Ninja Drummist - Official web site of session drummer and teacher Lewis Partridge. Free Drum Lessons, Drum Rudiments and Other Educational Resources.

Mon 2nd March, 2009

Views:

Video Rating:

A few people have asked about the different sounds or effects Im getting whilst playing a one handed roll (freehand technique). Please see my first video for a more detailed view of the technique itself.

I always try to make techniques or tricks as musical as possible if Im going to use them. I believe Johnny Rabb dubbed this technique the freehand technique as it provides you with just that, a free hand! So the next question is, what stuff can you do with the other hand? Also, can the technique be used to play rudiments and more interesting rhythmic patterns?

Mostly inspired by Johnny Rabb, I started to experiment with some of the possibilities and heres a few ideas I stumbled upon:

At 0:09, I am showing the trick John Blackwell uses in his Technique, Grooving, and Showmanship DVD. Staring with a double stroke roll and switching to the freehand technique. This works great in solos!

At 0:23, I am tuning the head up by pressing in the center with the other hand. At 0:34, Im tuning the head down by manipulating the air flowing around the head, place your arm around the edge of the drum and somehow this makes the head go down in pitch. This is great for the snare tuning tricks used in drum n bass.

At 0:53, Im demonstrating how the technique can be used to play rudiments and other rhythmic patterns. Starting with open 5 stroke rolls, 7 stroke rolls and 9 stroke rolls (you guys can fill in the rest). A good way to practice this is the question/answer type way Im playing it here, play it with both hands and then copy it with one!

At 1:40, Im showing Johnny Rabbs trick by playing rim clicks with the left whilst playing freehand technique on the left stick with the right hand. By pressing the butt of the left stick into the head, you can achieve a variety of different pitches. This can also be achieved by rolling the left stick across the head as seen at 2:03.At 2:38, Im demonstrating my triplet trick. Play a rim click and then play a double using freehand technique. The see saw like motion of freehand technique pushes the right stick out of the way allowing you to play this three note pattern very fast without tripping yourself up on the rim click.

In response to youtube user ZZEROO99, at 3:15 Im demonstrating how freehand technique can be used on the hi hats as well as the drums. It only really works using the butt end of the stick because the stick mashes into the edge of the cymbals too much with the tip, as shown in the video. So far Ive discovered that this technique will work on any surface that has a fixed edge. It works on all drums and closed hi hats but will not work very well at all on crashes or open hi hats as the edge moves around too much and will not pivot the stick (thats not to say you couldnt hold the cymbals still with the other hand).

At 3:37, you can move the stick slightly so it plays on the opposite side of the rim instead of the head.

At 3:45, Im showing another Johnny Rabb trick. Slide the left stick underneath to get a sound that almost sounds like a Phaser effect heard often in drum n bass.

Finally, at 4:10, Ive been practicing the technique with my left hand since my last One Handed Drum Roll video. Still not quite as good as my right hand but its getting there.

The kit Im playing has sadly seen better days. Its the practice/teaching kit at work and its in dire need of some new skins. But hey, a bad workman blames his tools.

Please excuse the video quality. High quality videos are now available via the link below...

one, handed, drum, roll, freehand, drumroll, gravity, blast, technique, johnny, rabb, free, hand, ninja, drummist, lewis, partridge, cloud9, mission, trick, rim, beat, crazy, drummer, drumming, learn, teacher, lessons, fast