Become a Master Jazz Drummer- Secrets to a faster, stronger left hand

[@wunoteu]

Thanks so much for demonstrating your approach to traditional grip. It shows a lifetime of dedication to this level of development. I'm happy to add your videos to my list of those who can play so nice.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Mark, thanks for adding us to your mix. So glad you enjoyed the video. Any other areas of Jazz drumming you'd love videos about, let us know and we'll do our best to make 'em for you.

[@supremelohim]

As someone that comes from more of a punk and hardcore background, i really got into jazz and more extreme versions of jazz at the same time i was listening to hardcore punk, thrashcore and power violence like John Zorn's Naked City project (which is an amalgamation of hardcore punk and jazz, plus 10 more genres at least, I highly recommend their whole catalog) for example where the drummer, Joey Baron, would play blast beats and all kinds of crazy fills with traditional grip, when you watch them live it's a trip! I knew the traditional grip from like Buddy Rich, Tony Williams, Max Roach and Billy Cobham (who all at one time certainly used it while playing) but have started experimenting with the grip you show here (traditional) while playing basic backbeats and it's clear my left hand isn't up to snuff, while it can do the basic 4/4, 3/4 beats and even a little faster tempos, i really want to adopt the traditional grip as I've played matched for a little more than 3 years, as i want to adopt the grip for acquiring a more jazz inflected vocabulary while drumming, meaning more interdependence between hands (with the left hand playing more notes and breaking the dependence of the 2 and the 4 when playing the hi hat and the snare) and more ghost notes with my left hand, which is just a fantasy for me at this point, I really can't do it. Other than this one, do you have are you planning on making more videos about left hand (in most cases the weaker hand) playing and technique? Thanks in advance.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Milovan, welcome to the channel! Glad to have you here. We were in New York when Naked City was happening. It hugely influenced the hole scene there. With your desire to adapt into traditional grip, don't worry right now about those goals you have (which are great). Your entire arm platform, from shoulder, upper arm, forearm, wrist, and hand, has got to get reoriented first. Very importantly, so too does your brain, as it's different circuits being used since it's going from a symmetrical movement between the arms to an asymmetrical one. What you should do daily now is at a slow to medium tempo just practice repeating quarter notes with each of the techniques in the video, one technique at a time. Observe your left hand as you do this to make sure it's doing what the video shows. Additionally, strengthen your thumb and forearm connection by playing repeated full strokes with an open hand with the stick in the thumb hinge (fulcrum). Rotate from the forearm. That exercise is the beginning of trad grip. Yes, we'll be putting out more on the left hand. Stay with us. Our philosophy is our weekly videos add up to an infinite video drum technique "book".

[@andybis3251]

Any Drummer who shares tips on such great Technique is a Fine Musician and leads the way for a better future for all our ears ! Thanks Outlandos d'Tambores

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Thanks, Andy! That is our goal, and it's great to hear we're achieving it!

[@noriskern7385]

Thiis was what I was looking for! Could you do another video explaining the wiggle, the walk very slowly and when you go out and in? Thank you so much.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Sure thing, Noris! Really psyched the video helped! Keep coming back to the channel for more!

[@papapoodo6685]

Excellent video. Thank you sir

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

You are welcome. Glad it helped!

[@willshaughnessy8515]

Jim was my mentor..he knew my uncle Ed ..and treated me like a son... Moellee and energy conservation were his big talks .. I went out on some of his clinics..helped out a bit on gigs and even a few namm shows.. Later in College years..we had Louie Bellson as a guest artist.. Wow..on.tour with Louie..2 drumsets ..playing his charts and trading 4's solos etc .. Louie was so cool to hang with ..on the bus..i asked him.about jazz during prohibition days and when clubs were separated racially..and if course Chick Webb and the Savoy.. There is a real gap nowadays in the young lads ...some are familiar with the old ways..most aren't.. Truly those experiences develop you as a jazz musician/ drummer ..it may happen 5 or 10yrs later but it resonates with you and you internalize these techniques and it becomes part of your vocabulary ...

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Will, you are spot on! I got to chat with Louie a couple of times, and he was just beautiful with his wisdom and presented it in a way that you couldn't help but carry it with you in your bones. John and I talk about your uncle Ed as one of the true greats. Really spectacular player with fabulous ways of approaching the drums. Maybe we can connect with you by Zoom sometime and record an interview if you're into that idea.

[@willshaughnessy8515]

@@JohnHvastaDrums yes we can arrange a time after the new year..I'm moving to vt ..so maybe mid jan or thereafter... Would be fun to talk nuances of jazz drumming ..history and legends .

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

@Will Shaughnessy When you're up for shooting that interview, shoot me an email at [e-mail] and we'll make it happen! Welcome to VT! I live in the state, and John's a few hours away in NY. Perhaps we'll all get together sometime and play.

[@willshaughnessy8515]

@@JohnHvastaDrums looking fwd to the chat I.gave vt the nix ..im.back.in .the Rockies ..

