You're (Probably) Learning Drum Hand Technique Wrong - Here's Why

I never cared about (and therefore neglected) hand technique. I only cared about being a great kit/song player, and that's what I became. Now, I must admit (without a shadow of doubt) that hand technique is my limiting factor. And that's something I've got to work on or live with.

Solid practical perspective. I remember hearing Jeff Hamilton in a clinic say how all his school drum practicing got his hands in great shape, but when he got to college his feet were not up to par with his hands -- a.k.a. his whole kit balance was out of whack. Keep in mind that the drum kit is really a collection of instruments brought together. So, we have to practice each of the instruments under our command as well as how to combine them effectively for whatever musical styles we want to play.

Great information for individuals that want to progress! I Started drum lessons 1971 at 10 years old. Regal nylon tipped sticks and a Angled pad. I wanted to play wipe out, not a pad. Fast forward to 2023 and at 62 I started drum lessons...AGAIN. ( 52 years wasted)( back to the pad) 40 snare drum rudiments is what helped me understand what wipeout was not. We didnt have sight read drums or the utube to watch and listen to other drummers years ago. The pad can be utilized anywhere, anytime with very little volume. Working the weak hand is essential to developing speed, timing, and technique. Have sticks...will travel! How will one play the bell on a cruise ship if you dont have your sticks with you. Airports, Dr. Offices, casinos ....my sticks are with me. You never know when you might need to play a beat on someones noggin! Great video Brother!

I wanted to learn drums as a kid and all I got was a drum pad. I quit after a week. Decades later I bought an electronic drum kit and have been teaching myself. I have no aspirations to be a pro. I don't bore myself to tears learning every rudiment under the sun. I just turn on some 4/4 rock or Motown and start bashing away. Am I serious musician? No. Am I having fun? Yes!

When I was 16 and playing gigs with our high school rock/garage/cover band, details like hand technique weren't so interesting or necessary. We 'heal fast' at that age. Now that I'm 75 and trying to keep what skills I have vs. the aging process (including the 'inevitable' joint issues) hand technique is much more essential for preventing injury. Great video. Thanks for posting.

I love my pads, but this is a fair assessment. It makes sense that, to get good at a thing, practicing with approximations such as pads can be helpful, but you should definitely spend a lot of time doing the actual thing

"The issue comes because time is finite." Truer words have never been spoken. Also, attention is finite. Good stuff Nate, I am still dissecting my hand technique and various influences such as Gordy and DFC. Thanks

Very appreciative of your approach and breakdown. I left music school because I was convinced I wasn’t ready to launch out. I gathered as much chops info I could (Sunny Igoe, Henry Adler, Jim Chapin) practicing many hours a day for 3-4 years… on the pad. I suddenly realized one day that I hadn’t been playing the Kit much. I began playing out and after 10 years or so, I became savvy on the drums. This all helped tremendously to teach other bourgeoning drummers… and you described all of that in one tutorial! Awesome! Thank you!

I completely mirror other people on this thread. For years, I learned songs and entire albums and have written and recorded a lot of material. I have a great ear and have been able to pick up things very quickly. By the method of listening and constantly playing along, I managed to learn quite a bit in my 37 years of playing. I'm 54 now, and I've definitely realized my limitations from not actually practicing. I HAVE been focusing much more on doing that in the last few years, and I can already feel a lot more dexterity and confidence in my playing.

Great topic. I have had most success telling myself musicality over everything. I have an easier time playing more naturally in time cleanly when I dont over think it and just feel the flow of the beat I made.

My biggest obstacle as I got older was being too stiff . Pad work helped a lot . “ Rudiments are as relevant today as you want to make them “ .

Nate you (& hopefully I) are definitely improving! Some of the inserts of your playing look effortless although quite complex. Congratulations for the results on all of your hard work. 🙂😉

Fortunately I am in a situation in which I am at liberty to play my drum set at any time. So the practice pad just sits there… gathering dust… bereft… slowly desiccating in the dry New Mexico heat. I practice all hand technique, and everything else, on the drums.

Thanks for another awesome video Nate! Plau the pad everyday to keep the doctor away! 🥁❤️

Great video Nate, as always. IMO. The great point should be the union between an excercise and to seek as soon as possible it's musical application. If it's just an excercise is like an eternal weightlifting but without apllying it somewhere out of the gym, for instance on a sport. The pad is great, but when I practice on it I still think it's like a mini drum kit, and try to play in other surfaces around in order to simulate it (and it's a good advice for a student who can't afford a whole kit at once and is not yet full decided).

I was very surprised to find myself in this video (pointed out to me by my friend Kev) at 1:26 warming up for a gig. I’ve used the practice pad varying amounts over the years. When I was younger living in a small apartment and wasn’t able to make a lot of noise I used it a lot. These days I only use a pad warming up for a show (like in the video😂) or during my daily morning routine of spending 10-15 minutes first thing in the morning drinking some tea and getting loosened up on the pad while watching drum related YouTube videos like this one to get inspired. This makes up maybe 5 percent of my total drumming time. Great video though! Very well edited and some very thought out points here

Awesome lesson!

As someone who had a practice pad for years before getting to touch a kit, the difference between the two cannot be understated. Even in direct hand techniques i feel like I can push like 200bpm on singles on a dampened practice pad but the actual effect of the sticks on the membrane of a snare makes it impossible to do that due to my lack of experience. God are they fun tho lol

A friend of mine is a pad specialist. It's exactly as you said, if you see him play the pad, his technique couldn't be better. But the moment he sits in the kit, he plays like an intermediate drummer at best (excluding fast chops that he adds recklessly).

I came from a marching background so by the time I got to kit there was little worry about the hand technique I had from many many hours and the pad, a tenor pad, and various instruments. It really freed me up to focus on improving on moving around the kit, but having played tenors helped with that too. I would say a tenor pad is better practice for a kit than a normal one if it’s something available to you