[meahal19]

Ill try not to sound like a basket case. I have been playing the set a few years now mainly for fun and playing some covers in a band well within my means. I am now trying to learn double bass and increase speed. The problem is my leg doesn't work. I play heel up and down depending on song. Heel up i cant play without my foot sorta flopping around which isnt good for a steady beat. If i try to stiffen my ankle so it doesnt flop im good for maybe a minute and then my leg is so pumped im cant do anything. Heel down i dont get the flop but still only good for a minute or so until leg is pumped up like a dude on roids. I am also a person that doesnt relax well so I dont know if I may be trying to hard (meaning thinking about it )on some things. Is this normal and I havent put in the time needed? Are there some secrets i dont know about that makes it easier. I see you guys/gals ( have to have PC lotta ladies in the forums now) play and seem like their speed is at the next level. Do I need hypnotized to learn to relax. Do I stop whining and just practice for hours until you get it? Drum shrinks let me know.

[SilverFoxDrummer]

Originally Posted by meahal19

Ill try not to sound like a basket case. I have been playing the set a few years now mainly for fun and playing some covers in a band well within my means. I am now trying to learn double bass and increase speed. The problem is my leg doesn't work. I play heel up and down depending on song. Heel up i cant play without my foot sorta flopping around which isnt good for a steady beat. If i try to stiffen my ankle so it doesnt flop im good for maybe a minute and then my leg is so pumped im cant do anything. Heel down i dont get the flop but still only good for a minute or so until leg is pumped up like a dude on roids. I am also a person that doesnt relax well so I dont know if I may be trying to hard (meaning thinking about it )on some things. Is this normal and I havent put in the time needed? Are there some secrets i dont know about that makes it easier. I see you guys/gals ( have to have PC lotta ladies in the forums now) play and seem like their speed is at the next level. Do I need hypnotized to learn to relax. Do I stop whining and just practice for hours until you get it? Drum shrinks let me know.

Well good sir, When I was learning double bass I had the same problem...so i stopped and thought to myself: I thought what can I do to get my left foot more fluent. And then the idea exploded out of my head like some sort of hydrogen bomb. Simply! use your left or right(depending which foot is flopping and if you are a lefty or a righty) more! don't force it to learn to be faster, gradually build up and it will work over time my son.

[Der Trommler]

Exactly!

Drumming is like athletics in that you can't just buy a set and play just like Portnoy or Peart right away, just like you can't buy a hockey stick and play just like Gretzky right away. You will get it, but you won't be a pro after playing a double for a couple of months.

[meahal19]

Thanks for the replys: Im left handed but in school the kit was set up for right handers which everyone except for me was so started out making my right foot primary. Funny thing is since i got a double pedal i noticed my left foot actually has a lot more control in the flopping reference than my right. I have never set the kit up left handed just cause it seems weird. Always had the mindset I will learn to play right handed and have a pretty strong left. Am I holding myself back? Does anyone else play against their natural hand?
I have been progressing so Ill keep at it and be patient.

[SilverFoxDrummer]

Originally Posted by meahal19

Thanks for the replys: Im left handed but in school the kit was set up for right handers which everyone except for me was so started out making my right foot primary. Funny thing is since i got a double pedal i noticed my left foot actually has a lot more control in the flopping reference than my right. I have never set the kit up left handed just cause it seems weird. Always had the mindset I will learn to play right handed and have a pretty strong left. Am I holding myself back? Does anyone else play against their natural hand?
I have been progressing so Ill keep at it and be patient.

If you're lefty, PLAY LEFTY! Do what is natural, don't force yourself to do anything, if lefty is you're natural strong side or whatever don't play righty and force it to be your stronger one, unless you are ambudextrious(or however you spell it), forcing yourself to play with your right will only slow down your learning abilities. You don't play baseball with your genitals right?

[deanc54]

Originally Posted by meahal19

Thanks for the replys: Im left handed but in school the kit was set up for right handers which everyone except for me was so started out making my right foot primary. Funny thing is since i got a double pedal i noticed my left foot actually has a lot more control in the flopping reference than my right. I have never set the kit up left handed just cause it seems weird. Always had the mindset I will learn to play right handed and have a pretty strong left. Am I holding myself back? Does anyone else play against their natural hand?
I have been progressing so Ill keep at it and be patient.

Hey meahal19!

I'm a lefty drummer. For years I have been told I should try to play ambidextrously. To quote young xxvenom13xx..pphhfft! If you are truly ambidextrous,..OK, but I know very few lefty's that really are. You hit the nail on the head when you stated that your head is getting in the way of your comfort level..which is most likely playing left handed. If I may be so bold to offer some advice..play the way you are really comfortable playing. Playing out of your comfort level will only force you to think too much about what you are trying to do right now at your level of play. You simply cannot get into the groove unless you let go of the internal dialog and just play naturally. The 'feel good' is what it's all about until you get comfortable enough with your playing style to experiment with different drum set configurations. I play 'cross stick' style as opposed to the 'open stick' style because it is really comfortable for me. As I progressed I experimented with the 'open stick' style..but only when I felt I had mastered the 'Cross Sticks' style enough to do so. I would venture to say that you are in fact 'holding yourself back' if you try to do something your brain will naturally try to reject. Just sayin'...

