Playing drums left handed
Discussion
Right here goes!
For many years I've been an air drummer/driven all'n'sundry mad by tapping on anything that comes to hand!
On occasions I've been known to appear at jam nights where I'll "ave a bash!"
When I do so I use the drum kit set up left handed i.e; High hat to the right left hand crossed over right.
Now here's my dilema I am thinking of taking drum lessons I would like to learn to play a conventional drum kit i.e; right handed High hat on the left hands right over left (not open handed)I've approached a couple of drum tuitors 1st one has advised me to stick to playing as a lefty 2nd one says try to play orthodox I'm sure I would probably get on better as a lefty I just like the idea of not having to reverse the kit which is a pain! + I've read alot of good drummers are lefties who play right handed?
Any advice please?
Also anyone reccomend a good drum teacher in Tonbridge Sevenoaks Maidstone?
Thanks
For many years I've been an air drummer/driven all'n'sundry mad by tapping on anything that comes to hand!
On occasions I've been known to appear at jam nights where I'll "ave a bash!"
When I do so I use the drum kit set up left handed i.e; High hat to the right left hand crossed over right.
Now here's my dilema I am thinking of taking drum lessons I would like to learn to play a conventional drum kit i.e; right handed High hat on the left hands right over left (not open handed)I've approached a couple of drum tuitors 1st one has advised me to stick to playing as a lefty 2nd one says try to play orthodox I'm sure I would probably get on better as a lefty I just like the idea of not having to reverse the kit which is a pain! + I've read alot of good drummers are lefties who play right handed?
Any advice please?
Also anyone reccomend a good drum teacher in Tonbridge Sevenoaks Maidstone?
Thanks
Symbollica
I don't really want to play open handed I'd be using my hands as now and would need to switch my feet if I'm going to do that I'd rather switch completely!
mrsxllifts
Do you play completely left handed? i;e High hat on the right left hand over right? or open handed? I am currently comfortable playing fully left handed I just like to play righty from a practical point it would mean I could sit behind pretty much any kit without messing about
I don't really want to play open handed I'd be using my hands as now and would need to switch my feet if I'm going to do that I'd rather switch completely!
mrsxllifts
Do you play completely left handed? i;e High hat on the right left hand over right? or open handed? I am currently comfortable playing fully left handed I just like to play righty from a practical point it would mean I could sit behind pretty much any kit without messing about
If you think that left feels better, you should (without question) play left handed (eg hats on right, using your left hand crossed over right hand on snare).
Changing the kit around is fairly straight forward. I play in a band (if you're interested; this is us... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vw5IpTB6Xk ) anyhow, I'm always changing kits around at gigs and things anyway (it's common place to share one kit between 2 or 3 bands at a gig) and, even between left and right handed, it's no big deal at all.
I stress, if it feels better left handed, you should go that way.
I know a VERY good drum teacher who lives in the Medway area and teaches at Sharon Music in Gillingham; he was my teacher for many years. It's perhaps slightly further from you than you were hoping, but he's a good guy and I thoroughly recommend him. PM me through my profile if you'd like his number, even if it's just to have a chat with him.
Tony
Changing the kit around is fairly straight forward. I play in a band (if you're interested; this is us... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vw5IpTB6Xk ) anyhow, I'm always changing kits around at gigs and things anyway (it's common place to share one kit between 2 or 3 bands at a gig) and, even between left and right handed, it's no big deal at all.
I stress, if it feels better left handed, you should go that way.
I know a VERY good drum teacher who lives in the Medway area and teaches at Sharon Music in Gillingham; he was my teacher for many years. It's perhaps slightly further from you than you were hoping, but he's a good guy and I thoroughly recommend him. PM me through my profile if you'd like his number, even if it's just to have a chat with him.
Tony
Thanks for the input so far folks
Tony thanks for the advice. I wondered if you would reply I noticed you were a drummer and quite local in your profile when I saw you on other PH forums I'll try to get along to The Beacon for one of your gigs.
