Twirling

[peter]

Has anyone else been inspired to use the twirling technique that Virgil uses? When do you incorporate it?

Of course, what can you say about Virgil?

[jagdkommando]

I mostly use Virgil's twirl-technique for changing from traditional to normal grip and vice versa. On the one hand it's very useful and on the other hand it's a visual effekt (in the CAB video you can see it rather often).

Then I use the single-twirling and the trad2normal grip twirling sometimes when playing grooves with both hands on the hihat or on two hihats.

At the moment I'm developping my own twirl-combination including crosssticking while twirling between the tom on my left and on the right side ... but the experience is incomplete.

[jonberg]

I have practised double strokes on bassdrums for about 3-4 years and can do it evenly and for a longer time at about 155-160...can push it to 170 but the quality isn´t good then.
Anyway, I like twirling while doing doublestrokes...just like Virgil use to do...and trying to play some kind of a figure on the snare while doing it...and also like Jagdkommando, trying crossticking as well.

Two words about Virgil:

"Virgil rocks!!!!!!"


Keep on drumming!!!

[morgenthaler]

I am really into stick-clicks! (Like Pwitl) and I'm getting pretty good at it...

[jonberg]

When I were on the clinic with Virgil for about 2,5 years ago, he showed how he does stick-clicks. Man, he played singles,doubles,paradiddles,flamcombinations and then played a short solo with little of everything in it...it was SICK!!! I guess most of the drummers in the room couldn´t played what he played with sticks on a drum!!! Everybody just laughed!!
You probably will hear that Jimi when you get the CD :)

[morgenthaler]

His stick clicks on the Connecticut video are also awesome!

[peter]

I have adopted the 3-finger back and catch that he uses on his videos, playing double-strokes and paradiddle combinations between the other hand and foot. One thing I have noticed is the more I do it, the better my fingers feel and also I feel the control over the stick (french) is augmented.

[jimi]

Virg does a twirl i've never seen him do while playing the drums in an interview on the Ring of Fire DVD. I use it now for my left hand trad grip and an extended one for my right hand (4 full revolutions!)

[alencore]

woah! chicks dig this twirly things.

Virgil twrils are quite ok.
seems there was a tall redhead asking him out after the clinic, oh yeah baby!

[morgenthaler]

My (female) room-mate find it amusing when we watch TV and I ocationally drop a stick. (I always watch TV with a pair of sticks in my hands, just to practice my twirls)

[Fede]

My bands are also amused when occasionally, between songs, I drop a stick down on some parts of my kit because I'm always twirling them when not doing anything else.

Only know two - the "regular" matched grip-twirl between "peace-sign" fingers. And another that is a bit harder to describe. Maybe we should put up a twirly-site? Gotta think about that.


Jeppe:

Won't you show me how you do them stick-clicks? That would be a cool thing to practice. How about I come round the shop someday... Actually we are "related" in two ways: I work for Yamaha Scandinavia in Herlev, and I'm a churchsinger at the same church as Kurt's wife Anne....if that makes any sense to you... (?) :o)

[morgenthaler]

Sure Fede (Frederik!)
Just let me know when you are dropping by, although I am on summerholiday for the next 3 weeks, but after that ...no problem,-
We can grap a cup of coffee / a beer etc?
-Look forward to see you!
Og så kan vi snakke dansk!

[peter]

Post a video on the clicks, if you can.

[jimi]

Good idea! I have a clip of the Generation X drummers (rabb, minnemann, lang) doing a stick-click demo, here's the link.

http://www.meinl.de/cymbals/films/zwolle_2.wmv

also go here for the other clips from the 'generation x days' tour.

http://www.meinl.de/cymbals/cymb_2_14.html

@jonberg: that virg stick-click thing is cool!! how the f**k do you do stickclicking flams though???

[Christopher]

Awesome link jimi, thanks!!

[peter]

That was too cool, Jimi!

Please post more twirly stuff for me
if you know of more links etc. :D

[german-drummer]

Hi,

http://www.drumsdatabase.com/spinology1.MPG

here's another one explaning "stick twirling".

Matthias

[peter]

Matthias,

Thanks again. I have heard about this
fellow and his approaches. Where did
you find this video?

[jimi]

That vid is actually from the drums database site peter. John Blackwell does some twirling aswell and his DVD is supposed to have a whole section on twirling:

http://www.hudsonmusic.com/QuickTime/BLACKWELL/BLACKWELLQT.html

But to be honest if you've heard/seen Virg already (if you're reading, thats highly likely!!), and you've also got that Rabb, Lang and Minnemann clip, there isn't much more out there really.

[peter]

Guys,

I clipped this from another thread because part of JDK's link has pictures of his twirl method, which I thought were interesting. Here's what it said. I hope he doesn't mind:

@peter: "I posted some hi-res-pics of my kit and pedals at the end of my "webpage" www.edu.uni-klu.ac.at/~maschaff . However the pics have very hi res. If your connection speed is too low, let me know and I'll resize the pics to a lower res. If you want to have some better special views of my pedals let me know and I'll do some more with my digicam."

"I'm very busy at the moment ... but I read your post about your meeting with virgil ... cool review .. thanks a lot."

