Is this an effective practise routine?

[gusty]

i dont practise as much as i want to, or need to, and i have a 6 week break coming up- so ive made my own little 'holiday practise routine'

so far...

Single stroke roll for 2 minutes on my (mouse) pad, starting @ 144bpm.

20 minutes working on 6:00 by dream theater (which is wat im learning in lessons).

???

what else do i need? or is this enough for now? and will i see results?

[X14Halo]

What experience level are you at? How long have you been playing?
I would practice the basic rudiments on top of the single stroke rolls, such as double stroke rolls (very very important to master), paradiddles, and flams. Here is a good list of rudiments along with videos and sound files to play along with and track your progress. http://www.vicfirth.com/education/rudiments.html
With 2 minutes of single stroke rolls, I don't think you will see too much improvement at all. Try to practice 20 minutes or more every night on just rudiments. Also, if you have time, learn some different styles of music, not just rock. It will all come together after a while and it will be effortless to play anything that comes to your mind.
- Ian

[gusty]

playing like....3 or 4 years now? yeah ive checked out vicfirth, good to learn rudiments. but i dont really want to devote the majority of my time to rudiments.

EDIT- but ill take your advice, ill devote about 20 mins on rudiments.

[X14Halo]

Yea, I've been playing for about 10 years now and I have to say from experience, rudiments are the way to go, as well as incorporating different styles of music. If you can master as many rudiments as possible, you will automatically add them into your drumset playing without effort. Sounds kind of boring to sit there for 20+ minutes doing rudiments, but if you are serious about drumming, its worth it. Try to make goals for yourself for how fast you can play them, and make it as fun for yourself as possible. When you are sitting on the couch or watching TV, try to practice them by just tapping on your legs quietly. Get used to doing them often. It will become second nature. - Ian

[gusty]

Yea, I've been playing for about 10 years now and I have to say from experience, rudiments are the way to go, as well as incorporating different styles of music. If you can master as many rudiments as possible, you will automatically add them into your drumset playing without effort. Sounds kind of boring to sit there for 20+ minutes doing rudiments, but if you are serious about drumming, its worth it. Try to make goals for yourself for how fast you can play them, and make it as fun for yourself as possible. When you are sitting on the couch or watching TV, try to practice them by just tapping on your legs quietly. Get used to doing them often. It will become second nature. - Ian

yeah. im going to do singles, doubles and paradiddles, since im basically starting using rudiments ill start off slow. after that ill incorporate flams and ruffs (which im actually not bad at) into it. maybe a double paradiddle-diddle-do or wateva they call it.

and i tap. all. the. time. haha

[Chip]

Have you seen my "basics" thread? This is the kind of thing I'm talking about. You're probably best off extending time on basic stuff and doing it slowly and properly, and leave Dream Theater for now. Do you have a teacher?

I've got the same 6 week break coming, and I'm going to try and put in about 4-6 hours day, about 2 hours on a pad. I've got some material to practise (although I'm quite stumped as how to get 4-6 hours out of it), and I'm probably going to get some method books during the holidays.

Single stroke, 2 minutes and 144bpm... you won't see much (maybe 20 minutes instead, 80bpm and play quarter notes). From the tempo marking you have given, I take it you have a metronome (if you don't... Christmas is coming up! A proper practise pad would also be recommended). For technique exercises, search "2-50". It is a lot of work, but it is well invested time.

i dont practise as much as i want to
This sounds like you are, well, avoiding practise, really. An important lesson is to not put so much effort into not doing it. Get a nice pad (provided your parents/caretakers aren't extremely strict) and sit and do single strokes while watching TV. For serious technique stuff, ask Jeff Almeyda.

I'll stop being lazy and link to my thread (http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20741)! It's long, but I think there is some things to learn and realise. It's really great that you are actually taking initiative towards building a schedule, but if you intend to do something serious with drums, it needs changing. If you want to play Dream Theater (well), you will need more than just 2 minutes on singles a day.

