Fingers Technique?

[centralzeke]

Okay, I don't quite have my left hand up to speed with my right, so I'm going to work on that first. Once it gets there though, I want to work on getting faster using the fingers. I'm just wondering how finger control works, and how to develop it. Is it as simple as: your back three fingers dribbling the stick? I can sort of do that now. Are you supposed to minimalize wrist movement as much as you can? Also, what speed do you guys think is the max for the wrist?

I've never read anything in books about playing with your fingers.. I guess it's assumed your body just figures it out when you get up to that speed?

[Anduin]

I'm just wondering how finger control works, and how to develop it. Is it as simple as: your back three fingers dribbling the stick? I can sort of do that now. Are you supposed to minimalize wrist movement as much as you can?

I learned finger style way back in the day after previously learning a couple of other more widely-accepted techniques. From the second I saw somebody using it (for me it was Rick Gratton: http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Rick_Gratton.html Too bad there's no video) I was converted. The smaller muscles that control the fingers (as opposed to the wrist and arm) let you greatly increase your speed, and you'll be surprised how much power you can get out of it, too.

Thumbs are up on top. Thumb and index finger hold the stick (lightly, as usual in all grips). The back three fingers act as a unit to manipulate the stick. Minimize wrist and arm movement; the fingers really are doing all the work.

[NUTHA JASON]

pursuit of the finger skill is a good quest. used in combination with your wrists and arms it is the door way to great leaps in drumming skill. i prize it above the newer gimics like the one-handed roll. i put this chart together ages ago and i stand by it.


j

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/nuthajason/THNR.jpg (http://photobucket.com/albums/y290/nuthajason/?)

[centralzeke]

Haha, I'm probably in the wrist and fingers section. Maybe more wrist. But I've totally got Moeller down in my right hand and that involves fingers.. and developing finger technique in my right hand will probably be easier for this reason.

By the way, I e-mailed Art Verdi a while ago about finger technique and got a reply. Other than telling me to get his new DVD "Practicing Properly", this is what he said:

"The wrist muscle groups are much larger than the finger muscle groups If the wrist moves with the fingers you can only play as fast as the wrist moves. The fingers can move much faster than the wrist with most drummers".

[Scatman]

Art Verdi has a close up of his finger technique on his website www.artverdi.com

[Capitaine Quebec]

Im still a beginner but i use my fingers and wrists because my teacher told me from the start that playing with fingers means more speed less effort.

And when i play with the fingers only (i practice it) , when i accelerate the beat , the height that my stick rebounds is higher than when i go slower, is it normal? my teacher told me that at a fast speed, my stick should be low, its easier that way

[Casper "DrPowerStroke" Paludan]

pursuit of the finger skill is a good quest. used in combination with your wrists and arms it is the door way to great leaps in drumming skill. i prize it above the newer gimics like the one-handed roll. i put this chart together ages ago and i stand by it.


j

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/nuthajason/THNR.jpg (http://photobucket.com/albums/y290/nuthajason/?)
So by "mixing" you mean wrists, finger, arms, each at the correct place? What does "telegraphing" mean? Cheers, DPS

[Tex12]

Some finger development books start off with 3 or 4 quick bounces per hand and biuld from there
example RRR LLL RRR LLL
RRRR LLLL RRRR LLLL
RRRRR LLLLL RRRRR LLLLL
RRRRRR LLLLLL RRRRRR LLLLLL
RRRRRRR LLLLLLL RRRRRRR LLLLLLL
The time signatures change of course per exercise
but this is a great way to control quick finger bounces
I'm not sure which book is great for this but it could be the Roy Burns Finger control book

[Scatman]

The patterns Tex is showing is called a stone killer pattern

[Class A Drummer]

pursuit of the finger skill is a good quest. used in combination with your wrists and arms it is the door way to great leaps in drumming skill. i prize it above the newer gimics like the one-handed roll. i put this chart together ages ago and i stand by it.


j

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/nuthajason/THNR.jpg (http://photobucket.com/albums/y290/nuthajason/?)

wow thats a cool chart Jason. But i dont understand something about it. Is it for just snare/pad playing or for the set or both? Because i dont see how its possible to just use fingers on the set.

[eddrummer05]

pursuit of the finger skill is a good quest. used in combination with your wrists and arms it is the door way to great leaps in drumming skill. i prize it above the newer gimics like the one-handed roll. i put this chart together ages ago and i stand by it.


j

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/nuthajason/THNR.jpg (http://photobucket.com/albums/y290/nuthajason/?)

hey nutha great chart!!! i like the charts u do!!!u did one before, something about the difference between bigginers, intermediate and pro drumers!!!! i like to see it again..

[vadrum]

Okay, I don't quite have my left hand up to speed with my right, so I'm going to work on that first. Once it gets there though, I want to work on getting faster using the fingers. I'm just wondering how finger control works, and how to develop it. Is it as simple as: your back three fingers dribbling the stick? I can sort of do that now. Are you supposed to minimalize wrist movement as much as you can? Also, what speed do you guys think is the max for the wrist?

I've never read anything in books about playing with your fingers.. I guess it's assumed your body just figures it out when you get up to that speed?


i wouldnt approach it from the standpoint of minimalizing wrist motion in order to favor using the fingers. the wrist motion will gradually get smaller as the as the tempo increases and your fingers will naturally take over.

[Casper "DrPowerStroke" Paludan]

i wouldnt approach it from the standpoint of minimalizing wrist motion in order to favor using the fingers. the wrist motion will gradually get smaller as the as the tempo increases and your fingers will naturally take over.

Right. Wrists are tremendously important. Wrists also happen to be the start of the learning path, with fingers following. But in playing, both are generally equally important. DPS

[Legacyrik]

i wouldnt approach it from the standpoint of minimalizing wrist motion in order to favor using the fingers. the wrist motion will gradually get smaller as the as the tempo increases and your fingers will naturally take over.


In my modestly skilled oppinion I would concur. You will have to incorporate more and more "finger" to get to certain speeds.

I would also add that playing very slowly should require you to use more of the wrists and arms, progressively so as you got slower. It just feels more natural and relaxed if you do it seems.

[mosher]

The fingers and wrists should be coordinated together
No drummers can play with just wrists or fingers

[Scatman]

I agree but the fingers can be isolated to freely move alone
I think matched grip the fingers are free to do this much easier