As a student, you always feel it’s a race to catch up to your favorite players. As an instructor, you want to give everything you have so your students can meet their goals. But drumming mechanics takes a time and discipline begins with the rebound stroke. Forcing the motion leads down a road hard to reverse, so meticulous, balanced practice is a MUST.
If you read our blog about how to use technology to get better, faster, you’ll know we touched on using slow motion video as a practice tool. Today we’re going to take a deeper dive one of the most import aspects of rudimental drumming, REBOUND! It doesn't matter what technique you use or drumline you're in, this will be one of the most important skills you need to develop. Its universal and will ensure you’re being as efficient as possible.
What are your initial observations from this video?
You probably noticed different rates of rebound between both players. In real time this discrepancy is hardly noticeable. It’s only when we slow the video down that we can see the player on the left exerting more energy than needed in the form of an upstroke. The rebound is stopped/absorbed much like a “tap” would be. This player has to use unneeded energy to have the stick reach the desired rebound height.
You can fly under the radar for years not efficiently rebounding the stick but it will come back to haunt you. Relaxed, natural rebound is the key to strong vocabulary with consistent big sound. If you're serious about making a top drumline, there's no doubt mastering this skill is a must.
Author: John McClean