[gusty]

Have you seen my "basics" thread? This is the kind of thing I'm talking about. You're probably best off extending time on basic stuff and doing it slowly and properly, and leave Dream Theater for now. Do you have a teacher?

I've got the same 6 week break coming, and I'm going to try and put in about 4-6 hours day, about 2 hours on a pad. I've got some material to practise (although I'm quite stumped as how to get 4-6 hours out of it), and I'm probably going to get some method books during the holidays.

Single stroke, 2 minutes and 144bpm... you won't see much (maybe 20 minutes instead, 80bpm and play quarter notes). From the tempo marking you have given, I take it you have a metronome (if you don't... Christmas is coming up! A proper practise pad would also be recommended). For technique exercises, search "2-50". It is a lot of work, but it is well invested time.


This sounds like you are, well, avoiding practise, really. An important lesson is to not put so much effort into not doing it. Get a nice pad (provided your parents/caretakers aren't extremely strict) and sit and do single strokes while watching TV. For serious technique stuff, ask Jeff Almeyda.

I'll stop being lazy and link to my thread (http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20741)! It's long, but I think there is some things to learn and realise. It's really great that you are actually taking initiative towards building a schedule, but if you intend to do something serious with drums, it needs changing. If you want to play Dream Theater (well), you will need more than just 2 minutes on singles a day.

yeah, ive seen your thread- 6 weeks should be sweet ey. but...i dont agree with your view of me not playing dt. ive got a teacher, he's excellent, and...without playing dt, i well get bored out of my mind. and ive changed (the routine) a bit again.

Also, haha the metronome is one i found online...for free ofcourse. metronome online (http://www.metronomeonline.com/). And the practise pad- my music teacher at school might be able to lend me one...the school has like 5 and they never get used...but the mouse pad is just fine, with plently of rebound, just moves around a bit.

20mins on DT
Singles- 4m @ 120bpm (all 16th notes)
Doubles- 4m @ 108bpm
Paradiddle- 4m @ 80bpm
3x Singles @ 160bpm for 1 minute each

I thought, start off by only doing 4 minutes for singles, doubles and paradiddles, then going quicker for a shorter period of time would be benificial.

i know you will think otherwise but...i just cant see the point in doing 20 minutes of quater notes @ 80bpm.

i have to work on timing- wat i might do is get someone else to listen to the metronome and see if im still in time with it.

just on the dt thing again...well why not practise that? i can do everything so far, only thing is i dont have a double kick, but we improvise.

[Chip]

Well, it's better, but you really can't expect too much out of it.

I can't explain why so slow notes are so important in one post... but I'll try. I thought the basics thread would have covered that in the "Wet Cement" principle. You see, when you think about these motions so deeply, finely and exactly... it is impossible to do them at high speeds without training them first. If you go too fast, you skip programming in those perfect motions and you get a tense, inefficient and uncoordinated stroke (or series of strokes). It doesn't seem like it to the naked eye, but when you really apply thought to perfect stick heights, rebound, motion, volume, accuracy (physical and accurate time-wise) and force etc, it's impossible to consider all these things at tht speed. Therefore, you play at that speed to perfect the stroke you will play with at high speeds.

i have to work on timing- wat i might do is get someone else to listen to the metronome and see if im still in time with it.
Judging by this, I take it you haven't had much practise with a metronome. Now I'm no saint myself (I only got a real metronome 2 days ago. Should've got it earlier.), but in the past few days, I've discovered that is practically impossible to acheive this. It's hard enough to play exactly on the beat when looking at the swinging arm let alone not looking at it or hearing it. It took me half an hour to be able to consitently bury the click at 80bpm. Not an easy task.

just on the dt thing again...well why not practise that? i can do everything so far, only thing is i dont have a double kick, but we improvise.
Well, I suppose that's cool, as long as it isn't a main part of your practise. Playing/learning a song just really doesn't cover the things we need to practise as part of our study. Reward yourself with it, perhaps?

