Again(!), it seemed that way to you because you failed to inform yourself on the subject of church drummers. Thomas Pridgen is a black church drummer currently playing rock. The cross-over is endless and the distinction is false. Who doesn't know this stuff?

I have explained it twice now for johnnyringo; I cannot understand it for him.

Do you really think this is helpful for Robyn to teach her boy? Baseless negative value judgements on some of the most respected musicians in the world? Forget rudiments because they're boring? I can't figure out your motivation here.

Luckily in the end your motivation is of no consequence in the larger context. And now here is a wicked clip of Dave Weckl exhibiting tons of imagination coupled with razor-honed technique - a combination that can't be beat!

A person could even pick up a trick or two...:)

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqdha2x18l4"]Performance Spotlight: Dave Weckl - YouTube[/ame]

A little note on that Weckl clip - notice in the bass drum pedal cut-away frame that he is not "burying the beater". Now there is video evidence on youtube that he used to bury the beater. This is when your stance at the drums includes your BD foot always pressing the beater into the head, and when each beat on the BD leaves the beater pressed hard against the head, no bounce back.

I find it interesting because this represents an evolution in approach to technique by an already monstrously accomplished drummer.

The deal, as I understand it, is that if you bury the beater you will not get the full tone from the bass drum [my reason for not burying the beater from my earliest days], and that if you have to play a show on someone else's drums, and they don't have the BD stuffed full of pillows [the usual deal with beater burying], then you will have problems with the bounce back of the BD head after each stroke.

While this is a matter of preference and not strictly a "bad habit", there are many many other areas where bad habits can be formed without proper attention to stance and technique. Phil Collins had to stop playing due to injuries to his spine from playing hunched over all those years. It's worth getting things right from the get go.

Here's a clip on stance. It's the logic I'm currently following, most notably the splayed feet; if you're facing the audience dead-on, the bass drum should be angled slightly outward...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_VNbp00_Lk"]Drum Set Posture - Free Drum Lessons - YouTube[/ame]

I would posit that "famous and successful" has a lot more to do with luck; who you know, being in the right place at the right time etc., but "good" or "excellent" is tied firmly to natural talent and time spent on the instrument. My understanding is that Robyn would like to teach her son to be good at the instrument. It doesn't do to just say, "well Charlie Watts is nothing special so don't worry about it son..."

For sure, most of the music I listen to has pretty simple straight forward drumming, not wizardry. But if you have this stuff in your back pocket you can put that amazing little thing in the song with confidence every time. It's a way to ensure you're not constantly trying to play above your level.

On top of all this, I simply reject the notion that learning proper technique is boring; maybe a bit at first, but like I say once you get it going it's like you're doing a high-wire act and a very freeing feeling.

Mitch

I think the most helpful thing Robyn can do for Ryan is to let him listen to all kinds of music and let him play along with his favorite ones. The technique will find it's way into his playing once he figures out what the drummer is doing.

Robyn said - "what comes natural to some...i have to learn n work hard on, its sucks coz what i hear in my head is perfect, but to make my hands do the same...it doesnt sound the same."

The answer to this is rudiments. And hours of practice. It finds it's way into nothing; you have to work.

Playing along with your favourite tunes is a fantastic idea [not sure why you didn't just say this in the first place rather than taking the time to call the clip I posted on technique boring], but coupled with a regimen of rudimentary practice, is the most helpful thing, I think.

I'm not talking "Whiplash" here lol, but ignoring technique is only good for watching everyone else who is working it pass you by...

IMHO,

Mitch

Dave Weckl lacks imagination......?Then you've never listened to the man play.......There's more going on there than most other drummers.It's his technique,that lets him play the things he does,not the other way around.

BTW Robin......rudaments are important,but just the shear joy of playing ,is probably most important,and he looks to be VERY happy,with sticks in hand.Just encourage,and nurture ,that feeling.The rest will take care of itself.

Steve B

ok guys...NO MORE ARGUMENTS! or i will have to send you to your room. :)

johnnyringo-you stated your opinion on racism. no one involved in this thread agrees so let it go, no use arguing about it, it wont change anything. you have rights to your opinion, and if you dont like what you see or hear in that video, dont play it any more. rether it was racist or not, it is helping me, it is a very good exercise for me to practice, which im doing. as i practice, Ryan is watching me and learning. and that...my dear... is what it is all about.

everyone else- thank you for posting the videos and you advice. i've looked it all over and keep coming back to listen,watch and read it all over again. it is all useful to me and will use it all to improve my drumming and make it easier to teach Ryan. thank you for your help guys. and please dont argue opinion any more...all it does is coz opinion to stand firm and try to prove its point even more. it is useless.

Hee hee, I had way too much time on my hands yesterday!

And speaking of "time on hands", [heh], I'd like to add this - if you take any given rudiment, and give it just one hour a day, for one week, I predict massive improvement. I guarantee at least noticeable improvement. It's just muscle memory and it really does work!

The great thing is you can do it while watching TV, or looking out the window, whatever - just grab some sticks and a pillow and start tapping it out. A pillow is good because you don't get the bounce back on the stick you would get from a drum, so that when you take the rudiment to the drum, and you do have the bounce back, well then you're gonna fly! Just make sure when using the pillow that you snap the stick back fully to upright position after each stroke.

The main thing is not to think about mastering all the rudiments at once, like you have to grind it 6 hours a day or whatever - just pick one and learn the beauty of it slowly, for fun.

Here's a clip where the dude says 10 minutes a day - sweet! It's a wondrful gift you're giving Ryan, talk about quality time together!

Mitch

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjidGr4UHc8"]Practicing On A Pillow - Drum Lesson - YouTube[/ame]

FYI, this is yesterdays news, drummers have been practicing like this since time began, including the greatest drummer to play a rudiment, Buddy Rich.Bowing