Murray Spivack a Lesson with Louie Bellson

Spinach???

Edit: not a slam on Murray for all you newcomers to this thread. It referenced an auto correct goof in the title that got edited out. I’m good with the man…I don’t think of his work as spinach.
 
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Awesome video! My drum instructor in my formative years studied directly with both Louie and Murray in his youth. His father was a pro drummer in the SoCal area and was friends with Louie. I remember being taught Murray’s methodology via my instructor.

Given the arthritis and old nagging sports injuries I suffer from, I’m positive that instruction has allowed me to keep playing well past my drumming expiration date had I not learned the Murray stuff.

Thanks for the post, @buddhadrummer! (y)
 
Thanks for posting this. Love to see the old master teachers that used to be just legends you heard mentioned a lot.

Nice that he wants to just teach the mechanics and let the student develop his own style and sound. I knew Chad Wackerman was taught by him, didn't know Bellson and Garibaldi were his students too, such different drummers!
 
Great video, thanks for posting that. A ton of little stuff in there that's very enlightening. I think Bellson is way more influential on drumming than he gets credit for, via all the clinics he was doing in the 60s/70s. Many of those points of technique I got from different people, as a student. Interesting how much of it I had to change it to work out particular things-- like really controlling dynamics. Not wild about that as a sole approach to technique now.
 
After watching this clip, I have two questions. Thanks in advance for any answers.

Question 1: The role of the last two fingers in matched grip
===========================================================
At 7:06 in the video
Bellson: What about the other fingers?
Spivack: Here the other fingers have nothing whatsoever to do with it. It's permissible to use the first joint of the fourth finger if you feel that you're going to play very very loudly.

At 1:09:06 in the video
Donald explains that he comfortably executes this hand technique for the Jazz ride WITHOUT the need to push the stick with the last two fingers.

My understanding by watching this video and another instructional video is that in a matched grip these two fingers are just inhibiting the rebound. What is the role of the last two fingers in a matched grip?

Question 2: The hand wave motion
=============================================
At 43:15 in the video
Garibaldi talks about up down strike and shows a hand motion that looks like a wave motion.
Is he talking about the same "tap down-up" strike that Bellson is executing at 6:55 at the beginning of the video or something else?
 
striker said:
After watching this clip, I have two questions. Thanks in advance for any answers.

Question 1: The role of the last two fingers in matched grip
===========================================================
At 7:06 in the video
Bellson: What about the other fingers?
Spivack: Here the other fingers have nothing whatsoever to do with it. It's permissible to use the first joint of the fourth finger if you feel that you're going to play very very loudly.

At 1:09:06 in the video
Donald explains that he comfortably executes this hand technique for the Jazz ride WITHOUT the need to push the stick with the last two fingers.

My understanding by watching this video and another instructional video is that in a matched grip these two fingers are just inhibiting the rebound. What is the role of the last two fingers in a matched grip?

Question 2: The hand wave motion
=============================================
At 43:15 in the video
Garibaldi talks about up down strike and shows a hand motion that looks like a wave motion.
Is he talking about the same "tap down-up" strike that Bellson is executing at 6:55 at the beginning of the video or something else?
Click to expand...

I found my answer. There is no one size fits all grip. There are different approaches to the match grip and the use of different fingers.
The Spivack grip indeed DOES NOT utilize the back two fingers.
This is the exact opposite of the Tony Williams grip, where he heavily utilizes the back two fingers to drive the stick.
 
Griener said:
In your opinion, what’s the average drumming expiration date?
Click to expand...
It's subjective, but I'd venture to say it's when you can't manipulate the sticks or your feet well enough to keep solid time.

Or in my case...you just can't find drumming opportunities.
 
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