A question for drum teachers

Hey everyone !

Okay let's say you're a right handed drummer and your new student is left handed or vice versa, would you teach them the drums right handed or left handed ? Would you change the layout of the drums ? What would be your approach ?


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Mukund

I don't teach, but if the student has a kit at home set up for a lefty, the teacher should accomodate in my opinion. Going back and forth for a new student would be really frustating. Most teachers may not have two sets but switching could be simple enough.

I agree with Gruntersdad and you should accommodate what the young player feels comfortable with-now you can show them various ways to set up, etc but let them lead and find their comfort zone.

Setup the kit for them, and use a pad with a stand for you... Multiple pads/practice kit if you must.

I'd set it up lefty. You don always need everything, so it shouldn't be hard to do that if you know your schedule.

At my last job I had three kits set up. One was set up lefty. If I had two RH students at the same time I'd use the lefty, or just use it anyway for my own training. That way I could get something more out of it, too.

If they're beginners, or close to it, or beginners on drumset, I would encourage them to play right handed. I give my reasons for that here-- basically I don't think there's any natural handedness advantage in playing drumset.

If he/she is a beginner who hasn't really played drum set before; I strongly recommend to them to play a right-handed set and just put the ride cymbal on the left side, then play the hihat and the ride with their left hand.

First of all: if I would start all over again I would definitely play a left footed set like Daniel Humair (Hihat and ride cymbal on the right side, bass drum left foot).
I believe to use the left foot for the hihat was just a mistake that happened because the right foot was already busy playing the bass drum.
And I don't think this so-called open hand playing (playing the that with your left hand, when being right handed) is solving any problems.
I have yet to hear a right handed player who can really play a swinging ride cymbal with his left hand.
That might work for some straight eight rhythms, but even Simon Philips plays the ride with his right hand when he tries to swing.

Another point is that this way the lefties don't have to switch the whole set around when they sit in at a jam session or at school. I found the a lot of left handed beginners are embarrassed to do so.

But when they already played in a lefties set-up for a longer period I certainly would accommodate them and switch the drums for their lesson.

My drum teacher is left-handed but plays drums right-handed. When I asked him why, he said that when he was learning, he was the only left-handed person in the group, and the teacher decided not to set up a lefty kit just for one student. He said it was the best decision ever because he developed his weak hand and now he can play any kit regardless of how it's set up, which is important now that he's a teacher himself.

Yeah. If they're young new I'd give them the whole story.

Though, I as said adapt, it's anything goes. Lefty, righty, open handed.

They see me do all combos.

The only thing I sort of avoid is the trad grip, though I'm a trad player myself.

There are no rules, there's just an idea of getting self motivated and open to anything. Some like to experiment but others find it too much.

Handedness just isn't that important (although it's tempting to think so, given how we talk about the "leading hand"). The most important thing is to permit the young student to be able to get as many opportunities playing with others as possible, and this often means sharing a kit. Rearranging the kit takes time and is too much work for a very young person, and this might affect their desire to play with others. It's not worth the risk.

A young student hasn't learned very much anyway, so playing right handed isn't "undoing" much at all. Practice eventually overcomes handedness.

Lots of other instruments don't have left-handed versions, i.e. piano, classical strings, brass, woodwinds, and so on. Yet, somehow, left-handed people do just fine.

I still remember my dad telling me before my first lesson, "Don't forget to tell your teacher that you're left handed." My teacher said he could teach me lefty if I wanted but he recommended I learn right handed, which I did and I've never looked back. That was 1964. Also, I've never felt that drumming was a 'handed' activity.

fac said:

My drum teacher is left-handed but plays drums right-handed. When I asked him why, he said that when he was learning, he was the only left-handed person in the group, and the teacher decided not to set up a lefty kit just for one student. He said it was the best decision ever because he developed his weak hand and now he can play any kit regardless of how it's set up, which is important now that he's a teacher himself.

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This is exactly what happened to me. Now I play open handed on a right handed kit, with the ride in the usual (non open handed) place. It's great. My arms never cross.

Your arms never cross playing normally, either.

fac said:

My drum teacher is left-handed but plays drums right-handed. When I asked him why, he said that when he was learning, he was the only left-handed person in the group, and the teacher decided not to set up a lefty kit just for one student. He said it was the best decision ever because he developed his weak hand and now he can play any kit regardless of how it's set up, which is important now that he's a teacher himself.

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Carter Beauford fits into this. In his Under the Table and Drumming video, he talks about how he set up his kit to mirror what he saw on TV. That inadvertently lead him to be a right handed kid playing on a lefty kit.
Now when you see one of his rides on the left side as well as the right, combined with his exceptionally strong left side limbs, you can thank this blessing in disguise.

toddbishop said:

If they're beginners, or close to it, or beginners on drumset, I would encourage them to play right handed. I give my reasons for that here-- basically I don't think there's any natural handedness advantage in playing drumset.

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I realize this is a necropost, but while we're at it, I read this entire blog piece. Very, very thought-provoking. I admit I would have followed conventional wisdom and encouraged a lefty to play lefty, but reading this has forced me to reconsider.

Tell him you'll only teach him the right way to play drums.

If they have been playaing already I'd find out what is most comfortable for them. If they are open to things and BRAND I'd tell them to play open handed on a right kit. At least to try it.

If they ever want to gear share, play open mics, use a house kit, etc. It is most likely going to be a righty kit. Playing left means they have to bring their own for the rest of their lives. Even in a community setting.

Also. Open handed allows them to get away with never crossing over their arms.. I'd slap a ride cymbal beside the hihat and let them keep time with the left like that.

In the end.. do what feels best.

Here's what I do for new left handed students:

I have them play some basic pattens each way.

-Right Handed
-Right Handed, but open hand (Left hand on the hats)
-Full lefty (switch the whole kit around)

I see what feels more nature and comfortable to them. Then we stick with that.

In my experience my lefty's have been a 50/50 split between playing open handed on a righty kit, or switching to full lefty.

fac said:

My drum teacher is left-handed but plays drums right-handed. When I asked him why, he said that when he was learning, he was the only left-handed person in the group, and the teacher decided not to set up a lefty kit just for one student. He said it was the best decision ever because he developed his weak hand and now he can play any kit regardless of how it's set up, which is important now that he's a teacher himself.

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Yes yes yes. I wish I had been forced to play right-hand-lead in band class (I’m a lefty). It would have sped up my development.

Yeah. There's really no reason to stick to anything really.

We all know the story of where TG comes from and how crossing hands relates to the drumsets evoltion.

There are som practical realities, but a serious student of the drums will most likely try anything.

During their time with me students willl see me playing matched, traditional, crossing, open handed, full lefty...

I just try go give them the whole picture so they can make educated choices.

If they really young and have me as their first teacher we will explore all or most options. mRight from the beginning keeping time with one hand and playing the exercise with another is just another option of experumenting and having fun while learning rhythm. We might not call it independence, but is a part of my evil hidden agenda.

Now of course, the reason why I play all sorts of ways soetimes relates to teaching or rather who I'm teaching, but also the simple fact that I know no better way to get my left hand and foot on the same level. The weak hand the one getting 4 times the work and it all translates in more equal conditioning and control.