What is your current practice project?

[Pollyanna]

I've been seeing this band play regularly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWX6vV5uqJM) and I would really like to get this guy's left hand blues groove.

Since my left hand technique is weak I'm practising playing a shuffle beat with just my left hand about 6 hours per week and intend to keep doing it, very slow and making sure my hand is relaxed. I will only increase speed if the hand remains relaxed. I reckon this project will take me months to achieve.

Then I started wondering what other people's current practice projects are. What are you working on, and why?

 

[theindian]

Right now I'm working on multi-pedal orchestrations. 2 kicks, 2 hi-hats, Lo and hi cowbell. It is nowhere near ready to use in a group setting but I am making some progress. I am starting to get the foot patterns down but incorporating the hands on top is the tricky part. I dedicate about an hour of my practice time each day to this. Btw, I think I might start to work on some shuffle patterns too. They are something I haven't really paid much attention to before.

 

[NUTHA JASON]

hi polly.
that groove is usually called a texas shuffle.

my project at the moment is world drumming. i'm trying to learn grooves from every continent adapted to the kit.

j

 

[Pollyanna]

Thanks Jason. I've seen a fair few bluesy bands but only seen a few guys play it. I guess Sydney's a long way from Texas ...

BTW I'd always just treated my djembe like a conga but your YouTube djembe lessons helped me understand the drum better and that knowledge has improved my djembe playing in a couple of my band's songs. Thanks for that!

 

[dale w miller]

I am taking traditional African rhythms and applying them to a kit. These are parts that are usually written out for 3-4 different people played on various percussion. I usually do the call with the high tom and build rest around that. I'll be posting videos soon.