Finger exercise, with a metronome?

[JJKK]

I'm doing the exercise where you flip the stick and hit your forearms with the stick using your fingers. Would it benefit me to use a click with this exercise and attempt to get faster at it?

 

[drumdevil9]

I've never heard of this exercise. Is this if you didn't have a pad handy or is there some other benefit to doing it this way as opposed to on the pad? Could you or someone please elaborate?

 

[Hewitt2]

It’s a pretty standard way of accelerating novice students’ ability to leverage their fingers as part of their strokes. Here is one of the better explanations and demonstrations of the technique.

 

[brentcn]

I'm doing the exercise where you flip the stick and hit your forearms with the stick using your fingers. Would it benefit me to use a click with this exercise and attempt to get faster at it?

Will it benefit in what way? It will depend on how and what you practice. You could, for example, just practice single strokes and get faster/better at them. But if you practiced all the different subdivisions (quarters, 8ths, triplets, 16ths, and so on), then you would improve your timing and rhythmic accuracy. If you practice snare etudes and solos, you will improve your reading skills.

This particular method that you mention is pretty helpful for developing double strokes, so definitely spend some time on that if your doubles aren't already smooth and even. Practice doubles in each of the 4 permutations: RRLL, RLLR, LLRR, and LRRL. You can also practice "Puh-duh-duh"s, which are RLL or LRR.

But to really make improvement, you'll still need to work out on a practice pad. The forearms thing is cool, and definitely has its place, but it also has its limitations.

 

[JJKK]

Will it benefit in what way? It will depend on how and what you practice. You could, for example, just practice single strokes and get faster/better at them. But if you practiced all the different subdivisions (quarters, 8ths, triplets, 16ths, and so on), then you would improve your timing and rhythmic accuracy. If you practice snare etudes and solos, you will improve your reading skills.

This particular method that you mention is pretty helpful for developing double strokes, so definitely spend some time on that if your doubles aren't already smooth and even. Practice doubles in each of the 4 permutations: RRLL, RLLR, LLRR, and LRRL. You can also practice "Puh-duh-duh"s, which are RLL or LRR.

But to really make improvement, you'll still need to work out on a practice pad. The forearms thing is cool, and definitely has its place, but it also has its limitations.

I want to activate my fingers more, and start doing drills for finger control.

 

[JimmyM]

I want to activate my fingers more, and start doing drills for finger control.

I wouldn't start doing drills till your fingers get activated. Jeff Berlin always says, "Why pressure yourself like that?" when he talks to bassists about drilling with a click, and I agree with him 100%. Also, I found this video after I watched the young gal's vid posted earlier, and this guy is throwing down some really great ergonomic info that even after watching a few minutes, it's already helped me to get more relaxed than slapping a stick into my arm. I don't get the reverse thing to be honest, but she's not the first I've seen do that. Takes a little bit to get to the good stuff, but he's a drum teacher to the stars and has been at it for decades.

 

[JJKK]

I wouldn't start doing drills till your fingers get activated. Jeff Berlin always says, "Why pressure yourself like that?" when he talks to bassists about drilling with a click, and I agree with him 100%. Also, I found this video after I watched the young gal's vid posted earlier, and this guy is throwing down some really great ergonomic info that even after watching a few minutes, it's already helped me to get more relaxed than slapping a stick into my arm. I don't get the reverse thing to be honest, but she's not the first I've seen do that. Takes a little bit to get to the good stuff, but he's a drum teacher to the stars and has been at it for decades.

Awesome lesson. Changed the way I look at technique in general.

 

[JimmyM]

Awesome lesson. Changed the way I look at technique in general.

When you're older like Bruce and me, you gotta look for the easiest ways of doing this stuff, bro!

 

[brentcn]

I want to activate my fingers more, and start doing drills for finger control.

How would we know? We haven’t seen any video of your playing. I have recommended that method to students in the past, but only after watch them struggle in a certain way.

It’s quite possible that a different practice method would better suit you. We’re not all the same.

 

[JJKK]

Grip and left hand issues here:

I can't use much fingers on the left, and I was trying to demonstrate my best loose grip in this clip.

 

[brentcn]

Grip and left hand issues here:

I can't use much fingers on the left, and I was trying to demonstrate my best loose grip in this clip.

Your thumb is in a bad position. The thumb pad should be on the side of the stick, not underneath it.

The forearm thing will be a good exercise for you, as long as you keep the pad of your thumb on the side of the stick. Otherwise it just reinforces a bad habit.

EDIT: with your positioned on the side, you will be able to access your fingers, as you want to do. Without your thumb on the side, getting the fingers involved is possible, but only to a minor extent.

 

[JJKK]

Your thumb is in a bad position. The thumb pad should be on the side of the stick, not underneath it.

The forearm thing will be a good exercise for you, as long as you keep the pad of your thumb on the side of the stick. Otherwise it just reinforces a bad habit.

I'll be mindful of it.