You're (Probably) Learning Drum Hand Technique Wrong - Here's Why

[@Brosenbrose]

I never cared about (and therefore neglected) hand technique. I only cared about being a great kit/song player, and that's what I became. Now, I must admit (without a shadow of doubt) that hand technique is my limiting factor. And that's something I've got to work on or live with.

[@deal5245]

Same

[@killmoreturtles]

The technique itself does not matter , ultimately you need to be able play what is in your head. Try RLL and accent every 5th hit. You need that ability to accent that 5th hit, regardless of the stroke going up or coming down

[@Brosenbrose]

@@killmoreturtles 100% agree that drumming well is about being able to play what you hear in your head. I've always said to ppl, first you need to really hear it, then you need to really feel it, then (with time and practice/ability) you'll be able play it. But hearing and feeling are absolute prerequisites.

[@Brosenbrose]

Also, being left handed has, from the beginning, necessitated my coming up with my own approach to learning. Which ended up being playing along to records until it sounded like i wasn't even there.

[@hugostos09]

If you're saying that your hand technique is limited, then it's logically impossible to be "a great kit/song player"

[@edwardkaminsky8142]

Great information for individuals that want to progress! I Started drum lessons 1971 at 10 years old. Regal nylon tipped sticks and a Angled pad. I wanted to play wipe out, not a pad. Fast forward to 2023 and at 62 I started drum lessons...AGAIN. ( 52 years wasted)( back to the pad) 40 snare drum rudiments is what helped me understand what wipeout was not. We didnt have sight read drums or the utube to watch and listen to other drummers years ago. The pad can be utilized anywhere, anytime with very little volume. Working the weak hand is essential to developing speed, timing, and technique. Have sticks...will travel! How will one play the bell on a cruise ship if you dont have your sticks with you. Airports, Dr. Offices, casinos ....my sticks are with me. You never know when you might need to play a beat on someones noggin! Great video Brother!

[@brineich]

Thank you for replying with my same story! The only difference, me being a few years older.

[@PhilHenDrums]

Solid practical perspective. I remember hearing Jeff Hamilton in a clinic say how all his school drum practicing got his hands in great shape, but when he got to college his feet were not up to par with his hands -- a.k.a. his whole kit balance was out of whack. Keep in mind that the drum kit is really a collection of instruments brought together. So, we have to practice each of the instruments under our command as well as how to combine them effectively for whatever musical styles we want to play.

[@8020drummer]

True! A bit like mma.

[@robotx4242]

I wanted to learn drums as a kid and all I got was a drum pad. I quit after a week. Decades later I bought an electronic drum kit and have been teaching myself. I have no aspirations to be a pro. I don't bore myself to tears learning every rudiment under the sun. I just turn on some 4/4 rock or Motown and start bashing away. Am I serious musician? No. Am I having fun? Yes!

[@matthewcurtis4083]

Good enough. Not a damn thing wrong with that.

[@Squirrel-i6u]

Yep, same here. I'm never going to be making a living playing drums in some fancy band so I done the same thing. Bought a set of electric drums and just play to a 4/4 rhythm pattern.

[@jeremyschneider9531]

"The issue comes because time is finite." Truer words have never been spoken. Also, attention is finite. Good stuff Nate, I am still dissecting my hand technique and various influences such as Gordy and DFC. Thanks

[@gcorriveau6864]

When I was 16 and playing gigs with our high school rock/garage/cover band, details like hand technique weren't so interesting or necessary. We 'heal fast' at that age. Now that I'm 75 and trying to keep what skills I have vs. the aging process (including the 'inevitable' joint issues) hand technique is much more essential for preventing injury. Great video. Thanks for posting.

