[30daysv3] Day 2 - The drills begin!
- From: Kristofer Bergstrom <kris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: 30daysV3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:20:16 -0700
At the beginning of the course, we'll focus a lot on hand
coordination. The goal is to challenge our hand-brain connections and
discover those particular hand combinations that trip us up. When you
find one that's easy, move on to the next, and when you find a tricky
one, focus there for a bit.
When available and useful to others, I'll include notes from
interactions with participants at the bottom of each daily message.
The questions will also make their way into the 30 Days FAQ here:
http://onensemble.org/2008/12/30-days-to-better-shime/#faq-link Keep
the great questions and feedback coming!
Happy practicing!
Kris
Q/A, Errata/Suggestions, Thoughts
Question - What kind of batchi are you using?
Answer - My go-to stick for small-drum practice is a pair of 7A
drumsticks. They're really light and revealing of poor technique. I
find that a heavier stick wants to move in a simple, up-down path and
is generally easier to use. However, a heavy stick will also mask
some of my problems. A light stick will react to smaller nudges and
quirks of my hands and fingers, so by watching the tip of my batchi
and trying to make it move properly, I can focus on my basic
technique. If possible, I try to switch between batchi pretty
regularly during a practice session -- one drill with a particular
pair and the next drill with another.
I've received some great suggestions regarding the opening tests.
Track 3, Rhythmic Dexterity Test, should include a few warm-up
exercises so the player can familiarize herself with "ten" vs "ka".
Personally, I think I should include a click-track that goes through
the whole drill. Initially, I considered the lack of a click to be
part of the test, but now think that's more difficult than it need be.
In the explanation, I say there are "eight sets", but there are
actually five.
After two years of doing all my small-drum drills left-handed, my
single-stroke rolls are finally equal left and right hands. Ten tsuku
is still a bit faster right-handed -- good to know it's the most
revealing of dominant vs non-dominant hand differences.
Other related posts:
- » [30daysv3] Day 2 - The drills begin! - Kristofer Bergstrom
