The Advantages Of Open-Handed Drumming (Ambidexterity Lesson)

[@tlkshowhst]

Simon should have his own podcast about drums. He’s got a soothing voice and cadence, plus wisdom to boot.

[@TheGhostNotePodcast]

Simon ASMR? 🤔educational AND sonically satisfying

[@fgrady1]

When I first heard Simon speak, I thought could he be related to Eric Idle? Naw!

[@funkyfrank1980]

@@fgrady1 he even looks a bit like him

[@KeathPatterson]

I fully and unreservedly support this suggestion.

[@Drummermedic.]

I approve of this idea.

[@sergiozdrums]

I decided to play open handed 3 years ago!! Simon was one of the drummers that inspired me to make that change

[@frederf69]

how have you found hat playing?

[@sergiozdrums]

@@frederf69 as Simon said at the beginning it is difficult especially if you have been playing for many years but I really find it rewarding and helpful because it opens a new door in your creativity

[@frederf69]

@@sergiozdrums hand foot coordination

[@HugoStiglitz88]

I used to play open handed a ton because my right hand would get tired sometimes, and because I'm left handed playing a righty kit The problem is, i could never get used to doing ghost notes with my right hand because they've always been such a huge part of my playing so I feel like I'm handicapping myself by playing open handed so I just went back to cross stick and now can't even do the basic songs I used to open handed. I should probably try to do it more though TBH Not everything needs ghost notes... on second thought, that's a lie, everything should have ghost notes, even metal LOL (legit, the GOAT metal drummer AKA Matt Hallpern is infamous for using ghost notes constantly so I'm only half joking)

[@hubbsllc]

Same, same, same - circa 2000.

[@GoodLifeMedicine]

I love how top level drummers play the simplest beat and it sounds fantastic. It is a central mystery and beauty in music.

[@mastod0n1]

The "mystery" is ghost notes, dynamics, and precision.

[@suijuris7921]

After 41 years of playing x-handed, I began playing open-handed 4 years ago after seeing Simon play that way. Who says old dogs can't learn new tricks? Seriously, it is the best thing I have ever learned, when it comes to drums.

[@ballhawk387]

I've done the same, after not having played quite so long. It just plain makes sense.

[@kiddster2112]

Hallelujah brother!

[@scottdorfler2551]

Its amazing how many great drummers were influenced by Billy Cobham. Everyone remembers the first time they saw Billy play the drums. I remember the first time I saw Simon. It was the Who's farewell farewell farewell tour at RFK stadium around 1989-90. I was so far away I'd watch Simon do a fill on the giant screen and hear it 2 seconds later. Life-changing show. I remember him playing lefthanded that night. He was perfect for the Who!

[@chrisggoodwin777]

I am by no means an extremely accomplished drummer, but I have most of the "basic" beats down well. I used the 30 Day Drummer course to challenge myself to lead with my left hand and foot instead of my natural right side. It's still difficult to play ghost notes and more complex syncopation, but it's a great start to feeling a little more free around the kit

[@DrumeoOfficial]

That's such a creative way to work through 30-Day Drummer. So stoked you're seeing progress on your left side!

[@milliondollarbike]

i have played open handed for years and still struggle with ghost notes.

[@earlhayes2969]

that's awesome im gonna give it a shot

[@wolfumz]

@@milliondollarbike ha! I'm just getting started on open handed, and I can't believe how crass and loud my ghost notes are. I'm trying to whisper on the snare very softly with my dominant hand... and it goes WHAM!, lol. Just, the prefect rimshot.

[@drewbocop]

Thaaat's me. Left handed but right handed set up. It's always been advantageous for me. Plus I'm good at riding with my right hand too. I'm very weird in that i golf and bat right handed, throw left handed, etc. It's generates a lot of power in golfing and batting too. I used to be insecure about my open handed playing but as I grew older I noticed more and more of the drummers I watched doing the same thing and it gave me confidence.

[@Metragnome_Images]

"Give Blood" is one the most energetic and kick arse drum beats ever... Simon Phillips is the best.

[@Imnotthevillian77]

Carter Beauford is another legendary open hand drummer.

[@tomtoms15]

With the dave matthews band?