[@coiLz0r911]

I love my pads, but this is a fair assessment. It makes sense that, to get good at a thing, practicing with approximations such as pads can be helpful, but you should definitely spend a lot of time doing the actual thing

[@alopezdrums]

Thank you Nate! The pad is your warm up tool and it needs playing pretty much daily, but just for a little while as it’s not an end in itself. It’s a vehicle for fluid and effortless kit playing. That Gordy Knutson podcast episode is AMAZING and everyone should check it out. ❤

[@tedmackenzie5728]

Very appreciative of your approach and breakdown. I left music school because I was convinced I wasn’t ready to launch out. I gathered as much chops info I could (Sunny Igoe, Henry Adler, Jim Chapin) practicing many hours a day for 3-4 years… on the pad. I suddenly realized one day that I hadn’t been playing the Kit much. I began playing out and after 10 years or so, I became savvy on the drums. This all helped tremendously to teach other bourgeoning drummers… and you described all of that in one tutorial! Awesome! Thank you!

[@jessetarr2771]

Great topic. I have had most success telling myself musicality over everything. I have an easier time playing more naturally in time cleanly when I dont over think it and just feel the flow of the beat I made.

[@Bryman1970]

I completely mirror other people on this thread. For years, I learned songs and entire albums and have written and recorded a lot of material. I have a great ear and have been able to pick up things very quickly. By the method of listening and constantly playing along, I managed to learn quite a bit in my 37 years of playing. I'm 54 now, and I've definitely realized my limitations from not actually practicing. I HAVE been focusing much more on doing that in the last few years, and I can already feel a lot more dexterity and confidence in my playing.

[@jeffreywegener8841]

My biggest obstacle as I got older was being too stiff . Pad work helped a lot . “ Rudiments are as relevant today as you want to make them “ .

[@fataljet6387]

Its always about balence. Too much of one can take away from the other , so balence should be maintained in both technique and practical playing. You hit it on the head when you pointed out that we all have limited time , so, balence. Great video, keep it up.

[@thesword-sapdog322]

I'm 60, with multiple maladies. I'm taking up drums; I don't care if it breaks me. Thanks for all this intel as I'm buying my first drumsticks and a practice pad now.

[@El_Bicho_Feo]

Fortunately I am in a situation in which I am at liberty to play my drum set at any time. So the practice pad just sits there… gathering dust… bereft… slowly desiccating in the dry New Mexico heat. I practice all hand technique, and everything else, on the drums.

[@dianaperez5058]

❤ I am zn older player. I respect the great drummers. It is not easy to learn, vmbut consistency creates more fun to enjoy. Techniques I feel is truthfully a basic importance...whether serious player or not. To at at very least not emba3yourself or a band....excercises takes diligence...something I am working on. Years of appreciation of music is also trying to learn to do it right. thank you for the lessons, Happy drumming😊

[@danigomez9573]

A friend of mine is a pad specialist. It's exactly as you said, if you see him play the pad, his technique couldn't be better. But the moment he sits in the kit, he plays like an intermediate drummer at best (excluding fast chops that he adds recklessly).

[@imdadirtydan]

I came from a marching background so by the time I got to kit there was little worry about the hand technique I had from many many hours and the pad, a tenor pad, and various instruments. It really freed me up to focus on improving on moving around the kit, but having played tenors helped with that too. I would say a tenor pad is better practice for a kit than a normal one if it’s something available to you

[@8020drummer]

Great comment, but I was pretty sure *I* was the dirty Dan

[@JudahDcruz]

Good points but i believe many drummers practice on pads because they get carried away when they sit in front of a kit, most end up playing something they are already "good" at rather than what they need to improve. And eventually end up playing a solo 😂 or something like that. Practicing something specific is more effective on a pad because a drummer is less likely to lose concentration.

[@sherpFPS]

As someone who had a practice pad for years before getting to touch a kit, the difference between the two cannot be understated. Even in direct hand techniques i feel like I can push like 200bpm on singles on a dampened practice pad but the actual effect of the sticks on the membrane of a snare makes it impossible to do that due to my lack of experience. God are they fun tho lol

[@bishopoftroy]

it`s the best thing you could`ve done as a beginner. the advantages are tremendous.

