There are a lot of conundrums in music because it’s a very organic activity, and we are, after all, analog beings, prone to chaotic or non-sensical behavior and thinking.
One of the common mystery is speed. Question: how do you work on speed? For fun, I’ll name the 2 common answers I see most often.
First, on my left, with the red boxing gloves and the white shorts, we got the careful one. For that player we are going to approach the concept with method. First off, do we have a correct position? Yes, good! Now do we have the right muscles involved? Yes, good! Now how fast should I go? We surely don’t want to go so fast that it hurts. Ok, now how long should I take to get to my maximum speed? I don’t know, there are no YouTube videos or online resources on that particular subject. You get the gist. This kind of internal conversation can go on for ever. In general, that guy will not go fast anytime soon. The great thing is that he won’t develop any injuries either. He might go at a snail pace for 5 years, but his limb will stay in pristine shape.
All right, moving on.
Second, on my right, with the black gloves and the yellow shorts, we got the mad one. This one is easy to describe: go as fast as possible as soon as possible, health and sound be darned. The goal here is not so much to pick up some speed as it is to carve a hole in the surface he’s playing.
Oh, the tender memories, right there. You see, I was definitely in the category of the madman. I would have drum sticks the size of branches and pounding my heart out on everything in sight. And, yes, there was some damage.
Let’s move forward: what’s the correct way to practice speed?
I’ll give you a few nuggets of infos:
First off, have your sticks nearby as often as possible and never stop playing. You don’t have to go fast. You just have to repeat the same motion 3 million times. The speed will come, trust me. I did just that. I was developing a nervous tic with it. I would be drumming on everything and it felt soothing and it felt necessary. Remember, the psychological consistent is that the more you do something, the more you want to do it. It applies to drumming too.
Second: push the speed while you stay relaxed. Now, you have to push, no negotiations on that particular point. How do you know you’re pushing? Because your muscles will start to strain and sustaining the effort will be a bit more difficult. You need to be with your speed, though, meaning you need to stay correct. No forearms moving instead of the wrists, no shoulders risen, no ugly faces (yes, yes, you know exactly what I’m talking about). You make the effort without making the effort, that’s the conundrum, by the way.
Third, you need to sustain the speed. Once you’re fast and you’re straining but you’re staying correct, you need to develop a little bit of stamina. The endurance will help you get faster. So, while you are going fast, make sure you don’t do it for just 2 seconds. You have to be a little uncomfortable and maintain position. That part is not easy because, meanwhile, your body is pleading with you, you got the hands and arms screaming: “I can’t do it anymore! This is too hard! Nobody on earth is able to go at this speed! And, by the way, what’s new on Netflix?” Steel yourself against this insistent nagging and keep playing for a little bit. Maybe 10, 15 to 20 seconds. Yes, I said seconds. They will feel like years.
So, here are a few tips on how to deal with speed. If you want to know more, I know an excellent drum teacher. He can help you out and tailor the lesson to your very needs. See you soon.
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