DrummerCA35
Senior Member
Are there some parts that you play that are always a physical challenge regardless of many times you've practiced them?
For example, the first picture is the drum fill played during (I think) the second break in Journey's "Separate Ways". I can do slow, but my left hand is going from the rack to the floor tom and (partly) because of the distance, it's an incredible challenge to do it at the speed of the song. I can do it slower, and in fact can incorporate part of the fill into other songs. I know, practice slow, and build up from there. And I'm working on it, as it's a challenge, and it's inspired me. But I'm wondering if this is a law of diminishing returns...if I would EVER be able to do this fill at that speed. I've looked online at drum covers, and most guys I see are playing "something else" for this break.
The second picture is the drum intro to American Band. Because of leg injuries, I cannot do this bass drum part on one pedal. I use a double pedal. I can pull it off, but the bass drum notes NEVER seem to get much easier. It remains a challenge each time I do it, and I've done it hundreds of times on my practice kit and have pulled it off at gigs. But even though I keep practicing it, each time I do it, it's a challenge. One thing I've found that helps me not miss the bass drum notes is to really focus on my right foot on the first of the of the 2 bass drum notes, and that seems to always get me there.
I know I'm not talking about rocking science here, or Frank Zappa or Rush parts, but the challenge here, for both of these parts is more physical, just being able to do them fast enough. Maybe doing them hundreds of times isn't enough, it needs to be thousands? Or maybe some parts are just always difficult for some people?
Thanks for any thoughts.
For example, the first picture is the drum fill played during (I think) the second break in Journey's "Separate Ways". I can do slow, but my left hand is going from the rack to the floor tom and (partly) because of the distance, it's an incredible challenge to do it at the speed of the song. I can do it slower, and in fact can incorporate part of the fill into other songs. I know, practice slow, and build up from there. And I'm working on it, as it's a challenge, and it's inspired me. But I'm wondering if this is a law of diminishing returns...if I would EVER be able to do this fill at that speed. I've looked online at drum covers, and most guys I see are playing "something else" for this break.
The second picture is the drum intro to American Band. Because of leg injuries, I cannot do this bass drum part on one pedal. I use a double pedal. I can pull it off, but the bass drum notes NEVER seem to get much easier. It remains a challenge each time I do it, and I've done it hundreds of times on my practice kit and have pulled it off at gigs. But even though I keep practicing it, each time I do it, it's a challenge. One thing I've found that helps me not miss the bass drum notes is to really focus on my right foot on the first of the of the 2 bass drum notes, and that seems to always get me there.
I know I'm not talking about rocking science here, or Frank Zappa or Rush parts, but the challenge here, for both of these parts is more physical, just being able to do them fast enough. Maybe doing them hundreds of times isn't enough, it needs to be thousands? Or maybe some parts are just always difficult for some people?
Thanks for any thoughts.
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