[@martinlentini]

Great video Nate, as always. IMO. The great point should be the union between an excercise and to seek as soon as possible it's musical application. If it's just an excercise is like an eternal weightlifting but without apllying it somewhere out of the gym, for instance on a sport. The pad is great, but when I practice on it I still think it's like a mini drum kit, and try to play in other surfaces around in order to simulate it (and it's a good advice for a student who can't afford a whole kit at once and is not yet full decided).

[@mikecottondrums]

I was very surprised to find myself in this video (pointed out to me by my friend Kev) at 1:26 warming up for a gig. I’ve used the practice pad varying amounts over the years. When I was younger living in a small apartment and wasn’t able to make a lot of noise I used it a lot. These days I only use a pad warming up for a show (like in the video😂) or during my daily morning routine of spending 10-15 minutes first thing in the morning drinking some tea and getting loosened up on the pad while watching drum related KZbin videos like this one to get inspired. This makes up maybe 5 percent of my total drumming time. Great video though! Very well edited and some very thought out points here 💪

[@8020drummer]

@@mikecottondrums thanks Mike!

[@SpiderDan2099]

I have one great reason to enjoy my practice pad and that is because it had been my nephew's and then when he stopped playing his parents sold his kit and he began using his pad as a coaster 😒 one day I came over ready to show him what I had learned on the kit and I learned of the fate of both the kit and pad. I then recommended that he give me that pad and I will give him as many coasters for his drinks he may need! 😂

[@handler803]

1:17 THIS exactly describes my drumming. I can do some fancy chops on the pad as warm up but dont use them on actual jams since the songs dont call.for them.

[@skyko]

Nate you (& hopefully I) are definitely improving! Some of the inserts of your playing look effortless although quite complex. Congratulations for the results on all of your hard work. 🙂😉

[@johnrobinson8323]

Thanks for another awesome video Nate! Plau the pad everyday to keep the doctor away! 🥁❤️

[@gregjacksun]

Having solid hand tech opens the world up.

[@ruffryder13]

I think ive been biased too much towards the pad as a beginner drummer. Its quiet and just easier to work with in the evening after work, but i think my kit playing has suffered some. And im here to play drums, not rubber pads.

[@kirjian]

Loooove the practice pad. Actually addicted to it.

[@panplayer]

We had someone in performance seminar in college who practiced something so much on a pad that he couldn’t play it on a drum. We referred to him as a drum head. Anyway, he whined until he was allowed to play the piece in the seminar… on a pad.

[@theredneckdrummerco.6748]

pad hands'll kill anyone man

[@jcm21354]

My first teacher said something I remember after all these years. "It's all about hand control" I may not agree entirely with the concept but I have to admit, drumming it's mostly done with your hands. Pad is good practice but kit is much better dynamic.

[@Rick-pi9zn]

I am exactly this alien and thank you very much!

[@audhen1]

1 Minuten in: I think it depends. If you try to isolate certain things it's great. Like building stamina and strength with a moongel workout pad. But that won't help at all with fast ride figures where rebound does the work for you. Also if you only have 1 playing surface, orchestrating a pattern might become very hard on the set. #edit relating to technique exercises on pads^^

[@leecook6101]

I have an electric kit but I can't always play it so my pad is my back up. I don't get to play a real kit so I'm not as good as I'd like to be 😜🤘🏻 great video. I think pad time is really useful but it doesn't compare to getting on the kit 🙏🏻🤘🏻😜 keep playing everyone

[@nickjohnson410]

Pro Tip: Practice your rolls with your face about an inch from the drum head. After hitting yourself in the face enough times you will have the motivation to bring your motions under control. If you get bored or need extra motivation... practice flams with the Moeller stroke

[@8020drummer]

HA

[@krioni86sa]

What the...

[@skipperry63]

Awesome lesson!

[@19tet]

ho boy i needed this thanks nate

[@TupDigital]

I spent the first 20 years of drumming not caring about hand technique at all. That's why Ive progressed more in the past 5 than the previous 20 combined.

[@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777]

I played drums then i got a pad 10 years later (because I saw one I liked at a thrift store for $3) .. then I felt I could play some licks smoother or more controlled after messing with the pad for a few weeks. I haven't reallly touched the pad in years but I feel bad when I don't .. should I feel bad since I got excellent results?

