A Question To Any Tutors Or Pros

Cuban

Cuban

Senior Member
My left hand / arm has always been substantially weaker / slower than my right.
Over the past six months I have tried to work on this, but progress does not seem good, so I must be doing something wrong.

As an example, I currently can only play 16ths comfortably at 110 bpm with my left hand while my right is happy with 32nds at the same tempo.

So I was wondering if anyone could anyone recommend a good muscle building program working with a metronome, to be done daily, that would help me?

Could you also suggest increments in the BPM and an estimate as to how long before I should expect to see a reasonable change?

Thank you in advance
 
You don't need a muscle building program, you need Dom Famularos book, The Weaker Side.
 
There is no short cut. One simply has to keep working. Since you play and practise with both hands it is natural that the right remains stronger.

The Master studies books have many exercises to build endurance and control in each hand. Perhaps working concentrating on the left hand exercises may help you.

As for tempos, begin at 30 bpm and increase by 10 bpm increments. Focus more on control than speed. The accent studies in the above books are great for this. Speed will come naturally. Control is most important.

You may also enjoy workin on left hand lead. I play both right and left and found it a great help.
 
branflakes992 said:
Your hands will almost never be the same, it's just how it is. But why would you only want to focus on the weak hand when practicing? Your right hand still needs to be fast to blaze a swing pattern at 300 bpm. Don't stunt the growth of your strong chops to work on the weaker ones. Work on both always. But that's just me.
Click to expand...

I'll isolate my left hand often (pretty much daily)......that's not to say I completely ignore my right hand, but there are certainly periods when I'll work on only my left hand.

Why?......simple really, my right hand can do it easily, my left can't. If I keep working with both hands then both will improve, but I'm still not bridging the gap......the left is still weaker to the right. If I isolate it for 5 or 10 mins everytime I sit down at a pad, then it will strengthen of it's own accord, with the aim of getting it closer in ability, to my right hand.
 
Someone (can't seem to remember who exactly, sorry) recommended a great exercise that's really helped me gain control and speed on my left hand.

I like to start at 80bpm and go up 5 or 10 depending on comfortable I feel with it. So yiou're going to play:

RLL RLL RLL RLL

As triplets, start slow then work up, when that feels good work up to:

RLLL RLLL RLLL RLLL

As 16th notes. It's helped me a lot.

Hope that helps.
 
You wouldn't want to necessarily work on getting strong in tempo, but rather control of the speed. Anyone can play 16th notes at 230 bpm, but can you play the quarter note at 30 bpm? That often challenges most people. For weaker side strength, I would say to start open hand playing (where you're arms aren't crossed in the hi-hat and snare position. watch gordon campbell, billy cobham, etc.). This should work up better control and strength. You'll get it.
 
Cuban said:
My left hand / arm has always been substantially weaker / slower than my right.
Over the past six months I have tried to work on this, but progress does not seem good, so I must be doing something wrong.

As an example, I currently can only play 16ths comfortably at 110 bpm with my left hand while my right is happy with 32nds at the same tempo.

So I was wondering if anyone could anyone recommend a good muscle building program working with a metronome, to be done daily, that would help me?

Could you also suggest increments in the BPM and an estimate as to how long before I should expect to see a reasonable change?

Thank you in advance
Click to expand...

You can play 32nds at 110 with your right hand? I demand proof!
 
GRUNTERSDAD said:
You don't need a muscle building program, you need Dom Famularos book, The Weaker Side.
Click to expand...

I must say: This book will certainly fix your problem. BUT: It's one boring book to work through.... 30 minutes daily doing the same thing over and over and over and over and over again.

I did it until week 12 or so and then I had enough (I guess this is probably more than most people will do). Also: It's one of the worst edited books I've ever seen. REAL many typos and wrong examples in this one. Many times, there is the same exercise 3 times or more on the same page which I always thought was a bit of a downside: If you are expected to work so hard and long with just one book, why didn't the editors take the same time and care to make that book as good as possible?

So from my side: Great concept, certainly will work. Downside: Poorly edited, real boring after a few weeks.

And: 32nd notes with one hand at 110 bpm???

hahahahahahahahaha.

Maybe get a new metronome? Or learn to count note values first?
 
Good advance so far. You should post a video of your right hand doing 32nds at 110 bpm, though. Doesn't have any musical significance, but it'd be interesting to see.

To go further than just drum exercises, why don't you start doing everything with your weaker hand? Open doors, eat with a fork, everything your strong hand does, just make the weak one do it. Should only take a few weeks to build up that weak side coordination too. Start writing with your weaker hand, that oughta' frustrate you to no end....

I just live with a weaker side myself. I practice and try to get them closer together, but I also know if I never get there, at least I know I can play the gig!
 
Thanks for all the great replies folks, I really appreciate it.

As for the "32nd notes with one hand at 110 bpm", that's obviously incorrect and shows you that I am self taught and just got it wrong.

Picking up on one suggestion, I had just started to play open handed leading with the left this week. It felt like the very first day of drumming again, you know, boom cha, boom boom cha etc, but if that is what I have to do, so be it.

As for Dom Famularos book, The Weaker Side, I don't read music,I have just a very basic understanding of it, but I have found some instructional videos by Dom demonstrating exercises from the book and they will be very useful.

Thanks for all you suggestions and exercises.
 
Make it smarter not stronger. Play grooves and lead with left hand, two handed grooves are great also like old R&B stuff ghosting all the 8th notes on the snare, playing them straight and swung. This helps your bass drum as well, getting it to line up with the left hand with the guidence of the right, which kida works like a check pattern.
 
Cuban said:
My left hand / arm has always been substantially weaker / slower than my right......So I was wondering if anyone could anyone recommend a good muscle building program working with a metronome,....
Click to expand...

Drum rudiments, drum rudiments, drum rudiments on a snare by itself or practice pad. Let your weak hand do lots of accents to build strength.

Keep a speed that you can do with both hands well - nothing faster.

Test to see what your weakness is! >>> Is it a weak hand that cannot do finger technique like your good hand, resulting in slower speed on one hand >>> or >>>> Wrist position/angle etc.

The fact that you are asking >> means you are on your way to solving the problem. Its just a matter of time till it's corrected.

Good luck.
 
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