Your story of how you gained speed.

[Be The Tortoise]

Was you born with it?
Did you hit a wall and couldn't get faster then you changed something and you got faster?
Ever tried a technique that just didn't feel good? WHat technique?
Did you start off like most (around 800bpm) or have you always been fast.
Do you believe anyone can get up to 1000bpm if they try hard enough or is it just as physical as it is mental.
Ever had any scares like breaking a wrist, pulling a ligament etc etc.

[mattsmith]

I can recall breaking 1000 within the first week of having a drumometer. I dont know how far to go and say about how much natural speed I have, but I can say if it weren't for my Romanian mentors brutal teaching methods I went through back in '02-03, I might never had become a champion.
The very first lesson I had, he made me switch from match grip to traditional AND had me switch my ride cymbal over to the right side (since I naturally am a lefty).
Then one day I come thinking it'll be a normal lesson until he sais that he wants me to play singles for 15 minutes straight without stopping. I dont remember the exact bpm, but it was a ridiculous speed for me at the time. So this went on everyday at the beginning of each lesson and one day I finally just had the nerve to ask him "Why am I doing this?" He simply responded "One day you will thank me"...at that point I was thinking "bullshit", I was already exhausted and mad at him and this was long before I even knew of the WFD.
But when the day came that I won the NAMM competition in '06, I didnt mind making an expensive phone call over to Romania and sincerely thanking him for what he had me do in his lessons years beofre.
This probably has to be the biggest ever "I told you so" moment in my life lol

[Boo]

[JoeyM]

For me, the technique for maximum speed came very very accidentally and I was fortunate to have noticed what the hell just happened when my score went up by 30 strokes in 3 minutes. I initially started with German grip and scoring around 930's, one day I was giving it my all and the sticks slipped between my thumb and index fingers, when this happened it allowed me to use the tips of my middle and ring fingers naturally. My score went to 970 or around that mark. Do I studied my weird technique and developed my hand strength around it then two weeks later I saw the 1001 on the drumometer, I dropped my sticks and threw my arms in the air. And the realisation of the hard work an efforts paying of felt extremely amazing. So I kept working on it and became a champ along side the greats.

Champions are made of hard work, commitment and patience. Apply yourself and great results will be your reward.

Joey.

[drumrelaxed]

Hi all - I just registered the other day and now read this cool reply by JoeyM. - I'm always trying to improve my 'finger control' and its great to read/see anything relevant that people can say or show about finger technique! I can't say that I have 'natural' SuperFast speed at all (as do the top competitors); I would say that I have average speed, but I 'groove' ... and love to play rhythm & music/drums. Wfd has always inspired me to work on technique and RAISE my speed, (particularly w/hands) - so I can play certain particular rhythms faster & with necessary good finger technique. So; I've been following wfd, and over time I have improved my hand speed, though not to a competing level. Personally, my motivation is more to develop faster speed and enhance my music playing, tho I totally admire those of you who do compete. My best to all you out there, and drumrelaxed!

[Boo]

[JoeyM]

We are all here to help, Drumrelaxed. We can all learn off eachother, that's why WFDTALK is the best place for guys and girls to come and talk about speed drumming, you won't have anyone go macho at you from behind a keyboard. Everyone here has the same thing in common.... We want to gain speed to benefit us in different applications. So Welcome and do not hesitate to ask questions and post a thread.

Joey

[drumrelaxed]

Hey JoeyM or anyone; I've got a question seeking advice on ways to finger-grip the sticks/matched grip/french grip. I'm noticing that with the 'french grip' some people seem to grip with the 'thumb' a little bit more forward over the 1st finger (at the fulcrum point), and some people grip the stick a little bit 'back' from being lined up with the 1st finger. It's beginning to seem to me that the thumb placement a bit forward of 1st finger might give a bit better 'leverage' and therefore 'faster' finger control. I'm wondering what you guys think of this idea? With my thumb & 1st finger..., my thumb seems to stay a bit back lining up with the 1st finger when I grip the stick, if you know what I mean?

[JoeyM]

Hi Drumrelaxed,

Great post/question. I recently changed my technique to French grip for a little finger control strength, I found that my thumb being slightly forward of my index finger (fulcrum) helped me increase my control and speed. I realised that my thumbs were pushing the sticks down into the pad so I had better height control. So I liked that, I also tried having my thumb lined with my index finger and slightly behind and what I found is that the sticks were rebounding at a greater height and therefor I was fatiguing a lot faster. So it's really about where your hands naturally want to be, just do a few runs with some you are paying attention on and some where you're not ( with different thumb placings ). Take note of how you felt, what worked and what didn't. Study what you're doing and work on it.

I hope this helps.

[drumrelaxed]

Hi Joey, This is very helpful, it verifies my thoughts and my approach to improving..., and helps fine tune finger control with stick grip! I'm naturally right handed; funny thing is..., is that w/right hand, my thumb tends to slip a bit back/behind that index finger fulcrum point ... and with my left hand (matched grip/french), my thumb goes/stays slightly forward of that same fulcrum point! (comfortably I might add). I pretty much started drumming with a german type grip I would say, but over time, have evolved more towards the french grip, especially when playing ride cymbal, which of course, early on...sorta made me play ride with french grip..., which was/is fine and natural. For a number of years my left hand/non-dominant side was weaker (as with most people), and took years to bring up to a semblance of par to the right hand... and finally has evolved to a much better and comfortable left german and/or french grip, but I did it with persistance and studious effort...and stayed relaxed and patient about evolving my left, and now I'm working on increasing & evolving more speed bursts, when needed with finger control while playing.

You make a great point about when the sticks rebound higher when thumb is back. So now I'm working on playing that right stick with my thumb forward more, and looking like my left grip as an interesting training, and its already feeling comfortable after some relaxed time working that technique. So, anyway, cool stuff, and thnx for ur feedback...

[JoeyM]

That's what I like to see people saying.... Being patient with themselves for improvement. Sometimes taking a step back is the best thing to do. I play American grip on the kit as its usually the best of both German and French grips. On the ride and hats I'll be playing using French grip.

So keep working on it, the best advice I can give you to strengthen your grip and speed is do single strokes slowly for 15-30 minutes a day... Even longer if you can!! And with time muscle memory will develop, grip memory and strength will develop, you seem to be doing all the right things buddy.

Keep it up!!

Joey.

[Boo]

I would really like to see WFD Champ Tom Grosset join in on this thread and explain to us how and what he did practice and technique wise to set the new record of 1208........Tom?