[@jgchodakowski]

You might try a podcast with Bill Bachman

[@hruntingson]

Click what card where?

[@jonashellborg8320]

I stopped using practise pads in year 5 of drumming

[@Ranger1216]

Of course technique is important…..its mechanical engineering just like piano finger and hand technique. Technique is especially. Important for jazz players. As long as it gets you there and produces the musical effect.

[@EricCofield]

Practice slow first, gain rythym, and increase speed---then do whatever you like. No secret. Takes years

[@georgesos]

So making sense. 👍🥁

[@Paawandrums]

I concur

[@dylanhartman7814]

was that intro clip at chris jazz caffe ?

[@19tet]

1:36 I ALWAYS THOUGHT THIS WERE JUST TOLD TO TAP OUR HEELS N TOES ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT LOL plus i always hated how wed play really hard on the pad then soft AF on the snare n how badly translated it felt at times, like i can play softer on the pad now but it just feels weird still. even stuff like practicing rimshots while playing wilcoxon etc. for example

[@fweyd]

7:22 that's Ash Soan!

[@PhatSimey]

I have a practice pad that came with my kit, used maybe once but as my kit is electronic I can play it day or night without disturbing anyone. My hand technique is still crap though, can't even play double strokes. Ho hum.

[@davidconnors4908]

I thought people who use pads owned acoustic kits and did so because they're impossibly loud. I have a digital kit so don't need to and only use the pad on holidays when I'm not around the kit.

[@palmepalmovitsch1362]

I dont get your point

[@stephanmarcouxdrums4877]

I've never played a single song with rim shot consistently on every hit. Consistent and stable with the sound doesn't fit with dynamic, because someone playing FFF all the time, overbashing, is always at full volume and doesn't care about dynamic just by the fact that he is playing metal. Dynamics mean that you don't play the same volume consistently dude, that's what makes dynamics drummers so much more interesting, compare to someone that sound like a drum machine, precise, solid, but no dynamics or care about real art. There is a difference between simple mind drummer that goes physical, energy and consistant, compare to a drummer that care about art, creativity, music, dynamics, and above all, not stuck with agressiveness and violence just because you can hit this instrument hard.

[@8020drummer]

Why are dynamics opposed to control? Would this pass muster with violin?

[@jigthepuff4540]

Dynamics don’t matter as much on mic’ed sets.

[@8020drummer]

Imho they matter even more

[@tormento_666]

u talking about ricardo merlini? 😂

[@junkPyle-rv1kk]

I play drums using the Earth's magnetic field baby!!!

[@8020drummer]

I think we all do by definition

[@TheRealPowerBob5000]

Hehe…unit…. 12:11

[@lerafa]

MASACOTE

[@glenngiordano8286]

I hate to push back a little, but Buddy Rich only practiced keith pad. as a matter of fact he told me, personally, that he pretty much just played his pad on the bus between shows constantly. yeah he was a terrible player. Steve gad, if you watch Rick biado, I've been to several of his clinics dad comes up with most of all that Cool military stuff that he throws in his grooves on the pad. yeah he's a slouch. by myself because I live in an apartment play a lot on the pad. I've had a pretty decent career, yeah I don't do wacko polyrhythms, but I work consistently. I think good technique is good technique, whether it's on a pad a snare, a kit.

[@8020drummer]

Then I’m not sure we disagree!

[@LaVerdad65]

Broooo that is not what masacote means at all. If someone told you that, they were absolutely messing with you

[@s4lroachclip]

You said stay tuned, I bounced, long video, you could have made 1 minute. The bottom like is stick control depends on hand technique. Accented notes, are from about 8" above the surface, ghosts are about half inch above the surface. The pad gives a quiet option to learn and master control, thats it. ty (which also requires hand technique).

[@8020drummer]

How do you know the bottom line if you bounced

[@s4lroachclip]

@@8020drummer Because I am not a beginning drummer

[@ddummer]

Make sense... on the drumkit... :)