[gusty]

Well, it's better, but you really can't expect too much out of it.

I can't explain why so slow notes are so important in one post... but I'll try. I thought the basics thread would have covered that in the "Wet Cement" principle. You see, when you think about these motions so deeply, finely and exactly... it is impossible to do them at high speeds without training them first. If you go too fast, you skip programming in those perfect motions and you get a tense, inefficient and uncoordinated stroke (or series of strokes). It doesn't seem like it to the naked eye, but when you really apply thought to perfect stick heights, rebound, motion, volume, accuracy (physical and accurate time-wise) and force etc, it's impossible to consider all these things at tht speed. Therefore, you play at that speed to perfect the stroke you will play with at high speeds.


Judging by this, I take it you haven't had much practise with a metronome. Now I'm no saint myself (I only got a real metronome 2 days ago. Should've got it earlier.), but in the past few days, I've discovered that is practically impossible to acheive this. It's hard enough to play exactly on the beat when looking at the swinging arm let alone not looking at it or hearing it. It took me half an hour to be able to consitently bury the click at 80bpm. Not an easy task.


Well, I suppose that's cool, as long as it isn't a main part of your practise. Playing/learning a song just really doesn't cover the things we need to practise as part of our study. Reward yourself with it, perhaps?

but as you said- im looking for bigger and better things with my drumming- dt would be the ultimate goal for me. and if i can keep it steady at 160 for 4 minutes, and i could do more, i dont think its necessary to go back that far.

and with the metronome- ive used one like twice in my life.

[finnhiggins]

The whole "finding simpler material boring" thing seems to be a function of not actually getting what's so difficult about it, in my experience. Back when I had no idea about the challenges of properly co-ordinating technique so that it remains consistent regardless of what other limbs were doing I used to think that complexity of parts was what made things interesting, too. But the reality is that anything that is challenging to you can be interesting, and if you can't find a stimulating challenge in playing simple material then it is probably because you lack technical knowledge.

[gusty]

But the reality is that anything that is challenging to you can be interesting, and if you can't find a stimulating challenge in playing simple material then it is probably because you lack technical knowledge.

Or maybe becuase I dont find it particulary interesting hitting a pad at a slow rate for 20 minutes.c'mon, when you were 13, how much fun did you have doing that? the point of my routine is basically to get my singles better, get them fast. i guess in the 6 weeks that i have i would like to get 16th notes @ say 180bpm for 4 minutes, and about 200-210 for 1 minute, and im not going to be able to do that practising what chip said.

[finnhiggins]

Or maybe becuase I dont find it particulary interesting hitting a pad at a slow rate for 20 minutes.c'mon, when you were 13, how much fun did you have doing that?


Fair enough, when I was 13 I was playing guitar and hadn't picked up a drumstick in my life. So, I guess you're already kicking my arse... But that said, I do have a 12-year-old student who is pretty capable of understanding why you work on stuff slow. It's not rocket science - if you try doing it faster you get the movements wrong and you hit a brick wall, whereas if you learn to practice stuff slow then you can learn ANYTHING.

Seriously, learning to slow stuff down and play it right is the single thing that makes the difference in getting any good at any instrument. Until you learn that you can play around with a bunch of stuff, but you'll never really make major leaps and bounds.


the point of my routine is basically to get my singles better, get them fast. i guess in the 6 weeks that i have i would like to get 16th notes @ say 180bpm for 4 minutes, and about 200-210 for 1 minute, and im not going to be able to do that practising what chip said.

You're wrong. 180bpm/4mins might be achievable just by muscling through and trying to build up the tone in your arms. The second goal might even be OK too, just. But when you start trying to bring that 1-minute figure up to 225-230 kind of a range you're just going to have to go back and do what Chip suggested anyway, and it's going to be harder because you are going to have to UNDO all the incorrect practice you are doing now.