[@robertginsburg8113]

I believe Billy Cobham (5th Dimension, Mahavishnu Orchestra) may have been the first well known drummer to have used this technique shortly followed by Lenny White (Return to Forever) and believe both were a big influence on Simon in particular Billy.

[@oscarmckee1471]

I started drumming right handed...but play open handed now..and it made me a much better drummer over all..with a lot of practice..i have rides on bothsides..and 2 sets of hats one on each side..keep on drumming..

[@davidcole8200]

I am 68 years old and am still learning some of the basics. I find this so very helpful. I've done a lot of crossover stuff on the hi hat and have tried to become more ambidextrous and this video really helps. It more than anything inspires me to free up my right hand and do more. Thanks!!!!!!!

[@hextal75]

Simon is a genius, doctor drums. Best sounding drummer ever!

[@tae-yunlee7658]

Virtuoso. So cool to see him still nailing "Give Blood" note for note 35 years later !

[@rosemaryblues7232]

How inspiring. I came to drumset v late and I found listening to Simon and seeing his approach, so kindly and accessible. I have a great teacher, and seeing Simon's video, pushes me even further to get better and more proficient on this instrument. Thankyou. Rosemary 🥁

[@SteveSam66]

Simon’s playing has always been inspiring.

[@blenderpete]

My favorite drummer of ALL times. He‘s the greatest!

[@PaulLea]

Hi Simon, I found your clip fascinating. I taught myself the drums age 15 in 1975 in New Zealand on my 1st kit ($40 2nd hand kit). I'm right handed in everything except drumming. I taught myself using my records and songs on the radio by myself in my bedroom. Back then as a kid I never knew drummers usually played with crossed arms. I thought... the logical way to play would be to use your left hand for the high hat seeing it is on the left, the snare is next to it kind of in front of the right hand, so right hand hits the snare. Thats how I thought everyone played. About a year later I realised I had taught myself to play left handed. It works well for me and I still love playing my drums that way today at age 62 but now in Denmark.

[@berigter]

My favorite drummer of all time 💖

[@AG-cg7lk]

I started out playing completely open handed with a kit layout that is not usual too. There was a time when I almost switched to a lefty setup. I am left handed at some things, right handed at others. I settled on a pretty typical righty setup, but my ride still sits above my hihat, and I play open handed almost exclusively, for the same reason you showed. Just feels way more natural to me.

[@jansbamusic4778]

this is a great insight in a part that made Simon stand out in the industry, how to confront obstacles in your playing and break those barriers... and that just because he wanted it to look great 😅!...amazing

[@pablovazquez8386]

Always learning with Simon!

[@mumblbeebee6546]

I love his drumming and I love his talking about drums, one of my favourite musicians and teachers! And of course I am grateful to Drumeo for bringing this to me for the price of watching some ads - which I do. Worth it! Just one leeetle thing - too many video edits :) or rather - unnecessary ones. 06:52 for example - cutting right when the fill starts is just disrupting Simon’s point here. Either shot would have done fine for this segment. But apart from that (and I may be the only one who minds!) this is so nice to have - thank you!

[@actuallynotsteve]

Actually started open hand on a rightie kit, but am experimenting with open hand on a leftie kit. It's super helpful to play both ways, it helps you develop equal limb accuracy.

[@manolocorp]

No wonder why Simon Phillips is such a fantastic drummer. Imagine seeing Billy Cobham when you were a teenager; that's a life-changing experience.

[@gregwonhoff7161]

I love your honesty when you mentioned that as an 18 year old, looks seemed to matter more than than the functionality of your kit. I am 72 yes old and hate to admit it, but I am quite like that today. I am not a gigging drummer, as I do all of my playing in my basement along to cds, so I am able to kind of get why with it. My set is pretty much a pieced together Frankenstein set, but to me, it looks cool, and if that is what keeps me motivated it’s all good. Thank you for the interesting lesson. Now I am going to attempt to teach myself to play open handed.

[@lonniecoleman973]

I’ve always been an open handed drummer this gives me reassurance to really work on my craft Thankyou !

[@briansansone]

I put my hats dead center just behind the snare, then mirror image toms and cymbals left and right. Never looking back. I'm learning not only leading with left and/or right, but playing the groove without even thinking about or even knowing which hand I'm leading with. Just two hands, two feet , a symmetrical drum layout, and the beat. I got the idea from watching a left handed drummer playing right handed kit. His groove was very unique compared the other drummers in band class.