[@thomasmoje5926]

Good exercises. Mastering 'traditional grip' comes into play (play on words there) with other genres besides jazz..I play snare drum in two pipe bands (you know..kilts and bagpipes) and traditional grip is the predominant grip style as a matter of fact many figures used in pipe band drumming are difficult to play properly with matched grip at least for me. I run into many students of pipe band drumming who have not a clue as to how to play with traditional grip because they have been schooled in matched grip in their school bands/orchestras. I have to constantly exercise my 'weak hand' (in my case my left hand) so I'll keep these in mind for practice sessions.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Love pipe bands! Great tradition, and, yes, I've seen older players play traditional and new playing matched. Don't see how matched will help play in that setting. Keep on looking back to us for more traditional grip vids in the coming weeks. We'll have one out specifically on how to practice to be able to play consistently great. If you have any of your pipe band stuff, post some links here. Cheers.

[@Teabonesteak]

Thank you so much. I need this.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Awesome! Glad to be here to help!

[@4beatsti]

Amazing!

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Thank you!

[@Noahburwell]

Great video! Love the zoomed in shots.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Awesome, Noah! Hope it helps you!

[@Groov3lab]

Goes to show that whatever works for some or many doesn't necessarily mean it's good for everyone. Great vid

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Exactly! All the way around we're individuals and the key is very much to get to know the mechanics of our particular body and apply it to the sound, feel, and chops that are important to our uniqueness. Imitate to learn if you must, but ultimately find and be yourself.

[@jjadaddy]

I had played match grip for years, and started traditional a couple of years back. The issue is the fatigue in my left arm that it causes.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

You gotta strengthen your forearm! And make sure you employ your thumb in moving and controlling the stick. Like any work out, if it's unproductive pain, rest and come back to it. But sometimes fatigue is best worked through. Only you know the difference since it's your arm. I suggest setting up some lessons to make sure you have the right approach to gaining the strength and mastering the proper forms of movement. email to set up a lesson: [e-mail]

[@joelcarrier2088]

Fantastic technique!! I heard Dave Weckl also talking about his right hand going out with doubles. I know he had lessons with Freddie Gruber. Not sure if Freddie was teaching this. I will be exploring this for sure. Thank you.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Freddie had a slightly different approach to it, and John developed his independent of Freddie because of revelations he had in his lessons with Jim Chapin. But, yes, indeed, Freddie did change Weckl's and a lot of others' way of playing doubles for the better. BTW, check out our slow motion version video of the left hand techniques we're posting tomorrow (Monday December 20th). You can really get into the finer points of the different techniques.

[@joelcarrier2088]

@@JohnHvastaDrums thank you. Looking forward to your new video.

[@tmaddrummer]

Jazz Drumming and Fly Fishing..... John, I'm in, new subscriber here! This is the first of your videos that I've seen, and I'll be checking them all out and learning all that I can, and keep working on my left hand. Thanks and Blessings!

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

: ) Keep working the left hand, and the other limbs too! Onward and upward, always.

[@tmaddrummer]

@@JohnHvastaDrums I worked the pad for a couple of hours yesterday and I believe that I have made some serious progress with time and speed and I will continue on until the brain and the muscle memory smoothly coordinate. Thanks and Blessings Drum Brother!

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Right on, brother! Keep it up and you'll see amazing progress!

[@Ranger1216]

….somehow just looking at it over and over records better in the mind than too much verbal explanation. OK. Out then In…is a start. Very motivating video…..excellent….thank you -I must now focus on thumb and fingers……

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

So glad you're so involved in the lessons! The kind of detailed viewing and questions you bring show you're serious about mastery, and that's phenomenal! Yes, definitely focus on the thumb! It's overlooked too often, and it's an amazing and versatile lever for so much! Keep at it and you'll get it!

[@drummermikeclark]

Yeah man!!!

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

: )

[@raydean6029]

Hello just wondering if there is a way to communicate one on one or a website to join? Thanks

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Hey Ray, you can email [e-mail].

[@Megalodoon]

This is amazing but confusing. Is the tempo rubato intentional? I would be very interested to hear those left hand figures against a constant pulse (click or jazz ride) and hear straight, swung and rubato examples. Also, I for one am totally lost on the mechanics he is trying to explain with the left hand. He mentions pull-out, pull-in, walk, wiggle. It would be really helpful to know what the component movements are. Inspiring demonstration, nonetheless!

