[gyutae]

Back when I used to take drum lessons, my teacher would have me swing with my right hand on the ride and play the different snare patterns in the Syncopation book with my left. At the same time I'd keep the bass drum going on the every beat and the high hat pedal on 2 and 4.

This really helped my independence between limbs and I recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their technique.

Anyone do anything similar to this? The book is really a drumming gem.

[AvengedDrummer]

Yeah, thats basically a jazz beat. Thats why I started playing jazz, it really does help independence, cause you have to learn to sorta set the bass, hi hat and ride on auto pilot. Marco Minnemann does this really well, except he doesnt really do jazz style playing.

[gyutae]

Yeah jazz is just great. I wasn't really into swing or jazz to start off and during lessons I always complained about some of the stuff I would be playing.

However, learning jazz or some of the other music styles can really go and help the more basic styles like rock as well. I'm just a lot more comfortable playing rock beats and fills now because of my little jazz background.

[yachay]

I had drum teachers that would work w/ that same book in that way. I spent a lot of hours on independence studies. Some other good books for this our The New Breed by Gary Chester and Gary Chaffee's books. I spent a lot of time also running through the patterns by playing ostinatos with the right hand and playing the patterns w/ left hand, then right foot, then left foot. Then playing ostinatos with the left hand and doing the same thing. It was maddening at first, but really, really opened up my ability to play different rhythyms with different limbs simultaneously.

Jeff
www.yachaymusic.com

[gyutae]

Hey yachay,
That's a really good drum workout, not just physically but mentally. After doing some independence drum stuff, I'd start getting headaches. Good stuff though!

[michaelpops]

My teacher bought me "Progressive Steps to Syncopation For the Modern Drummer" by Ted Reed, and at the time I thought it would be a book that would just gather dust, but it actually helps a lot for moving from drum to drum. Very good for cleaning up sloppy patterns.

[DrummerMom]

Syncopation by Ted Reed - great book! I need to get another copy of it. (gave it to a friend for her son to use.

[gyutae]

Stick Control by George Stone is another great book to use along with The New Breed by Gary Chester

[yachay]

Stick Control is another great book. The mental aspect of the discipline is definitely a challenge not to be taken lightly lol! It's a pretty amazing experience though when the freedom of limbs starts to come alive.

[DrummerMom]

Originally Posted by gyutae

Stick Control by George Stone is another great book to use along with The New Breed by Gary Chester

I agree. Have you tried New Breed II by Gary Chester and Chris Adams?

Also,
Four way Coordination is a great book.