[@leifmorris5114]

I will try this..a lefty here .thanks

[@1manrcvids286]

This resonated with me. I started out playing left hand lead and righty with the foot. It felt natural to me even though I was a righty. The challenge for me was moving my ride cymbal from the left side to the right side to become fully open handed. Now I switch lead hands on the fly. I also try to learn all beats righty and lefty. I eventually added a ride back on the left side to spice things up. Now I think I should put a set of hihats on the right side, lol. Cheers, Mr. Philips

[@LordHarvestA]

Holy s**t! As a lefty drummer for 20+ years, I NEVER once thought to move the ride to the left side. It's so freakin obvious now! Thank You Simon! You're a genius and I feel like a dumbass.

[@rohailtaimourInc]

There’s certain advantages to doing that when you’ve got more toms. The ride takes a lot of space on the right, while the left, next to the hat mostly has a lot more space. I find it a more ergonomic setup

[@RogierRJDonker]

I love that you guys managed to get Simon. I've been waiting for this! If you ever manage Dave Weckl I'm going nuts! Thanks Drumeo!

[@anthonypalmer2319]

I sadly doubt that Dave Weckl will come on Drumeo. He has recorded hours of material of his own online drum school. It makes no commercial sense for him to devalue his own school and effectively promote Drumeo. Drumeo is just amazing!

[@RogierRJDonker]

@@anthonypalmer2319 yeah, but it would be a good promo in my opinion. Maybe... just maybe

[@anthonypalmer2319]

I mean you are totally right. Dave Weckl has been really good at producing quality educational resources going back years. The book Dave Weckl 'The Next Step' is very black with notes and some parts are just ridiculously difficult at speed.

[@RogierRJDonker]

@@anthonypalmer2319 he is just on another level. But seeing him at Drumeo and him promoting his school would be great. His technique and touch is just something else.

[@ManWithNoName2007]

Simon is a legendary drummer!

[@ididyermom3273]

I love playing open handed and have been working on it for years and years. Whenever I practice something with my right hand, I'll then try it with my left and sometimes even left foot leading. Great for your brain!

[@ktvx.94]

Yess I went ambidextrous and open-handed around 10 years ago and found the same benefits! For faster stuff I tend to revert to closed hand, there's still that bit of discomfort with the left and it's making my life harder than it needs to be. But having the right playstyle for different situations is great.

[@MNDrummer]

I received my first drum set when I was around 10 years old. It was the same year MTV started and I certainly didn't have access to it at that time. I am right-handed, but since I never saw anyone play the drums before I started using my left hand on the hi-hat. Sometime over the next couple of years one of my brothers sat down on my kit and started playing and they were playing cross with the right hand lead on the hi-hat. I thought this was the strangest thing. I started practicing with right-hand lead and found it very difficult at first. Good thing I was young so I adapted quickly. I have since played mostly with my right leading, but I have maintained some decent ability to lead with my left. I would encourage new players to play both ways and get as much independence as they can. I'm always amazed to see Simon play. He is amazing.

[@oldludwig]

I've been playing both ways now for several years and although still essentially a right lead player, I have found the most difficult part of left leading is retraining your right hand to play all the grace and passing notes. The other difficult thing is gaining the finer motor skills with the left hand and fingers, particularly in faster pieces of music. Overall however, I love that left lead provides a much better BALANCE when sitting at the kit.. It has definitely improved the accuracy and power of my bass drum notes!

[@doofs]

Wow this is super timely! I recently tired the same exercise myself to work on my left, noticed all my favourite drummers are lefties. seeing this is super motivating!

[@coajrmusic]

The drum kit is my second instrument, but I've got a 'thing' happening. I am truly left-handed, but playing conventionally. I have an aux/closed hi-hat on my right side, and when I go to it, my stronger left hand has easy access to all the toms. The other bonus is that although I train as a right-handed drummer, leading with my left comes quite naturally, which gives me options, even as an intermediate drummer. Changing direction, for example, not too difficult for me (on a 7 piece) to go around and back, using proper sticking. Or leading with the left, while going right, causing that different sound Simon mentioned. Its not open-hand, but an aux hat is something a lefty playing conventionally might want to consider.

