House of Drumming.com

Hey fellow drummers... thank you so much Steve for hosting a great website that I've been coming to for years for insight and great links. My name is Nat, I'm over in Maryland Dc area...
Compared to my left hand, I feel pretty good about my right hand with the jojo mayer push/pull (not too good though, I have 100's of miles of practice to do), but my left hand is horrible...I just can't seem to get my cumbersome hands and fingers to make the stick propel...
Any excercises to practice, advice, or links?
Yeah I know I should by Jojo's video but I don't really have the money.


Thanks alot

In lieu of someone making an unforeseen brilliant post, I think it's one of those things that has to be demonstrated to be understood. Go find yourself an instructor that knows how to do it (and good luck finding one -- they're rare).

But if you can't find an instructor, allow me to suggest push-pull for the left hand is probably unnecessary. There are so many other easier ways to get the left hand going, but especially just by working up muscles in your thumb where it rests on the fulcrum. Just by getting that, your wrist, and your arm working in tandem with rebound, you should be able to generate as much power and dexterity as you could want.

OTOH, I get your frustration. I've been playing traditional for 20 years and I am still very much an unfinished project that feels a little hopeless. It's why I continue to work on matched grip as well, because the finger technique is just easier to get accomplished. I switch back and forth as my emotions and confidence blow with the wind.

Practice hand to hand flams - it's the same motion.

Here's a video explaining it clearly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBuqszSM5mI

YamahaPlayer wrote:Here's a video explaining it clearly.

That's a great video.

Here's Jojo (although he doesn't explain it much, and the camera isn't close enough):

It's a little weird. I didn't get it propper until just decided to play normal stuff open handed with it for a while and then I just refined it like with any other technique after doing it less than perfect for a while.

Should be noted, as JoJo says in the video... fairly useless except for getting attention in a store.

I like how Vinnie said it, can't remember the exact quote, but technique is a means to an end, not the end. Everything should have a musical purpose and reason behind it.

jojo has some insane hands. never saw that video. that is wowwy stuff! never really pursued that push and pull stuff cause you just can't use it while you move around the kit. key word MOVE, thanks. great for snare drum work. it's nice to have under your belt if you can master it. something to work on now. where did i put my dom famularo pad stix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKK7ezn2tig

Check this out around the 2:24 mark...

willyz wrote:
Check this out around the 2:24 mark...

Now THAT was tasty! Gotta love Stanton

YamahaPlayer wrote:

willyz wrote:
Check this out around the 2:24 mark...

Now THAT was tasty! Gotta love Stanton

For sure. He always pulls out the push/pull thing at just the most tasteful moments...