A mental thing?

AjMinSko · Sea Monkey Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 11

I´m sorry to post a question about single strokes and speed as I´m sure it´s one of the most frequent topics but I haven´t really found the answers I´m looking for so I´ll go ahead and ask anyway.
If the questions already been answered feel free to post a link and give me a real kick in the *Horse's Patoot*:) .
Anyway I´ve been playing for about 11 years and still havent gotten the single stroke speed thing right yet...
Believe me when I say it´s not lack of practice as I´m a bit of a perfectionist with way to much time on my hands.
Anyway it seems like the more I practice at getting my single strokes smooth and up to speed the worse I get:confused: .
I´ve tried the pillow thing, "Stick Control" until my hands were numb and just about every other method or exercise that came my way, and still minimal or no progress...
This has made me think that it´s perhaps something mental?
Anyway I´m a bit interested in how much time you spent everyday on developing single strokes and getting them up to speed?
Half an hour? an hour or two?
As i said earlier I ´suspect that it´s a mental thing so I would greatly appreciate it if someone has a few tips on that area, or perhaps a link?
Maybe it´s a "blurry" question but basically i´ve always had a huge prob with speed and it´s really getting on my nerves and I´m in a desperate need after all the help I can get!:

Mr.Clam · Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:12 am Post subject:

Well, there's a limit to how fast anyones hand can go, what speeds are the talking here? Have you tried using the ?moeller? technique (using your middle, ring and pinky fingers to move the stick instead of moving your wrist)?
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AjMinSko · Sea Monkey Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 11

sixteenths at about 175bpm...
kind of embarrasing.
Past couple of months i´ve started working on moeller as well as puch/pull or open close.
Seems like the only thing I havent tried yet...

Mr.Clam · Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 9:53 am Post subject:

Andrax · Kitten Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 127

Have you tried using finger control?

AjMinSko · Sea Monkey Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 11

Mr.Clam · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:07 am Post subject:

Andrax · Kitten Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 127

AjMinSko · Sea Monkey Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 11

Andrax · Kitten Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 127

yes thats what im talking about Very Happy

heres a great video that explains it somewhat and you can truly see it in action

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0wzUSIC88dU

AjMinSko · Sea Monkey Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 11

Thanks alot for the link!
It´s one thing to read about it but it helps alot when you get the visual aspect too.

Andrax · Kitten Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 127

you're welcome, by using this you'll definately notice a difference. i'm still working on this myself(with a long way to go). it's a totally different approach to the stroke.

Drumgeek · Little Guppy Joined: 21 Mar 2007 Posts: 30

You are right when you say it can be a mental thing. When I play I always picture the perfect beat in my head and then try to play it. That can go for playing freakishly fast or for just the simple stuff. So basically, think before you play.

When you play fast it always helps when you start with your wrist and then switch to your fingers as you get faster.