[@hubbsllc]

I stopped playing about 10 years ago but a dozen years or so before that I decided to go full-commit and learned how to ride with either hand and generally play open-armed at the kit. It was definitely worth it. Do not feel like you have to be able to do everything you did riding with the dominant hand with the other hand; just focus on being able to do anything and everything cleanly and solidly. You may never get "equal" but that's okay. Maybe you'll do stuff riding with the other hand that you wouldn't otherwise have done. Let me share a tip: I found swing ride with the other hand to be awful. I sounded like crap. But what I did to help was to put on some swing tunes to play along with and just sit there riding with *both* hands; your good hand will teach the other hand. Trust me - it works! BTW it was Simon on "Give Blood" that gave me the impetus. I loved how that looked and sounded - so balanced and poised. Freaks out most all other drummers too, and if you do what I did and saw off a few inches of HH center rod so you can lower the HH cymbals and place toms partially over them, other drummers will balk at playing on your kit! :)

[@kiddster2112]

I started open handed 40 years ago after seeing Simon and Billy doing it. I had a lot of toms at that time, so Simon’s explanation now makes perfect sense. Another benefit is that I can switch limbs if one is getting tired.. they become a sort of tag team, although I also occasionally suffer from not switching brain hemispheres quickly enough when switching limbs. Of course to do both your hi hat has to be high enough for right handed playing.

[@gregnkatia]

About 10 years ago I discovered ambidextrous drumming via Mike Mangini. As a lefty, this made sense, but, I never considered my leftism to be an asset in drumming. Why, because we live in a right dominant world. At one point I set up 2 kits, one right the other left and gave that a shot. But, being left handed on a left facing kit was way too weird at my age, plus, no open mics catered to this setup. Now, I play both open and crossed handed, with the intent of converting to fully open handed playing by the New Year. This is true freedom Simon. It's good to be left handed!

[@Kritikateur]

What a killer drummer Simon Phillips has always been. He is like red wine...the older he gets the better he tastes! Love him. C.A.😀

[@petermoeller5901]

That was the best drumming video in a while. Making it look so easy always motivates me to try. (And I know it's not as easy as he makes it look...) Great stuff!

[@tombrenes2411]

Great content The remote hi hat did it for me

[@metronomeforchristmas1018]

I have been away from the kit for years due to overuse injuries in my left hand. Currently re-approaching it teaching both hands to lead. I have the ride of my left and the hats on the right. Going well so far.

[@RamonOchoaMusic]

I switched to open hand in 1999 after many years of playing righty. I’m left handed and it took a full year to relearn. Ergonomically I still like having the first tom higher in the air like Hellhammer’s setup.

[@minasvasilakis1]

Although I am not fond of the fusion genre and its origins, I have total respect for Simon Phillips for what he has accomplished with his playing!

[@robote7679]

First saw him live in 1980 and he's been a favorite ever since.

[@hillarycourchaine6829]

absolutely love Simon Philips, he's an amazing drum teacher.

[@dilshanjayathilake4647]

Wonderfully explained. I do both open handed and cross handed at the same time in my gigs I play in

[@ballhawk387]

I've recently transitioned to playing mostly open-handed, also inspired by Simon Phillips, and it is very nice to have those sticks out of the way of each other.

[@3D-PHASE]

Great video, funny and inspiring. I was thinking about setting the hihat on the right hand side of the kit. Benefit: the freedom to let the left hand drive over the toms while the right hand continues to play on HH. I mean instead of getting a lefthand drummer. Whereas flipping from righthand to lefthand surely increases your skills a lot. Simon I love your sound!!!! ❤

[@toddshook1765]

Thank you for going over this topic. I am learning drums and trying to figure if better open or close. I feel more comfortable open; like you said it leaves right hand to lead. My left hand is my weak side and have not started to work on kick drum yet. All your demonstrations are great.

[@jimbob3038]

Beautiful tone on his Kit 👌🏻

[@roloduarte3100]

I love Simon's playing and personality.