[meahal19]

I may be ambidextrous. I am most comfortable set up right handed. I golf and bat both ways. Freaks people out seeing me carry right and left hand clubs, and I kick right footed. From all the threads I believe I may be a little impatient on my progress. The biggest left handed thing is wanting to start everything with left hand. Not great going around the right handed set if you do that. So I start with my right hand which does require me to think about a little but its not like I i am forcing myself to do something uncomfortable just a tad slower. Bottom line I think a good drummer needs 4 limb independence and could probably play either way if tried. Gonna stick to what Im doing with baby step expectations. Musicians are their own worst critic. I have never met a good musician that was truly happy with their progress or playing ability. Always strive to improve. Thank to everyone for listening to my babble and helping me realize everyone has the same growing pains in some way or another they need to work through. Im glad this forum is filled with drummers that actually relate to drummers and dont belittle them.

[deanc54]

Originally Posted by meahal19

I may be ambidextrous. I am most comfortable set up right handed. I golf and bat both ways. Freaks people out seeing me carry right and left hand clubs, and I kick right footed. From all the threads I believe I may be a little impatient on my progress. The biggest left handed thing is wanting to start everything with left hand. Not great going around the right handed set if you do that. So I start with my right hand which does require me to think about a little but its not like I i am forcing myself to do something uncomfortable just a tad slower. Bottom line I think a good drummer needs 4 limb independence and could probably play either way if tried. Gonna stick to what Im doing with baby step expectations. Musicians are their own worst critic. I have never met a good musician that was truly happy with their progress or playing ability. Always strive to improve. Thank to everyone for listening to my babble and helping me realize everyone has the same growing pains in some way or another they need to work through. Im glad this forum is filled with drummers that actually relate to drummers and dont belittle them.

Hey meahal19,

You sound like you are on the right path for sure! Working slowly at first and then working up to the speed is always a good approach. Keep at it and it will come! Yeah man,..one of the biggest advantages of this site is there are no 'belittlers' amoung 'em. Everyone I have conversed with here has always lent a helping hand instead reminding you what a uncoordinated spaz you are. One of the sites I started out with did nothing but that. In fact, there was a younger drummer that they loved to pick on. I felt so sorry for him,..but he just kept on taking it. They even tried to belittle the factory reps that logged on to help them! Not much progress in that. To me we are all brother and sister drummers,..all looking to better our skills and relate to one another as drummers and human beings. Even if you are the best drummer in the world, when you don't take the time to mentor those really seeking help to better themselves you are just an efite drumming snob in my book. Worthless, no matter how good you may be.

[Bo Eder]

I play left-handed and although really fluent at it, wished I would've had a teacher that just made me play right-handed. I messed up my mind for a few years in drum corps playing right-handed, but my feet are pure on the left-side of things.

Guitar teachers have a cool argument about learning how to play left-handed: you'll never come across a left-handed piano or a horn built for left-handed people either! I'm a photographer as well and have never seen a left-handed camera.

This may go completely against what's "natural" to alot of teachers out there, but the practical matter is this: if you play right-handed, you'll have an easier time sitting in with people. Better yet, you'll be invited to come up and play more too. That's how you network and get gigs. It's rare when I audition with my own stuff, let alone be given the time to do so. Your audition for other musicians is when you show up somewhere and you're allowed to sit in. Messing up the other drummer's kit just so you can sit in is a real time killer and inwardly, the other musicians are already frowning.

So, if you're gonna sit in and you're left-handed, you better be incredible!

[deanc54]

Originally Posted by Bo Eder

I play left-handed and although really fluent at it, wished I would've had a teacher that just made me play right-handed. I messed up my mind for a few years in drum corps playing right-handed, but my feet are pure on the left-side of things.

Guitar teachers have a cool argument about learning how to play left-handed: you'll never come across a left-handed piano or a horn built for left-handed people either! I'm a photographer as well and have never seen a left-handed camera.

This may go completely against what's "natural" to alot of teachers out there, but the practical matter is this: if you play right-handed, you'll have an easier time sitting in with people. Better yet, you'll be invited to come up and play more too. That's how you network and get gigs. It's rare when I audition with my own stuff, let alone be given the time to do so. Your audition for other musicians is when you show up somewhere and you're allowed to sit in. Messing up the other drummer's kit just so you can sit in is a real time killer and inwardly, the other musicians are already frowning.

So, if you're gonna sit in and you're left-handed, you better be incredible!

Hey Bo,

Well,..I would never consider myself to be incredible. But I have no aspirations to turn professional to the extent that I would have to audition for anyone. I did not consider that when posting my responses (above). It makes sense to me that if you are looking to make a living at drumming and you are left handed, you had better be fluent playing right handed too. I already have a career in engineering, and will be set to retire in the next 5 or 6 years, so the drumming is pretty much a personal obsession with me. I do it because I really enjoy it. I enjoy everything to do with drumming, and the world of percussion. In my little NPO (The Foundation for Aspiring Musicians) all of the players have careers other than our music, so doubtful we will be auditioning for other musicians. If I ever did, I would most likely take my own stuff, or opt out. It's nice to be able to have the choice, and I am not driven to become a famous musician, in fact quite the opposite. The only person I really have to satisfy is myself these days.