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Ian, so glad you asked these questions. It's not actually rubato. It's not with a click, but there is a consistent pulse. It can feel rubato, though because it's Jazz so a little laid back. But also because John's playing 3, 5, and 7 note combinations accented sometimes on and sometimes off the felt downbeat, which is actually how old Jazz cats used to train vocalists who had no feel to come in correctly. As far as the mechanics go, this might be a frustrating answer, but it's really important. The key to getting the mechanics is not to watch the hands too closely. Listen as he's talking about each of the mechanics and see if you can pick out the sound each of the mechanics produces. Treat it like if you're listening to a drum track and you really want to learn by ear not just what the rhythms and surfaces are that the drummer's playing but also what sounds the drummer is producing. Then you'd have to head to your kit and experiment with your movements until you got to the "aha" moment of getting the sound. This ain't easy, but the level of minute ear training and sensitivity you gain, and getting that tied directly into your hands (and feet) as the translators, is invaluable. That said, John will be doing more vids on this stuff so you'll also have a chance to get more granular with them. I gotta say also that I've been studying with John for 35 years. Last year I finally allowed him to convince me to adopt traditional grip. John's lessons with me have been phenomenal on traditional grip, and I'm in the studio nightly getting to know these mechanics minutely. It's literally life changing. Nothing beats some one-to-one lessons, and you may want to go that direction with John to get further into this. Spectacular teacher.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Ian, wanted to let you know we're posting the left hadn't techniques in slow motion tomorrow (Monday December 20th). I think this will help you considerably with all the mechanics and techniques. Hope it helps. Let us know.

[@Gk2003m]

0:39: I can do that, at that speed. Relaxed, for minutes at a time. But I cannot do it slower! Unless I drop the speed in half; everything in between is uncontrolled. And I cannot move it around the kit while doing it. My objective is to get control over the snare hand at ALL speeds, and get comfortable enough moving it around the kit.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

The key is to not rely on bounce. Use your forearm (not wrist, forearm! Your wrist doesn't move at all if you're moving properly in traditional grip. It can't. Hold your forearm really tightly and try to move your wrist in that position and you'll see.). And use your thumb and each of your fingers except the pinky (which just goes along beneath the wring finger to support it). Really study the way each finger and different combinations of them can be used to manipulate and control the stick. I mean really study it, get to know it, day after day, get super curious with it. Practice a lot first with your hand open and the stick nestled in your thumb fulcrum. You gotta strengthen the forearm to support the stick movement in both directions. Not just down. No bounce! Move the stick down and back up and down and up. Practice at different slow, medium, and faster tempos until you get that forearm movement. Then add the thumb wiggle and other fingers and experiment with them at slower, medium, and faster tempos. Watch John's hands in the video. Make sure you're forearm and hand are aligned in the open position and you're moving out, not in on singles, and out to in and back on doubles and not the reverse. Hope this helps. If you need more help with it after doing the above I'd suggest scheduling a lesson with John through the website. www.JohnHvastaDrums.com

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Ring finger : )

[@cbasbwoyETP]

what is the purpose of the numbers on the pads? bless

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Hey Chris, this video will show you. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lV6vl4Joa9h2r7M

[@SonorGeek05]

Anyone else's hand and wrist burning like crazy from watching this?

[@peppertennis]

It’s great but can you slow it down !

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

I'm assuming you're asking for some slow motion on the hand, which we can and will make happen in future vids. Just want to be sure that's what you mean, or are you talking about going at a slower pace in explaining things? Thanks for asking. That's how we know how best to be of help.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Check out our next video coming out tomorrow (Monday December 20th). Same left hand techniques but slowed down. Since you and some others asked, we wanted to be sure to put this one out ASAP.

[@dr.timschurig234]

Great technique, but I wished there was a more systematic explaination. It's hard to figure out how he really does the taps and the accents because he demonstrates everything so unbelievable fast.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Tim, we've gotten a few requests to do some slow-motion sections, and we'll do that in future vids. For accents experiment with accenting by moving your thumb down into the stick. Then experiment with flicking your wrist (forearm is what actually rotates, but I say wrist since that's how you might think of the movement at first) out (away from your body). These only require small movements, so ultimately aim for those but if you gotta be bigger and clumsy about it for a bit, that's natural. Just diligently and systematically study how to make the smallest, while powerfully accented, movements in that regard. Really take a scientific "field study" of your hand, thumb, and forearm mechanics.

[@dr.timschurig234]

@@JohnHvastaDrums Okay thanks, but I think people would be interested in a full lesson on finger technique and how your approach relates to famous techniques like Moeller. Greetings from Germany

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

We'll make that happen for you, Tim.

[@dr.timschurig234]

@@JohnHvastaDrums looking forward to it. Important topic.👍😀

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Check out our next video coming out tomorrow (Monday December 20th). Same left hand techniques but slowed down. Since you and some others asked, we wanted to be sure to put this one out ASAP.

[@farshimelt]

I don't see the connection between left-hand speed and playing Jazz. Obviously, hand speed is worth developing but Jazz is not about speed, it's about feeling.

[@JohnHvastaDrums]

Jazz players who may have great feel can feel limited in the range of their expression by lacking speed. Definitely, in any genre except showing off speed in and of itself is a poor choice to go after. But if you feel hemmed in with the range of your expression in Jazz then your feel will suffer from that constraining factor. Also, for gigging and session drummers, speed is vital (as is great feel, of course) in case a band is asking you to play up tempo. We're doing videos every week on all sorts of Jazz drumming approaches. Speed's just one of them. But your point is well taken, especially since drummers do tend to gravitate towards speed as a measure of excellence and perhaps would be better to focus on feel (and sound and articulation) above speed should they have to choose.

[@elee9056]

illegal drumming i agree