I have a friend who has spent a couple of thousand dollars on panelbeaters for their car in the last six months, because they suck at reversing and keep running into stuff. If they'd instead taken that couple of thousand bucks and spent it on driving instructors in their early days of learning to drive I can guarantee you that they wouldn't have this problem. But as it is now they can either choose to pay the couple of thousand for the panelbeater because of the mistakes they've made already PLUS the money for the lessons to improve, or to just ignore the lessons and keep paying panelbeaters whenever they reverse into something.

You see? It's easier just to correct mistakes before they actually turn into a problem, even if initially it might seem a bit painful. It saves you a lot of hassle later on in life.

[X14Halo]

yea. when i was younger I really never understood why my teacher was making me always do rudiments etc... and all this "boring" stuff - all i wanted to do was learn songs (which isn't a bad thing at all), but now a few years after my lessons, I realize I would never be able to play what I can today without them. And now that I realize this, I am going back yet again to the rudiments and mastering them even more. Don't get me wrong though, playing along with songs is perfectly fine and fun, keep with that. Just make sure you get your rudiments in a few times a week.

[Class A Drummer]

Besides just practicing singles, i would practice other rudiments and just do random soloing on your pad. You should do that for atleast 10 mins i would say.

On the set, pick a certain section of the song you want to work on. Play atleast 20 mins on that part, if you dont feel comfortable on it after that amount of time, play more until you feel more comfortable.

Next i would just jam by yourself with awsome fills and grooves thrown in.

Have fun with it, dont just set a schedule.

[jazzsnob]

Or maybe becuase I dont find it particulary interesting hitting a pad at a slow rate for 20 minutes.c'mon, when you were 13, how much fun did you have doing that? the point of my routine is basically to get my singles better, get them fast. i guess in the 6 weeks that i have i would like to get 16th notes @ say 180bpm for 4 minutes, and about 200-210 for 1 minute, and im not going to be able to do that practising what chip said.

It takes a couple years to get straight 16ths at 182 man, at least if you want to do them well. Remember that squeezing along at a tempo doesn't mean you've "got it." You have to actually play everything well. Every stroke must be consistent, no jumping. You need to be able play 4 minutes straight at every height and be able to switch dynamically. It's not just getting to the beat.

If you don't want to put in the work you are going to suck, and the hard work is NEVER fun, really.

[gusty]

REVISED PRACTISE ROUTINE

Ok, even though I don't fully understand it (us teens, ya know) i'll take all your advice and start slow but still, just for me, also do the 3x 1 minute stuff i was talking about before. I mean, cant hurt right?

Singles- 6 minutes @ 80bpm (8th notes)
Doubles- 6 minutes @ 72bpm (8th notes)
Paradiddles- 6 minutes @ 72bpm (8th notes)

Singles- 3 x 1 minute @ 184 bpm (16th notes)

Dream Theater- 20 minutes



Any better?

[jazzsnob]

REVISED PRACTISE ROUTINE

Ok, even though I don't fully understand it (us teens, ya know) i'll take all your advice and start slow but still, just for me, also do the 3x 1 minute stuff i was talking about before. I mean, cant hurt right?

Singles- 6 minutes @ 80bpm (8th notes)
Doubles- 6 minutes @ 72bpm (8th notes)
Paradiddles- 6 minutes @ 72bpm (8th notes)

Singles- 3 x 1 minute @ 184 bpm (16th notes)

Dream Theater- 20 minutes



Any better?

Well, you shouldn't do 1 minute bursts of singles, because they just worthless. How many one minute dream theater songs do you want to learn? Almost every exercise should be at least the length of one song. I have no clue what your technique is like, but I'd suggest doing 16ths at 120 foras long as you can(not too fast but if your technique isn't complete slop it'l help you out a lot) and for doubles do 16ths at 72 and 92, as long as you can. If you can seriously play these exercises in a relaxed way for ten minutes, that's great. The more time you put in the better. If your doubles aren't really great, there's no reason to spend a ton of time on paradiddles, so focus on singles and doubles for now. And your dream theater song as much as you want. Try and see how long you can hold out on your exercises, it's all about repetition.