[@kajtekii4666]

I had recently though about "reconfiguring" my lead hand... Interesting timing for this video, thank you

[@TheHammersmashdave]

my natural comfort as a child learning to play was to play open handed, but on a "right hand" standard kit setup, using my right foot as a lead kick drum foot, but starting all double bass patterns with my left foot, always thinking left-to-right. never made any sense to me any other way, and as I developed more and studied players I realized how weird I was for it. spent a lot of time working on building the ability to play standard right hand leading, so I could be more like the rest of the drummers I loved. I'm glad I did because it inadvertently built ambidexterity I am now so thankful for. I used to think it was a curse I had to overcome, until I found Simon and he showed me it was actually a gift I should develop even further.

[@dandydenni1615]

I’m not a musician or drummer either. Just stumbled upon this. Very fascinating and interesting! You rock brother!!!

[@jasonmusic9938]

5:15 i play cross sticked but i learned a technique in a book that you can continue playing the missing beats on the hat by just playing with the left and then using your right to hit the toms, well pretty much switch to open, then you can switch back.

[@conors4430]

This was great. I first started on drums, I was left-handed with mostly everything in life, but the people teaching me couldn’t be bothered to switch the right-handed kit to a left-handed kit Every time they gave me lessons, so I just had to learn how to play Right-handed. I always wondered about an open hand configuration, but I always seemed to come across very traditionalist drum teachers, who were very adamant about the right and wrong way to drum. I am from a punk rock background, so as far as I’m concerned, there is no right and wrong way to play music as long as it sounds good. This was a great video.

[@azwris]

Amazing story by the legend. I suggest you all listen to the album of Kings Of Mercia as well.

[@Idolikethis]

I am Ambidextrous! and drumming is making that stronger. so I'm excited to see this! Help me understand myself currently 🙃 I already do all these things hahaha!!! I'm left handed but write with both hands if I wish b

[@drummer57]

I started playing drums left handed and just change to right handed its the best thing I ever did now I can sit on a kit that set up left or right and love it I should have done it sooner

[@robertkees6048]

One thing that's transformed my playing is adding a ride for my left hand, one for the right, and I finally added my long stored second DW9000 bass drum pedal. I've always been a single pedal player, with one right handed ride. But now that I don't pay out anymore I finally added that second pedal and a left ride cymbal and it's just expanded my playing to places I never knew I could travel. I am a fully left handed person that learned to play right handed, guess I emulated how other drums were set up righty, never even saw a lefty. But with everything in my life left handed other than the drums, I've taken to it quickly, and the second bass pedal too, although I'm still righty dominant with both, but man my left side has had lots of living in the lead, so watch out right limbs. lol.

[@rolffiesel2558]

Very cool... followed him since MSG !!!

[@tor2112]

That was incredible!!

[@CJsGoProAdventures]

I am heavily left-handed, but was taught to play drums right-handed because it would have been too much effort for my drum teacher to switch the kit over. I've been told numerous times that I try to lead with my left, which can cause some issues. This looks like a cool playing style, I'll have to switch and see if anything feels a bit better.

[@angeloprofera3296]

Hell yess! Where you at?

[@Redhotlugnut]

The summer of 1991 I lowered my hi-hat to be just like Simon. I played along to the live Who concert that was aired the year before from the The Who farewell tour (the 2nd one lol). From there I started my drum lessons to play along with Gary Chester's The New Breed. I would go through twice with either hand. I got quite good actually. One thing I noticed was the lack of coordination between right and left. So I started doing lots with my left instead of my right. Like brushing my teeth or stirring my tea. I'm glad I learned how to play left handed but for the most part when you're laying it down and playing for the song (most songs I've played on are not prog or anything remotely fancy) the need to play off handed isn't really there. But the coordination lives on. So give it a try and see how you make out.

[@TeamYouphoric]

Been playing open-handed ever since discovering Bobby Jarzombek in high school. Definitely helped to develop my weak hand.

[@andywitch666]

Bobby did it to me too, being playing open handed for 15 years now!

[@TeamYouphoric]

@@andywitch666 the good thing is that I also play guitar so I'm able to keep my strong hand (picking hand) strong by practicing guitar and strengthen my weak hand by practicing drums. Still not good enough to play Spastic Ink though 🤣

[@oopsydaisy4637]

I only started playing a few months ago, I play the same way. I tried the normal way, it felt unatural to me. Glad I am by far not the only one. Thanks for the encouragement

[@randybrown8872]

I actually prefer open hand though it is a bit confusing at first, especially when switching hands between the hi-hat and ride.

