Build muscle memory and endurance doing it for long stretches. At the end of your practice sessions start increasing the speed by 5 BPM every little bit until you are just on the edge and feeling the burn. Once you do this, it feels very natural and you don't have to "push" yourself. When you tense up playing metal, it's game over... Watching those dudes blast at 260+ are so relaxed. The fastest song I recorded was about 240 with my band, but I find when I tense up it makes me slower, and I can't go very long.

also play to a click. it really helps lock in...... for hands, practicing on a pad with singles, doubles diddles and all that help.. get those fingers working with your wrists and don't try and play too loud.... keep stick heights low.

That's about all I can think of for now :)
 
Practice for many hours at about 70-80% of your max speed where it is tight. Build muscle memory and endurance doing it for long stretches. At the end of your practice sessions start increasing the speed by 5 BPM every little bit until you are just on the edge and feeling the burn. Once you do this, it feels very natural and you don't have to "push" yourself. When you tense up playing metal, it's game over... Watching those dudes blast at 260+ are so relaxed. The fastest song I recorded was about 240 with my band, but I find when I tense up it makes me slower, and I can't go very long.

also play to a click. it really helps lock in...... for hands, practicing on a pad with singles, doubles diddles and all that help.. get those fingers working with your wrists and don't try and play too loud.... keep stick heights low.

That's about all I can think of for now :)

I did your exercise today and it was brutal. I thought I had endurance, but noo! I kept going for 20 minutes with starts and stops, and eventually wrapped the session. Thanks for the advice!
 
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