[kned]

Well, it's better, but you really can't expect too much out of it.

I can't explain why so slow notes are so important in one post... but I'll try. I thought the basics thread would have covered that in the "Wet Cement" principle. You see, when you think about these motions so deeply, finely and exactly... it is impossible to do them at high speeds without training them first. If you go too fast, you skip programming in those perfect motions and you get a tense, inefficient and uncoordinated stroke (or series of strokes). It doesn't seem like it to the naked eye, but when you really apply thought to perfect stick heights, rebound, motion, volume, accuracy (physical and accurate time-wise) and force etc, it's impossible to consider all these things at tht speed. Therefore, you play at that speed to perfect the stroke you will play with at high speeds.


Judging by this, I take it you haven't had much practise with a metronome. Now I'm no saint myself (I only got a real metronome 2 days ago. Should've got it earlier.), but in the past few days, I've discovered that is practically impossible to acheive this. It's hard enough to play exactly on the beat when looking at the swinging arm let alone not looking at it or hearing it. It took me half an hour to be able to consitently bury the click at 80bpm. Not an easy task.


Well, I suppose that's cool, as long as it isn't a main part of your practise. Playing/learning a song just really doesn't cover the things we need to practise as part of our study. Reward yourself with it, perhaps?

I have to disagree; learning to play songs might not necessarily develop "technique" however it can do wonders for developing "musicality". You gotta have some place to play all of the stuff your learning on the pads (otherwise what’s the point), and learning how other people apply their technique to music really helps. But remember you gotta have the technique down first. So you just have to find the right mix for you, about 60/40 is good for me

[gusty]

Well, you shouldn't do 1 minute bursts of singles, because they just worthless. How many one minute dream theater songs do you want to learn? Almost every exercise should be at least the length of one song. I have no clue what your technique is like, but I'd suggest doing 16ths at 120 foras long as you can(not too fast but if your technique isn't complete slop it'l help you out a lot) and for doubles do 16ths at 72 and 92, as long as you can. If you can seriously play these exercises in a relaxed way for ten minutes, that's great. The more time you put in the better. If your doubles aren't really great, there's no reason to spend a ton of time on paradiddles, so focus on singles and doubles for now. And your dream theater song as much as you want. Try and see how long you can hold out on your exercises, it's all about repetition.

Ok ill do that instead.

My thinking behind the singles, is that if i can do them fast in short bursts, like, how many songs will you play 10 minute 16th notes at 120bpm? watching guys like thomas lang, his singles are obvisouly amazing, but he does really fast singles in short bursts, is that how he gets them that quick?

[gusty]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Oz_nL1FrJA

[Wavelength]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Oz_nL1FrJA

Whoa, Gusty! You're going to kill your hands by doing those wrist strokes in French position. I have to say it straight up: you won't get up to any speed -- let alone control -- with that kind of strokes. I'd suggest switching to German and starting to work on the free stroke. Your timing and consistency (which will eventually translate into speed) will improve in leaps and bounds by practicing technique slowly, carefully and daily.

[Casper "DrPowerStroke" Paludan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Oz_nL1FrJA
What is demonstrated on the video is not French position. Go watch Dom Famularo's French grip video, and compare with yours: your elbows are sticking out, and your hands are not in front of you. What you should try to do is just free strokes (full strokes) in French position, paying careful attention to hand placement and relaxation. Thanks for posting the video, it demonstrates the most important aspect of this: you want to learn. DPS

[GRUNTERSDAD]

In this months DRUM magazine, I got a 2 1/2 hour DVD with all kinds of interviews, solos etc, from past performances of the top name drummers in the business. In the interview with John Blackwell he just flat out states that if you cant play a part slow, then you never be able to play it fast. I feel that playing fast impresses no one. It is also used in a very few types of music or songs. Learn to play slow, with a groove, and stay in the pocket. That will impress alot more people, and will enable you to speed it up over time. What is your hurry, where are you going??? You are young. Learn the basics, practice the basics, and practice the rudiments. If you teacher wants you to learn some Dream Theater piece, ask him if it is acceptable to learn it slow without the time signature until you have it perfect, then add the speed. Just a thought from an old guy.

