I started college in 1988 as percussion major.  I love being a drummer and playing drums.  So I took my kit with me to school and began my music education.  My question to you is… Have you ever tried to practice on your kit in an apartment with a couple of roommates studying for exams?  I haven’t either but you now see the dilemma I was in.  Like so many of you, I was used to being able to practice and play drums just about anytime for hours at a time.  As mentioned above, the downside to practicing in my new home was I lived in an apartment with a few room mates so playing drums there was out of the question.  I was given a room in the Band Building to practice in but there were times when it was too late to use it.  What to do?  I guess it suffices to say I not only love drumming but I have a real love for music.  I had so much musical energy and, sometimes, no where to use it.

I had become interested in Bass Guitar during a year of working with a few bands and recording so I decided to pick it up and try it.  This was not so much for a second instrument but rather another rhythm instrument.  I soon understood Bass was also a tonal percussion instrument as well as a string instrument.  The other musicians on campus taught me the basic major and minor scale patterns and I was able to produce a scale.  I donned the headphones and started trying to pick out parts.  I had learned from recording sessions and playing live how critical Bass is to drummers and the foundation of the song.  What I had not realized was how much I was about to learn about being a drummer.

As I practiced bass licks to my favorite CD’s, I began to listen to music as a bass player and not necessarily a drummer.  I began to see what a bass player and other melodic instrument players listened for during a song performance.  Then, when I practiced drums I had a new focus in my playing.  I drew my attention away from just the drum parts to the entire structure of the song.  I developed an ear for each instrument.  I would listen to the piano, guitar, vocals, bass and drums independently.  The music became defined.  It was no longer just about laying down killer fills but it was about the music itself. 

Moving from practice to rehearsal became easier.  I knew the songs much better.  I was able to anticipate the movement of the music much better and this also led to better dynamics and feel.  Another key benefit to my drumming capabilities soon arose.

We know finger dexterity and strength is crucial to playing with finesse.  Simply stated, the exercise of my left hand running scales on the bass led to a marked increase of skill in my left hand as a drummer.  This happened as one of those unexpected surprises. I noticed it first during my practical percussion sessions.  I am right handed by nature so my right hand was obviously dominant in my technique.  My professor had me running the standard rudiments and Podemski’s Standard Snare Drum Method.  In order to break some of the bad habits of over controlling with the right hand, I decided to push those as hard as I could to be equal in dynamics but the right hand was always louder and more forceful.  It is simple enough to balance things out in 4/4 time with the 16th note as the highest count.  When you throw in Podemski’s No. 53 in 2/4 time with the 64th note as the highest count things can get out of control.  The weakness I had struggled with in the left hand soon disappeared.  My new problem, a good one to have, was my left hand began to far exceed my right.  When I advanced to Tympani and Marimba I learned the basics of the French and German grip.  This served to begin to equal out the finger strength in each hand.  I talked to Marco Minnemann about finger technique during a clinic in South Louisiana.  He showed me a series of exercises he used to develop one handed rolls.  I’ll try to explain this as easily as possible. 

First, begin with a matched grip, palms down, and rotate your wrist until the thumb is facing up. This is basically the same as the French Grip.  Loosen your fingers to where you are only holding the stick with your index finger and thumb.  This is the balance point for the exercise.  Starting with the middle finger, bounce the stick on the snare head or in the air.  Proceed to the ring finger then the pinky.  After getting used to this action, tighten up and move the stick instead of bouncing it.  After little time with this grip rotate your wrist back to the normal match grip, palms down, and continue.  You should see improvement in a short time.

I hope to encourage you to find new ways to strengthen your hands.  You don’t have to become a Bass Player to build your chops.  I want to challenge you to listen to each instrument and develop your ear to discern each one.  This will lead you to better drumming.

Richard B. Lea