Home - Drum Lessons - Beginner - some questions Left or Right handed?
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Rojoyinc new
Posts: 2
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Beginner - some questions Left or Right handed?
I've been playing guitar.. I like to home record and (used drum machine etc for that).
however - I want to play everything I record.
I picked up a DM5 (was a good deal - though kinda disapointed with the hi hat) it seems to work well to learn on.
My question - Is there a difference in playing L or R handed?
I'm left handed and (play guitar right handed as does my son).
The reason I ask - The lessons I see on youtube show - taping the high hat with the right hand - and the hit on the snare
(For like a basic rock pattern) with the left hand. I can do this (okay) but it feels better and I do much better tapping
the hi hat (closed tap) with my left hand and hitting snare with my right. (It also tends to work more fluid with my left
hand doing the fast taps on the hi hat while my right foot does the bass beat.
I fear if I learn it my way - that down the road - something might be harder (like moving around the kit for fills)?
Is there Left or Right? a right and wrong way? or what ever feels best.
thanks
Ron
Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:44 pm
Mitchell? groove master
Posts: 2372
Joined: 03 Jan 2008
Location: Lexington, KY
The way that you call 'my way' is called open-handed, or not crossing your arms. Lots of respected, professional drummers play like that.
It's perfectly fine to learn like that. Some left-handed drummers just play open-handed on a right-handed set up (snare is left-most), or you could even play close-handed on a left-handed set-up (snare is right-most).
Theres really no "wrong" technique as long as it works for you and doesn't cause damage to you.
Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:09 pm
nydubber drumming adept
Posts: 196
Joined: 22 Feb 2008
I'm lefty and play a right-handed kit. My uncle is a righty and he taught me to play so it was just "how" I was shown. This was at 7-8 years old. As I got older and learned more and more I play open-handed as it feels more natural being that I'm a lefty.
Try and go at it both ways, it'll only help you more in the long run.
ah - so there is a left and right hand setups - I had no idea... normally a lefty setup would be reversed from what we see as norm then.
Intresting. I setup the DM5 according to their documention. I suppose to could reverse a few things and try it again... but the reason I wanted to play guitar right handed - is so you can play any guitar... kinda nice to set down at a right handed drum set and play too. So I'll probably keep it setup this way...
but knowing I can play "open handed" I'll go with that... trying to get cross handed down later once I get the coordination thing going.
Also - is there any guide lines for setting up the bass pedal? Mine came from MF (was on sale 25.00) for a starter - looks amazing for 25.00 bucks. - seems to work well, but I've been tweaking adjustments without any knowledge... is there some sort of tension measurement or stock settings? I have a lot of what I'd call 'bouce back" where the pedal head seems to slap/bounce (and not in a good way as it's very quick) as it makes contact.
I find if I'm in sox and really side my foot forward - I can minimize it... but I don't like the sound it the double hit.
(I do like the intentional double beat hit) this is different and very quick - more like a unwanted vibration.
One more question - when doing fills - is there any way that it should be learned - like right hand - leading to the fill drums to the right? Any great place to learn some of the basics? Currently - I'm playing beats on a drum machine and playing along. I also love the start of Rush's "Mystic Rythm" song - so I set up some electronic sounds that are very close and (cool as it sounds - it's quite easy to play).
Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:59 pm
Metaldrummer89 drumming adept
Posts: 377
Joined: 05 Feb 2007
Location: Atlanta, GA
nydubber wrote:
Try and go at it both ways, it'll only help you more in the long run.
as for the problem left or right setup, i have been playing a five years. i am left handed but i started right handed and played this way for 4 years. just recently i learned that i could easily relearn playing open handed. since i now have knowledge of both it has really helped me. for you i would say try playing both with equal time spent leading with each hand. as for your pedal problem, don't fight the bounce back. if you have it too tight either loosen it or let it rebound naturally with trying to "burry it" in the head. if you burry the beater in the head you loose a lot of resonance and tone. for setting pedals just have it set so it feels good to you. have so it's not too tight and not too loose. i know that sounds vague but that's really as specific as i can get.
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Sat Mar 15, 2008 9:15 am
LeJayk drumming adept
Posts: 158
Joined: 04 Mar 2007
Location: Birmingham, UK
Right handed, cross sticking. Learning to play open handed at the moment though, for the reasons that it'll increase my independance, and open up the kit to me a bit more. Mostly the independance though. My left side is severely under-trained.
www.vicfirth.com has lot's of great educational videos, but I think you should at least watch dom famularo's video on open handed playing.
My left hand sucks. I have a real hard time doing anything leading with my left hand. But my left hand has a lot more feel and touch than my right. So, I'm kind of stuck playing cross handed. But if I could re-wind world history 20 years I would go back and stop 9-11 from ever happening and learn to play open handed.
I'm practicing a lot with left hand leads and playing open handed but as of right now, My left hand sounds weak as the lead on the hi-hat, and my right hand can't play ghost notes to save it's life. But I think that open handed playing opens the drum set up for a player and everyone should do it.
Posts: 66
Joined: 13 Aug 2007
Location: New York, NY
do whatever works... honestly if you can play open handed on a right handed kit go with it... I wish i could.
It opens up a lot of options that playing "normal" (ie. crossing over for the hi-hat) doesn't allow, such as opening your hands up to move around the toms while keeping time on the hi-hat (if you move your ride over to the hi-hat side too... you're good to go.
Just ask Simon Phillips... or Mike Bordin (Faith No more).
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