[komodo]

Ive been playin a year and i too used the hols to do lots of practis and plan on doing so. What i do is split my time with rudiments,around the kit for creativity and endurance using a metronome. To build up speed i watched Flo mouniers dvd an i regularly exercise with a metronome or when on a bus/train by jus doin heel down singles and doubles. Get the occasional stare but hey,if it works.I also then play along to music for timing etc and try to learn something difficult but as chip said,slowly!If you get it in your head,it becomes instinct and speed comes naturally.Basically just do things slowly and gradually increase the speed.

As for dream theater,there like the best bad of all time,and good song to learn.I dont see a problem learning such a song,doing so can help playin with other people and learn some cool fills beats and time signatures if taught and understood well. But rudimetns are just as imnportant.If you find them boring,undo it.Experiment around the kit,get the creative juices flowin so to speak :p

[jazzsnob]

Thomas Lang almost surely practices his singles for 10-30 minutes straight, that's how you get them so excellent.


Here's the good news, you are eager and open to criticism. From your posting style and general attitude I hope you'll take this pretty well. It's also mostly not your fault, as long as my info is correct.


You really need to get a new teacher, he has not taught you correct hand technique. If you're paying anything over ten dollars an hour, and you really practice hard like you say you do, you are wasting your money. Sorry to be so blunt, but a good teacher would have sat down and reworked your grip with you from the first moment he saw you play. Right now you at a point where, should you want to ever be a technically decent drummer, you need to start over completely. Not only do you need to do free strokes, you need to relearn how to hold a drumstick. With the way you are holding them right now, you will hit a wall in a year or two, and you'll never progress beyond. I also can't see how you get decent tone out of your drums. You should get a new teacher and ask him to rework your technique if you ever want to do anything like thomas lang. The lucky thing for you is that it is not as hard as you would think to relearn your technique, and some players out there who were WAY further along than you, Niel Peart, Terry Bozzio, Dave Weckl and Vinnie C all did and benefited greatly from it. You're not above it and it would be great for you, get a new teacher and focus on hand technique with him.

[cnw60]

Gruntersdad hit the nail on the head (well maybe it's John blackwell who said it) - playing slow is where you figure out whether or not you've really got something down cold.... it's so easy to delude yourself into thinking that you're totally nailing the fast stuff, but the truth is that you just can't hear all of the mistakes and inconsistencies because you're so BUSY trying to play fast.

It seems like one of the mistakes we all make at first is to think that playing fast is harder, so practicing fast will make us better, faster... but it's a lot harder to practice slow, and even though you don't know it, the reason you don't want to do it because it IS harder and it reveals every flaw - not because it's b-o-r-i-ng.

A wise teacher once told me - 'the slower you practice, the sooner you learn." - and I've never disproved him once in the thirty years since. We're not trying to diss you here - just trying to let you know we've been where you're at right now, and if you take just a little bit of the advice that's been posted above to heart, you'll be the better drummer for it...

[gusty]

Thomas Lang almost surely practices his singles for 10-30 minutes straight, that's how you get them so excellent.


Here's the good news, you are eager and open to criticism. From your posting style and general attitude I hope you'll take this pretty well. It's also mostly not your fault, as long as my info is correct.