[@JurajHatina]

Excellent video as always from Simon!👌

[@shellielharrisjr9371]

I'm A Blessed Bassist for Muchogrande Years...However when playing drums 🥁 🪘...I've allways Naturally been an " Open handed" drummer...I can play cross ✝️ handled aswell...Thanks for your Vlog...Keep up The Great Wrk Sir💜💯⭐🎰🌎🙏.

[@Metragnome_Images]

Can you do a video of Simon playing the full version of "Give Blood"? I could watch it all day......

[@camlendrim7609]

Talented guy. Ambidexterity is generally a natural gift and difficult to teach one’s self. 👌

[@artpena72]

i've played like that for over 25 years, and it makes a big difference in feel, and ideas.

[@beetlejews]

Made the switch 10 years ago thanks to Simon, best thing I’ve ever done. I changed my whole lifestyle around my left hand, brushing my teeth, picking up objects, boxing, training. Left all day, all the time.

[@casualbillionaire]

So my kid watched this video, then started to play "Purple Haze" open handed, and was like--oh wow, totally better. The video's message was immediately effective!

[@sspbrazil]

I am a lefty and I play guitar left handed, but my dominant hand and foot when I play drums are my right hand and right foot and I play on a right handed kit, Ringo and Phil Collins are left handed too and both have their own styles.

[@elijahdocjr.wilkins6201]

Thank you sir, from musician to musician.. Do'ly noted and applied. On musicianship!!!

[@LukeMXack]

I was taught from beginning to play left handed but I’ve always felt self conscious about it when so many people playing X, it’s comforting to know I’m not a weirdo

[@Luisifer_89]

I will do it cuz it’s amazing and I love Simon philips❤

[@seanstevenson46]

I am a righty that learned on a left. I play open handed all the time. It also looks cool to switch right to left, left to right

[@Big2bees]

I became an open handed drummer because I started with an improvised [water jug] drumkit which the bass drum had to be hit with my right hand (alternating with snare drum like sidewalk drummers/percussionists). Playing hihats with my left hand became ingrained until I started playing the standard drumkit with kick drum. But I taught myself to play the ride cymbal (at the right side) with my right hand like normal drummers do so I won't have to re-arrange the drum set up whenever we jam or gig with other bands.

[@pdxfunk]

I'm also a huge fan of Cobham and White...it has made me try to play LH hats several times but I always give up in frustration but really I should go back to trying again. It's got a lot of benefits

[@swivelken248chan6]

That is also what I practice a lot to game up the fills and feels. The open handed way. I have ton of my favorite drummers who uses the open handed way:Gene Hoglan, Mike Smith, Billy Cobham, Simon Phillips, Claus Hessler, etc

[@RandySeverino]

My Dad sent me to a drum cliniq with Billy Cobham in the 80s, Billy told me to go home and set my drum kit up left handed, and play like that for a week, Total game changer. I wish i stuck with it more.

[@andrerenault]

I (a righty) once went to the step of switching my drums around to make them left-handed, in order to strengthen my left side. It was fun, not the most viable experiment, but it was good to try.

[@grantjohnston7148]

An excellent exercise for anyone at any level is what I like to call the swing shift triplet, double swing shift triplet, and swing shift triplet paradiddle. Use the traditional triplet with right left bass, but then shift leed hand from right to left as you're doing the triplet. If you constantly shift leed hand you end up with the base drum in the middle of the two left or right hand notes while maintaining the groove, and to then transition to regular triplet flawlessly will greatly help any drummer with coordination. But the ultimate exercise for coordination, flow, and speed is the swing shift triplet paradiddle as you shift leed hand in paradiddle fashion. Then once you have a smooth flow between a regular triplet and the swing shift triplet paradiddle, this is an excellent exercise for any drummer at any level.

[@funland108]

I started drumming open handed in the 80’s because of Simon! Still have the ride cymbal on the right though!

[@im4dabirds]

great lesson

[@joefrancis715]

Loved Simon Phillips ever since he drummed on the theme tune to the BBC's Holiday in the 70s (Gordon Giltrap - Heartsong). Didn't realise it was his at the time - not surprising as I wasn't even a drummer then! But, then he popped up in Toyah's band - the drum beat on Good Morning Universe is still one of the best -check it out. Wanted to hear more about his left-hand ride cymbal - after years of trying, my arm still aches! Strange how Drumeo then showed a clip of him riding right-handed on a china????

