Boy did I underestimate how controversial this one was gonna be.
But add to the list of “sacred cows” the idea that one should always practice the weak hand exactly the same as the lead hand, and that any deviation is heresy.
Well I’m here for it.
That’s why I was drawn to the teachings of one Mr. Jacob Evans, who counts among his students touring professionals - and that term gets tossed around a lot, but I’m talking legit pros. Jacob’s not afraid to make ideological enemies. But it’s not like we’re talking about politics or religion here. We’re talking about the harmless art of playing the drums, where the very same people who will insist one moment that there’s no objective standard for “good” or “bad”, will then turn around and insist that drums also must be learned according to a strict orthodoxy.
So what’s the issue?
I’ll first tell what it’s not: it’s not that anyone’s saying you shouldn’t have a good “second hand”. Nor that rudiments, or hands practice in general isn’t important. Especially for beginners.
I’ll go on to say I’ve done plenty of videos about leading with the left hand, and even playing the kit “weak hand lead”/open handed, and the use for opening up your ideas and improving your coordination.
But here’s the controversial bit:
If you’re already an intermediate drummer with good hands, is making meticulously sure you work on the weak hand in exactly the same way you work on the lead hand the best use of your time?
Jacob says “no”.
And I agree.
At the base level, do bicycle racers need to have extraordinary full-body strength, mobility, and flexibility? Would a novice looking to do bicycle racing do well to work on a generalized strength and conditioning program? Of course!
At the elite amateur level, does training need to be more specialized? Would those racers be well-advised to focus on domain-specific exercises while focussing on their riding? Probably.
And that’s all we’re talking about here.
Either way, I think Jacob is one of the smartest new voices in drum education, and that’s why I’m happy to announce that the second open-enrollment of our joint coaching program is opening soon. And this time, I’ll be doing a weekly call as well, so students will get as many hours of me as they do of Jacob. (For the same price. For now.)
If you’re already on this list, you’ll hear about this in your inbox.
For now, enjoy the video!