[peter]

Here was my reply:

JDK,

Excellent photos. Just what I needed. I see
that what the great pedals have in common.

Nice photos of Virgil's twirl. That IS Virgil, right?
Or was that you?

I learned it differently, from his videos BUT I
might have been mistaken:

www.thediametrixletter.com/twirl1.jpg
www.thediametrixletter.com/twirl2.jpg
www.thediametrixletter.com/twirl3.jpg
www.thediametrixletter.com/twirl4.jpg
www.thediametrixletter.com/twirl5.jpg
www.thediametrixletter.com/twirl6.jpg
www.thediametrixletter.com/twirl7.jpg

Thanks again.

[peter]

I thought I'd place them here because
they were related to this thread. I would
very much like to see how you guys all
twirl too. Thanks very much.

[peter]

Here was his reply to mine:

@peter: That's me twirling the sticks!! It's the way Virgil explained me his twirling (but that doesn't mean, that yours is wrong, because he uses many different twirl techniques). Soon I'll post some more pics with higher res of twirling etc.


Last edited by jagdkommando on 08-11-2003 at 08:14 AM

[BrettLee]

Hi guys, this is Brett from Malaysia. Actually was trying to figure out the mysteries behind Virgil's stick twirling method. And as many of you guys know, he has alot under his arsenal! I'm using the most common method of all, which is the method used by Neil Peart and Portnoy.. I think this is the easiest to learn as it only involves spinning the stick in a stationary position..(the stick stays in one of the hand's web). Anyway, it would be great if someone here could show us a vid clip of actual spinning motion (discussed in this thread). Well, it would really benefit newbies like me.. ^_^

[peter]

www.thediametrixletter.com/twirl3.wmv

[BrettLee]

You are one helpful buddy, Peter. Thanks for sharing. Your video clip really helps explaining the motion, even better. Again, I wanna thank you for your effort in putting it up.. Expect more from you :)

[BrettLee]

Peter, how long does it take you to get it up to speed? I mean,I've been doing it slowly based on your twirling method, but even when in slow speed, I noticed that I had to make the fingers work extra...especially, in the final finger action, where we are bringing the stick back to it's original position. I find that action abit difficult, cause the stick is sitting on top of the index finger.. Am I doing it the right way??

[peter]

Sorry it took so long to get back.

Look at the video and pictures
again. The stick never really sits
on the index finger.

You're pinching it, as if you're
playing normally.

You start rolling it towards you, your
middle finger sliding underneath it.

Now, the stick is in between your
index fingers, pointed down.

Here, your ring finger pinches the
stick in between the middle finger.

The roll up completes the the twirl,
your thumb reaching out to catch
it. This is what I thought Virgil was
doing on his videos.

[jimi]

Did you see the sideways twirl on that rabb freehand tech Vid?? how does he control that? i gave it a bash and it seems you just have to balance it right and keep it spinning dead center of the stick.

[BrettLee]

Yeah Jimi, I'd like to know how he does that too, looks cool, like a spinning heli..

Nyway, thanks for the tips Peter, I think I'm doing it the right way now.. just need alot of practise, and I really mean ALOT.. :)

[jimi]

Bring sticks with you when watching TV or listening to music in the house and keep spinning away. you get a lot of practice in that way and you wont even notice the amount of time you put into it!:)

[wcma]

you all drummers are so good can you teach me some of your techniques? about the twirl sticking can you teach me? that would be great

[wcma]

to me virgil is the most fantastic drummer iv'e ever seen, i like his style and the way he plays, hoping that someday i can be like that. can anyone teach me in stick twirling? that would be a big help. thanks!!

[BrettLee]

wcma, our good friend, Peter has come up with his own approach on Virgil's common stick twirling method. Check out the earlier posts in this thread for his video. He explains it nicely.. Cheers!

[peter]

I forgot to thank you, German-Drummer,
for that Spinology clip. :)

[BrettLee]

Guys, here's what I've discovered on the web today. Although its about pen-spinning, I think it's applicable to drumsticks as well. I did notice some similarities. Check 'em out!

http://pentix.modenstudios.com/videos/index.html

[peter]

See how it's an element of that Spinology spin?

[BrettLee]

I think the more common spin Virgil uses gotta be a combination of the Sonic Spin and the Charge Spin.. Who knows? Maybe Virgil himself, is an avid pen spinner before ?? :)

[Danny]

Dear jagdkommando,
I'm Danny, a new guy.
In your reply about stich twirling, you said you have a Cab dvd.
Im in Australia so I'll need to order it. Where did you get it?

[jimi]

I dont think its still available danny, but check out www.bunnybrunel.com, because thats where it was avilable from. Its not the best footage of CAB w/Virg either, but worth having as fan of Virgil :)

[morgenthaler]

Playing around with the sticks all the time (when not sitting on the kit ) can get you started on spinning sooner than you'd think!

Try doing the most simple spins again and again when you are watching TV, and suddenly you start doing things you didn't think you could!!

You need to spend alot of time with the sticks in your hand. Hopefully Virg himself will touch on this subject at some point. It's a great showstopper!!

[e-bee]

this topic is really cool. thanks to peter for sharing his ideas and photos. and to those who shared the links too!

anymore tips and tutorials?