You really need to get a new teacher, he has not taught you correct hand technique. If you're paying anything over ten dollars an hour, and you really practice hard like you say you do, you are wasting your money. Sorry to be so blunt, but a good teacher would have sat down and reworked your grip with you from the first moment he saw you play. Right now you at a point where, should you want to ever be a technically decent drummer, you need to start over completely. Not only do you need to do free strokes, you need to relearn how to hold a drumstick. With the way you are holding them right now, you will hit a wall in a year or two, and you'll never progress beyond. I also can't see how you get decent tone out of your drums. You should get a new teacher and ask him to rework your technique if you ever want to do anything like thomas lang. The lucky thing for you is that it is not as hard as you would think to relearn your technique, and some players out there who were WAY further along than you, Niel Peart, Terry Bozzio, Dave Weckl and Vinnie C all did and benefited greatly from it. You're not above it and it would be great for you, get a new teacher and focus on hand technique with him.

you're right, im open to critisism, and ill take all your opinions. but...something i must explain about the video. basically, i was a bit tired, and i dont play french postition. i play americian, just i wasnt thinking about it when i made the video. and my teacher, well he is great, its my fault my technique is crap, i let it slip. he did that when i started with him.

and to everyone- thanks for all the help and advice.

[jazzsnob]

you're right, im open to critisism, and ill take all your opinions. but...something i must explain about the video. basically, i was a bit tired, and i dont play french postition. i play americian, just i wasnt thinking about it when i made the video. and my teacher, well he is great, its my fault my technique is crap, i let it slip. he did that when i started with him.

and to everyone- thanks for all the help and advice.

Well it's good that you admit it's your fault, but you need to realize that you need to really be focusing on how to hold the stick correctly. At your next drum lesson tell your teacher that you need to relearn how to hold the sticks and that you are serious about getting rid of all your bad habits and you want to drop everything and work on that.

You should read the basics thread over, jeff almeyda's hand technique thread(search: the starting point for hand technique) and don't worry about dream theater for a while, if you drop the song, spend 6 months working on your hands really seriously, and then go back to the song you'll learn four times as quickly, and you'll sound better.

Good luck man, you have a great attitude but you have some bad habits you need to work on before you can progress much more.

[gusty]

Well it's good that you admit it's your fault, but you need to realize that you need to really be focusing on how to hold the stick correctly. At your next drum lesson tell your teacher that you need to relearn how to hold the sticks and that you are serious about getting rid of all your bad habits and you want to drop everything and work on that.

You should read the basics thread over, jeff almeyda's hand technique thread(search: the starting point for hand technique) and don't worry about dream theater for a while, if you drop the song, spend 6 months working on your hands really seriously, and then go back to the song you'll learn four times as quickly, and you'll sound better.

Good luck man, you have a great attitude but you have some bad habits you need to work on before you can progress much more.

that video wasnt a good indication of my normal hand technique. this arvo ill make another vid and focus on my hand technique to show you, then tell me if its better.

[Casper "DrPowerStroke" Paludan]

i dont play french postition. i play americian.

There is no such thing as "I play French", or "I play American". Your hands should be on swivels when you're on the kit adjusting between the two extremes, German and French. American is just something you go to. Practice French and German on the pad, and on the kit, just observe your hands. You will quickly find they switch between the three grips, but only if you practiced them, of course (THEM meaning French and German).

Secondly, American or not: relax your shoulders, it will bring your arms down, and probably prolong your playing career with about 15 years. When you do this, you may notice your hands feeling uncomfortable. This is because you lack flexibility in your wrists: if you go to German position, your arms should point straight in front of you and your wrist (in the down position) should be flush with your forearm. This will keep you busy for a few...um, weeks :-) Good luck, DPS

Edit: P.S. : looking forward to your new vid!

[Backwards Marathon]

hows the video recording coming along?

[badlydubbedsean]

Definately spend plenty of time on rudiments. I've found that my doubles are really improving with practice, and they are particularly useful when, like me, you fine them the best way of rolling on the snare.

I also simply, without music or metronome play a time pattern for a few minutes just to practice keeping a tempo up - Usually after I've played around a bit with music. This will simply help with keeping a tempo naturally. Or it should do, anyway. . .