[@deanroddey2881]

As a fairly recent arrival to the drums, despite being right handed, I specifically made the choice from day one to play open handed style. It was as much because I figured it would make it less likely that I would tend to play drum cliches as anything else. And I figured it's just got to be more efficient. I wouldn't play keyboards with my hands crossed most of the time. Since I did it from the start, I didn't have to unlearn anything. I'm not a performing musician, I just write songs and record them. So I don't have to sound like anyone else or emulate styles, and don't want to, so I purposefully tend to make those kinds of decisions. Like trying to play mostly finger style instead of using a pick. It just makes it more likely that I will gravitate to some unique style of my own, or at least a lot less like the status quo. I'm not as comfortable with that on electric as I am on acoustic, but I keep moving in that direction. And though I didn't know enough to do so for any subtle reasons; as he mentions, I lowered the hihat because it just doesn't need to be up high to keep my arms from banging into each other. But, it turns out it's a nice, relaxed way to play. It does mean that, at least for now until I get better, I'm pretty weak on the snare when using the right hand for the ride, though I could do what he did and switch the cymbals around as well. Another option is Danny Carey style, and put it in the center just above the snare. There's a lot to be said for that. You can get to it with either hand. I just noticed something Simon was doing that I didn't think of, which is to play the hihat instead of radially as most folks do. But i didn't see him doing any edge hits on the hihat, which seems like it would be harder playing across it like that unless you did it on the trailing edge instead of the leading edge.

[@shellbournian]

I misheard how a part was played like 20 years ago and have been playing open ever since. I still play with ride cymbal on the right though -- I like being able to keep time on either side of the mix without having to bring two of everything and/or rearranging the house kit like a crazy person.

[@nilsholgersson3409]

Could we please get the full “give blood” Performance?

[@mikaelsnare]

I play around a bit with left-hand lead on the hi-hat. If I'd start now I'd play the hi-hat with my left and the ride with my right, that would keep my hands pretty equal and I could use a "normal" setup so sitting in would be easier.

[@therustydrummer995]

I've played this way my entire life even though im right handed. I taught myself by ear and never thought anything about it until i was older. I play a lot of left hand lead fills, and left foot lead on triplet double bass. Im still trying to work on using my right foot more to lead, and also quad fills. I always do quad fils left foot and left hand lead. I guessy wires got crossed..😅

[@Herecowbentbar]

This was such an informative and incredible video keep ‘em coming

[@HugoStiglitz88]

One tip I'd like to add as a left handed drummer playing on righty kits is that with double bass, alternating, especially with triplets can be a really great thing to learn (RLR LRL RLR LRL, etc.). I noticed a lot of drummers when doing triplets will try to stick with right foot lead and do RLR over and over again instead of alternating RLR and LRL. The problem is there are some triplet patterns that are SO MUCH EASIER if you alternate and you can do straight triplet patterns a hell of a lot faster if you just alternate RLR LRL RLR LRL instead of trying to do RLR all the time. I alternate almost to a fault, like I don't even just alternate with triplets, even simple patterns I'm constantly alternating to where I almost never hit the same foot twice in a row (Unless my left foots on the hi hat pedal). but I find that when you really get used to this style of play, you just have a lot more control and ease with playing almost any pattern.

[@cameronlund8704]

That shirt is so accurate in regards to how his brain must partition itself in realtime when he plays like that. Jesus he's amazing.

[@reiyu4786]

Would love to hear more on the starting tom fills with the left hand lead. I've been playing open handed as a left hand drummer forever, but still struggle sometimes getting the same chops as other drummers who start with their right hand. I feel like some chops just aren't possible starting with left hand at this point..

[@IAmInfinitus208]

I'm struggling with my left hand, but over the months that despite being right-handed, I can do fills with my left while playing a left-handed configuration (I just want to play my own way instead of what everyone's doing, purely out of the idea to strengthen my left more). It's tricky but after awhile you get the hang of it!

[@oldsledpurgatory3595]

Been playing open handed for a few years now, but haven't committed to moving the ride cymbal to my left yet. Left hand on the hats. right hand on the ride seems to work the best for me.