moving from snare to floor tom

[thelemon32]

I'm a pretty new drummer so I've been practicing some exercises where I go around the drums over and over. I have trouble when I go from the floor tom to the snare drum. I lose my tempo so it gets harder when I start going faster. Did anyone else have this problem when they started? And how should i work on it?

[Grzegorz]

Practice in slow tempo. If you can't get it 120 bpm - play it at 60, then 75, then 90, and so on...

[dogboots]

I think it´s because when you playing single strockes (RLRLRL) your ending with your left hand on the tom and want to start with your right on the snare again.. that means you have to cross your hands at high speeds...

Cheers, Yannic

[jimi]

You shouldn't cross your hands! They both should move together, that way you dont click sticks etc. The movement comes mainly from your torso and then your shoulders, you can get this feeling better by doing triplet work aswell.

[Kinetic drummer]

JIMI IS RIGHT... ITS JUST ABOUT THE TORSO... I REALIZED THIS WATCHING VIRGIL... HE MOVES HIS BODY A LIL BIT BUT JUST WITH THE TORSO... the clue of playing at very fast speed is.. about sticking. the main problem are triplets i guess... we usually star a triplet with the right hand and moving from snare to the floor tom. then, we have to play he other triplet starting with the left hand.. ( of course ih the sticking is R LR L R L R L R LRL) but sometimes with arrange things to start with the right hand on the floor tom, which makes us hesitate and doubt, and lose tempo or mishit a drum or hit the rims or click the sticks.
i think.... you should check that.. with what hand are you starting.... its always easier moving from snare to tom,,.. if you start a triplet withthe left hand.....the movemente is just natural....

[peter690]

it really does depend on what sticking you are practicing. If you are doing singles in groups of 2 or 4, then there's nothing wrong with crossing over. It looks cool and can be done really fast. If you have a problem with sticks clicking then you need to work on it slowly to get better control of your hands. ;P

edit - i'm not disagreeing that torso movement is important

[ProgrockD]

I have to agree with pete mostly. but i can see how it would be beneficial to use more torso action to accomplish this. Overall both are skills that you experiment with. that way you can have a preference yet by practicing the one you don't prefer it might lead you to be more well-rounded drummer. just remember the 3 options: cross-sticking, the focus on torso action, or just playing 'R R' on the floor tom and following with a left right after on the snare. (IF you want to continue on the snare rather than stopping on it then just insert another double stroke.)

[jimi]

I agree, i was presuming thelemon32 was talking about even number stickings when travelling between the floor tom and snare, (eg. rlrl rlrl ), like the power drumming exercises.