Steady and Solid Left Foot Time - Right, for you Lefties

[oldmandrummer]

Wondered what you guys thought about your hi hat foot and its development?

Growing up playing in Jazz band, I felt my left foot was pretty solid as far as the 2 and 4 clicks. Then I somewhat started keeping straight 4 on the hats, depending on the tune. In the last couple years, I started paying more attention to the subtle nuances (like different hat techniques and other items such as ghost notes etc). I haven't really put the time into it that I should have, but I find there is a really neat sound when playing 16ths with your hand on the hat and also quarters with your foot. If you check out the vid below, you will see what I mean right in the beginning of this vid. I find its not that easy to do either when you got your bass drum kicks in there too. What I want to develop and really dig how the time is defined, is at about 1:08 - hyper-speed left foot Ok, so I can do that hyper-speed left foot, but adding the kick, just blows that independence out of the water. Any suggestions, or help to develop this? Again, its the independence of keeping that steady go on the left and mixing it up with your kick - not always easy to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_DmXMfen9s

[chiphead]

My synchronization of my left foot with my kick and just about everything else sucks. I'm working on it but often find myself just letting it do nothing so I can focus on everything else. I know, practice, practice, practice but I find it THE most frustrating thing.

[Jack_]

I'm a total noob, but have you guys looked at Thomas Lang's Creative Control DVD? He seems to emphasize that what you can do with your hands, you should be able to do with your feet. He seems to have some good practice regimens. I'm only working with the first one so far, but it seems to have helped my left foot a little already. But then again, I'm a total noob.

YMMV

[oldmandrummer]

I'm a total noob, but have you guys looked at Thomas Lang's Creative Control DVD? He seems to emphasize that what you can do with your hands, you should be able to do with your feet. He seems to have some good practice regimens. I'm only working with the first one so far, but it seems to have helped my left foot a little already. But then again, I'm a total noob.

YMMV

Yeah Lang is about the most technically advanced percussionist on the planet. He does 3 on one limb, 4 on another, 6 on another and texts his wife on another....so yeah after 30 years of playing, I'm a 'noob' if we are talking about thomas lang. Was more looking for strategies and advice from more of 'hack' drummers than 'god'. Those videos just reinforce how much I do suck and are more defeating than encouraging and educational

[Jack_]

Those videos just reinforce how much I do suck...

I know how you feel!

[oldmandrummer]

this is what I feel about Lang - love the talent, but a few stars from my planet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWYLZdQai1k

[mrjeff1s]

I do alot of hi hat work 8th's 16's and I think thats what caused my fd-8 to stop working. lol Jeff

[Jack_]

this is what I feel about Lang - love the talent, but a few stars from my planet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWYLZdQai1k

ROTFLMAO! That was funny! I was a bit dissapointed though not seeing both of his legs flying around at the same time! That was hillarious!

[Hercules]

Hi Guys,

HH is always the hard bit isn't it?
No rebound to leverage like you can with the kick and pads but it's oh so important to the fullness and subtlety of your playing.....
To rebuild some technique I spent some time last week using "Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer" by Jim Chapin (ominously subtitled Volume 1.... ) but I played the exercises only with my feet
- the benefits after just a few 20min sessions were really noticable - less brain stress and more time to think about the artistry....and that HH just kept bouncing along - highly recommended

Happy tappin'

[John.b]

Dont know if this will make any sense to you but I played Rock & Roll, Soul and Rock Blues for 25 years and never really paid the Hihat much attention. For me, the hihat was like a spring board to launch the right foot kick into action. Like an action / reaction thing, and I still do it now. Yea Ill use the hit closed to open sound occasionally for effect, but generally, its just part of a balancing act.

My FD 8 closing click was always crap anyway and now it dont work at all, but for me its not a problem. Basically its just there to balance and time my kicking.

[oldmandrummer]

Dont know if this will make any sense to you but I played Rock & Roll, Soul and Rock Blues for 25 years and never really paid the Hihat much attention. For me, the hihat was like a spring board to launch the right foot kick into action. Like an action / reaction thing, and I still do it now. Yea Ill use the hit closed to open sound occasionally for effect, but generally, its just part of a balancing act.

My FD 8 closing click was always crap anyway and now it dont work at all, but for me its not a problem. Basically its just there to balance and time my kicking.

yeah makes sense, but probably typical of 85% of drummers today. There are so many subtleties and nuances that add tons by getting the hat involved more...sure they aren't necessary to laying down decent time and groove, but to just use the left foot as a 'springboard' for slamming a kick seems like selling yourself short

Here is another example - hat stomp - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orRddsaD4q4

[oldmandrummer]

check this dude out - the cymbal chokes and hat work near the end

[John.b]

yeah makes sense, but probably typical of 85% of drummers today. There are so many subtleties and nuances that add tons by getting the hat involved more...sure they aren't necessary to laying down decent time and groove, but to just use the left foot as a 'springboard' for slamming a kick seems like selling yourself short

Here is another example - hat stomp - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orRddsaD4q4

Your right there mate. Thats me. No finesse what-so-ever.

I think most guys do it unconsciously. Play an intricate kick pattern then do it again with your foot off the hihat and see what happens. Ill bet youll be pushing your foot into the floor to achieve the same accuracy.

[rythm]