Developing your hand speed..Slow down to Speed Up..

We all drummers like to play fast when starting out learning new beats and rolls BUT its very important that you learn to 'slow down to speed up' . So what does this mean ? Well it really means that,

a. You start with a Metronome and keep it simple by playing QUARTER notes counting loudly

b. Gradually move to EIGHTH note count when comfortable and able to play for a full minute in sync with the metronome

c. Finally move to SIXTEENTH note count and play it consistently for a full minute keep comfortably

Once you have done the above, the next step is to play these in patterns while counting loudly with the metronome. Here is how it should look like,

TEMPO = Quarter Notes + Eighth Notes + Sixteenth Notes + Quarter Notes

COUNT / CLAP =  1 2 3 4 + 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & +  1E&A 2E&A 3E&A 4E&A + 1 2 3 4

PLAY = 1 2 3 4 + 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & +  1E&A 2E&A 3E&A 4E&A + 1 2 3 4

Start at 60 BPM  and gradually increase by 10 BPM when fully comfortable. Keep going till you have reached about 150 BPM and very comfortable keep timing and rhythm !

Finally when you have reached this level introduce the 32nd NOTE count into your playing as follows,

Example 1 : Sixteenth Notes + Thirty Second Notes + Sixteenth Notes + Thirty Second Notes

COUNT / CLAP =  1E&A + (2E&A + 2E&A) + 3E&A + (4E&A + 4E&A)

PLAY = 1E&A + (2E&A + 2E&A) + 3E&A + (4E&A + 4E&A)

Example 2 :  Thirty Second Notes + Sixteenth Notes +Thirty Second Notes + Sixteenth Notes

COUNT / CLAP =  (1E&A + 1E&A) + 2E&A + (3E&A + 3E&A) + 4E&A

PLAY = (1E&A + 1E&A) + 2E&A + (3E&A + 3E&A) + 4E&A

Once you have mastered these insert other combinations of Eighth notes and Quarter notes along with your Thirty Second notes. NOTE - at all time start SLOW and gradually build up your speed without sacrificing your accuracy and sense of rhythm !