Drumming habits

About a week ago I arrived at the gig we were to perform only to discover I had forgotten my hi hat stand.... Using a cymbal stacker as an extension, I was able to get the two hi hat cymbals on a cymbal stand and use it like an aux-hat. At least I was able to get that closed hi hat sound. The funny thing was I found myself using my left foot on the floor to mimic opening and closing the hats. I found the movement to be more involuntary than voluntary. This brought to my attention just how instinctive and reactive my playing is and just how much I do behind the kit from actual habit than anything else.

I don't know if that's such a good thing as discovering this wasn't fun to be totally honest.

D.

D. Slam wrote:About a week ago I arrived at the gig we were to perform only to discover I had forgotten my hi hat stand.... Using a cymbal stacker as an extension, I was able to get the two hi hat cymbals on a cymbal stand and use it like an aux-hat. At least I was able to get that closed hi hat sound. The funny thing was I found myself using my left foot on the floor to mimic opening and closing the hats. I found the movement to be more involuntary than voluntary. This brought to my attention just how instinctive and reactive my playing is and just how much I do behind the kit from actual habit than anything else.

I don't know if that's such a good thing as discovering this wasn't fun to be totally honest.

D.

Another one of life's lessons to be tucked away for further use down the road, Don.

Russ

Yeah, Russ, that was an experience... Not as challenging as the time I left my bass drum pedal at home, but an experience indeed.

I've been noticing that alot lately too. I'm playing and watching my hi hat go up and down syncopatedly like it's on remote control. I guess that's a good thing. i have also been conciously working on changing up my whole style of Shona drumset playing and not going on remote control but more selectively creating melodies within the music almost linear and not quite so repetitive. when i'm doing west african accompianiment i notice i'm like on cruise control. Your body just does it and it becomes like this muscle memory or inner intelligence taking over or something. it still blows me away i can play steady accompianiment without really having to think about it. there must be good descriptive words for this type of thing. muscle memory?

I knew there was a reason that I bought an anvil trap case to hold all of my hardware.
I move my set in 5 pieces. Trap case/ bass drum/ floor tom/ 2 mounted toms.
This way there isn't any chance that I might leave something behind when going to a gig.

It's like being on autopilot, Don. You are so used to doing that with your left foot that is ingrained into your brain to go through the motions, which is only correct.
A force of habit.....
If you didn't do that with your left foot, then, something would be wrong.

Thanks, Woody,

Ironically, the only two things that are not in my trap case are my pedals which have their own cases and the hi hat stand. It's not like I have a bunch of stuff to remember to take. I just need to be a little more on top of things when loading up. I could have just as easily left a snare drum or tom tom. I've started keeping my related gear grouped together when storing it, where in the past this wasn't the case.

I think that what you said about a force of habit is true. But it also inspires me to work on developing a more mental state of independent control when I'm behind the kit. I really didn't like the idea of these pre-programmed, involuntary movements. I want to be in a conscious state of physical control.

Good to read you, btw.

Don.

That seems kind of natural wouldn't you say Don ? Meaning what your foot was doing in the absence of the stand itself.

spanky wrote:That seems kind of natural wouldn't you say Don ? Meaning what your foot was doing in the absence of the stand itself.

Absolutely, Spanky... But it also revealed to me just how much I do behind the kit that's outside of a deliberate consciousness, and that's how bad habits develop and actually have developed in my case....

Case in point.... Being left handed, I have developed the habit of leading drum fills with my left hand. I find myself compensating at the end of those fills to end the fill with the proper hand...

For instance: a proper single stroke 4 beat roll across a 5pc kit should look like this:

RLRL RLRL RLRL RLRL - right hand crash.

Mine looks like this:

LRLR LRLR LRLR LRLL - right hand crash.

Notice the last four beats before the crash (LRLL). This is from allowing to happen what came naturally for me (to lead with the left) instead of working things out where the technique as a whole worked in a more natural physically flowing and even fashion.... This is in it's simplest form but I notice how much trouble this gives me when trying to pull off certain pattern and fills that are more complex. Sometimes the compensation methods I have to use leaves me rushing... It's an ugly feeling. And what's worse, It's a process I have to learn all over again to make it right and eventually easier technically speaking.

Now, the thing is when I play my double bass kit which is setup right to left, this method works perfectly.

Don.

Interesting

Yes, and these are my drumming demons, Spanky.... It doesn't mean that it's that way for anyone else.

You're a lefty playing a right handed kit.
Have you ever tried playing a left handed kit???
That way you would start with the left and end with the left.

LOL! No thanks, Woodman, That would be like learning to play all over again... I'm still trying to learn how to play THIS way. That's a whole different direction, and a direction I really don't want to take.