lessons

10-Day Plan For Faster Hands

  • By Mike Johnston
  • Published February 27, 2013

Internationally acclaimed Internet drumming educator Mike Johnston introduces vital concepts needed to maximize his Ten-Day Plan For Faster Hands, which is published in the April 2013 issue of DRUM! Magazine. In these videos he demonstrates single-strokes, double-strokes, single paradiddles, double paradiddes, and flam taps – which comprise the building blocks for his ten-day lesson plan – and demonstrates the various exercises in his ten-day plan, and offers practicing tips for each.

Want to play faster? Sure you do! To complete the Ten-Day Plan For Faster Hands, pick up a copy of the April 2013 issue of DRUM! at your local newsstand or bookstore, or go here to purchase the issue online.

10-Day Plan Part 1

10-Day Plan Part 2

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  • Hi Drum
    Love what Mike Johnston’s doing, wish I’d have found him years ago. He’s been a real inspiration to me since I first saw his vids on Youtube a few months ago and as a 55 year old drummer feeling a bit stale, I want to try to improve my basic skills by participating in his 10 day plan.  Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find Drum Mag in the UK. Could you possibly point me in the direction of any outlets here where I can obtain it or failing that, can I purchase it from you directly.
    Hope you can help
    Steve Buxton.

    stevieB 3/2/2013 at 3:34 AM

  • I’m confused about the tempos on the daily exercises.  60/70/80% of max on what?  Do each of these correlate with the maxes established on the initial speed tests?  If so, how?

    Paisteve 3/4/2013 at 12:05 PM

  • It might look like I’m responding to myself here, but evidently there’s a glitch in our commenting right now. Anyway, Paisteve, this is spelled out in Mike’s 10-Day Plan in the current issue of DRUM!, but you need to figure out your maximum speed for each exercise, and then practice them at 60/70/80 percent of your maximum speed. Hope that clears it up, me ... er, I mean Paisteve!

    Andy Doerschuk 3/4/2013 at 12:29 PM

  • I disagree, it is NOT spelled out in the magazine article.  It says determine your max speed on the five initial speed tests, but does not say to do so on the daily exercises.  Just to be sure I understand, as an example, on the 8-4-2-2 exercise 1, I’m supposed to FIRST determine my max speed on THAT exercise, then do the exercise at 60/70/80% So why not have a space for recording the max on THAT exercise?  It is confusing.

    Paisteve 3/5/2013 at 7:22 AM

  • Paisteve, you are right.  It is NOT spelled out in the article.  I contacted Mike and he’s had many responses similar to yours.  So, you’re not crazy. smile  He did a video to answer your questions:  http://vimeo.com/60710293

    Basically, find your max for each individual exercise and then do your PERCEIVED 60%/70%/80%.  You don’t have to necessarily use a click and make it exact.

    gretschdrum 3/5/2013 at 8:01 AM

  • Ah, cool. Thanks for getting the scoop.

    Paisteve 3/5/2013 at 11:17 AM