I've spoken to a tuitor in Tunbridge Wells who has encouraged me to develop as a lefty and one in Sevenoaks who wants me to play right handed. From these conversations I kind of concluded the guy in Tunbridge Wells spoke sense and the one in Sevenoaks was expensive.Any idea of current prices for lessons?
O/T Whats it like doing HPC are you using Hugh Noblett? This is something I would like to persue in the future (I've already done IAM/RoADAR)
May well PM you off line Thanks Graham
Tony thanks for the advice. I wondered if you would reply I noticed you were a drummer and quite local in your profile when I saw you on other PH forums I'll try to get along to The Beacon for one of your gigs.
I've spoken to a tuitor in Tunbridge Wells who has encouraged me to develop as a lefty and one in Sevenoaks who wants me to play right handed. From these conversations I kind of concluded the guy in Tunbridge Wells spoke sense and the one in Sevenoaks was expensive.Any idea of current prices for lessons?
O/T Whats it like doing HPC are you using Hugh Noblett? This is something I would like to persue in the future (I've already done IAM/RoADAR)
May well PM you off line Thanks Graham
Edited by Roadru77er on Thursday 22 May 08:31
Blimey, no idea on price! I paid £12 for half an hour I think it was and I stopped lessons in about 2001. Not much help probably, sorry about that 
We're playing all around the south-east, keep an eye on www.thedeccas.co.uk the gig listing is on there, if you fancy coming to a gig give me a shout I'll try and get you on the guest list
Feel free to sent me a message through my profile; the HPC stuff I'm currently doing just by going out for runs with a bunch of HPC guys and learning more and more (they call it a dancecard; 2 drivers, 1 car, then you swop over and comment on one another's driving). Very valuable! When money allows (hopefully soon, new job offer potentially today) I'll go the route with Hugh. I know EmmaP has just done, or will soon do, a run with Hugh (she's up in Nottingham not far from him).
We're playing all around the south-east, keep an eye on www.thedeccas.co.uk the gig listing is on there, if you fancy coming to a gig give me a shout I'll try and get you on the guest list
Feel free to sent me a message through my profile; the HPC stuff I'm currently doing just by going out for runs with a bunch of HPC guys and learning more and more (they call it a dancecard; 2 drivers, 1 car, then you swop over and comment on one another's driving). Very valuable! When money allows (hopefully soon, new job offer potentially today
) I'll go the route with Hugh. I know EmmaP has just done, or will soon do, a run with Hugh (she's up in Nottingham not far from him).Doesn't sound like prices have gone up since you took drum lessons.The guy in Tunbridge Wells quoted twenty five an hour.But the other guy said thirty for half an hour(Sevenoaks is expensive anyway!)
This dancecard thing with HPC sounds interesting! How does one get involved? My observer when I did RoSPA was an HPC guy(Frank Mizler).My Examiner when I took IAM (About 15 years ago)was Terry Friday whom you may know? Can't remember who my RoSPA Examiner was and that was only about a year ago! interesting talking to you all the best.Graham
This dancecard thing with HPC sounds interesting! How does one get involved? My observer when I did RoSPA was an HPC guy(Frank Mizler).My Examiner when I took IAM (About 15 years ago)was Terry Friday whom you may know? Can't remember who my RoSPA Examiner was and that was only about a year ago! interesting talking to you all the best.Graham
celticpilgrim
Yes a left handed set up would have High hat on the right therefore you play Bass drum with your stronger left foot and cross left hand over right to play High hat with left hand and snare drum with right. It's a mirror image of a right handed player/drum kit. Drummers who play left handed include Ian Paice Phil Collins and Rod Morganstein.
Yes a left handed set up would have High hat on the right therefore you play Bass drum with your stronger left foot and cross left hand over right to play High hat with left hand and snare drum with right. It's a mirror image of a right handed player/drum kit. Drummers who play left handed include Ian Paice Phil Collins and Rod Morganstein.
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