Exercises for open-handed players?

[h3r3tic]

Well, I've decided to reteurn to open-handed playing and now, I´ve been wondering witch exercises would you recomend for drummers that used to play cross-over playing to open-handed playing. Like a "preparation for the open-handed" kind of exercise for drummers that used to plays cross but now wanting to play open.
I'de really appreciate if anyone could send anything about this subject :)

Thanks bros & sis's
Stay Cool drummers!!

[weegs51690]

there was an article full of exercises for learning to play open handed in the MD with stephen perkins on the cover. i guess you could try and borrow it.

[skaman]

Book. The new Breed from Gary Chester. One of the best books. You wont regreat.

[samthebeat]

ill second that, my playing has come one leaps and bounds since I have gotten New Breed, andim only halfway through it. I cant wait to see the final outcome on completing it, so woth it. as for open handed playing goes, why are change and why the change back....did you you learn open handed or something?

[h3r3tic]

ill second that, my playing has come one leaps and bounds since I have gotten New Breed, andim only halfway through it. I cant wait to see the final outcome on completing it, so woth it. as for open handed playing goes, why are change and why the change back....did you you learn open handed or something?

Well, I just felt that in open-handed playing, I feel more free to do stuff. The 1st thing that I was surpried was that when using the right hand on the snare, the rimshots were a lot better and louder...

[Deathmetalconga]

Well, I just felt that in open-handed playing, I feel more free to do stuff. The 1st thing that I was surpried was that when using the right hand on the snare, the rimshots were a lot better and louder...

I have always played open handed and I'm right handed. I like having my dominant hand on the snare - not only for volume, but for increased control. I'm just waiting for someone to say, "That's cheating!"

From my perspective, playing open is natural and obvious and people who play crossed are the real ones playing "left handed."

www.terrasonus.com

[h3r3tic]

I have always played open handed and I'm right handed. I like having my dominant hand on the snare - not only for volume, but for increased control. I'm just waiting for someone to say, "That's cheating!"

From my perspective, playing open is natural and obvious and people who play crossed are the real ones playing "left handed."

www.terrasonus.com

Good Point bro :) lol

[zambizzi]

I've also been thinking a lot about this lately myself. The last few nights I've practiced both open and closed...and I think it's a good idea for a couple of reasons.

For one, I started playing left-handed even though I'm right-handed...so open handed immediately felt natural to me after a year of lefty practicing. I'm also working on a lot of independence stuff and it's NEVER a bad idea to train the left-hand side of the body to do what it doesn't normally do.

After watching Carter Beauford's beautiful and intricate hi-hatting...I was inspired to keep my left-hand chops sharp.

[X14Halo]

I've been playing for about 11 years now...my first drum teacher in 4th grade played open handed, so I thought that was the normal way to play, so I copied that. (I'm right handed) I've been playing open handed ever since then and don't regret it at all, it's great. I feel I can do alot of "dancing" and technical stuff on the snare with my right hand while going on the hihat with my left, and its very easy to just jump across to the toms...no need to uncross arms etc.... Only drawback I can see is that when I switch over to the ride with my right hand, my left hand feels a bit limited on the snare as to what it can do, but my right hand can do some crazy stuff on the ride. I just gotta get my left hand playing ability up to where my right hand is and I'll be set.
As for exercises for open handed playing...(you can do this on your lap too) Try hitting left hand on hihat on beats 1 2 3 4 at around 100 bpm, then on the right hand on snare start out with it also on 1 2 3 4 for about 4 measures or so, then switch over to doing eighth notes on the snare while still keeping 1 2 3 4 on the hihat. Do that for 4 measures then switch over to triplets on the snare, then sixteenth notes, then maybe on 1e 2e 3e 4e....whatever you can think of. Really helps coordination. After you get that down, do the exact same thing but hit the hihat on 1&2&3&4&. Then after you master that, start incorporating the bass drum. -ian

[zambizzi]

etc.... Only drawback I can see is that when I switch over to the ride with my right hand, my left hand feels a bit limited on the snare as to what it can do, but my right hand can do some crazy stuff on the ride. I just gotta get my left hand playing ability up to where my right hand is and I'll be set.

Yeah, exactly! I think there's a lot of benefits to practicing *both* ways. I fully intend to do that going forward...I had a lot of fun jamming that way last night. I'd like to get to the point where I can effortlessly (and skillfully) switch back and forth for different types of playing...like Beauford does.

I have a Mel Bay video featuring Frank Briggs where he does that a lot. He's got a snare setup on each side of the hi-hat and he'll jump back and forth, open-handed and not...and he pulls some pretty sweet grooves that way.

Here's to the endless pursuit of ambidexterity!!

[Deathmetalconga]

Only drawback I can see is that when I switch over to the ride with my right hand, my left hand feels a bit limited on the snare as to what it can do, but my right hand can do some crazy stuff on the ride. I just gotta get my left hand playing ability up to where my right hand is and I'll be set.

Why just don't you put your ride cymbal on the left and play ride cymbal with your left hand?

www.terrasonus.com

[zambizzi]

Why just don't you put your ride cymbal on the left and play ride cymbal with your left hand?

www.terrasonus.com

I actually plan to do that when I get new cymbals...I'd like a bigger, darker ride on the right and a slightly smaller/lighter toned one on the left....

I thought maybe a 21" K dark on the right and a 20" A custom on the left.

I have a couple of grooves where I play open handed and try to incorporate my whole kit, more of an exercise than anything...but it sounds cool. It'd sound really cool w/ two rides.

[Deathmetalconga]

I actually plan to do that when I get new cymbals...I'd like a bigger, darker ride on the right and a slightly smaller/lighter toned one on the left....

I thought maybe a 21" K dark on the right and a 20" A custom on the left.

I have a couple of grooves where I play open handed and try to incorporate my whole kit, more of an exercise than anything...but it sounds cool. It'd sound really cool w/ two rides.

I admire anyone who plays ambidextrously, playing ride/hat on the left or right hands. It takes a special setup. Aahznightsky has a very good ambidextrous setup, with his hats at 12 o'clock and ride and 11 o'clock.

However, playing open isn't the same as playing ambidextrously - I have played open for 23 years but I'm not any more ambidextrous than a standard crossed player. I'm not willing to invest the effort in learning ambidextrous playing when I can play well enough already. However, anyone who does make the effort to play ambidextrously will become a better player I believe.

www.terrasonus.com

[jollymosher]

I admire anyone who plays ambidextrously, playing ride/hat on the left or right hands. It takes a special setup. Aahznightsky has a very good ambidextrous setup, with his hats at 12 o'clock and ride and 11 o'clock.

However, playing open isn't the same as playing ambidextrously - I have played open for 23 years but I'm not any more ambidextrous than a standard crossed player. I'm not willing to invest the effort in learning ambidextrous playing when I can play well enough already. However, anyone who does make the effort to play ambidextrously will become a better player I believe.

www.terrasonus.com


i can play open, i can play left or right handed. i am an ambidextrous player. it is great, it weirds people out. but its really helpful in drumming. i can do things that is hard for others. to do. i suggest for any player to do his or her best to play with their left hand every once in a while.

Aahznightsky is one CRAZY cat. i think his set up is slightly difficult looking to play on, but it will make him a MUCH greater player.

[Robin]

I've playing open-handed for as long as I've played drums ( 7 years ) and my advice is just to keep practice! Just play it and play and play it and you'll will eventually become more comfortable with it.