Left-Hand Work Out

Matt Byrne
Originally published in DRUM! Magazine’s August 2006 Issue

This month, we’re going to concentrate on building strength and endurance in the left hand (for those of you who regularly play left-hand lead, just reverse the stickings for a rightie work out). We begin with some snare exercises (Exs. 1–2) that are fairly simple to play so that you can focus on making the left-hand accents stand out. I’ve also provided two beats in which the left hand really gets a work out. The first (Ex. 3) has a triplet feel and is played between the hi-hat, kick, and snare. There are no accents indicated, so the left hand plays at the same volume and consistency throughout the beat; feel free, however, to experiment with playing ghost notes once you’re grooving. The second beat (Ex. 4) is a straight four-on-the-floor. The left hand keeps a steady eighth-note pattern for the entirety of the beat and the ghost notes are indicated. Enjoy!

Matt Byrne is the drummer for heavy metal/hardcore band Hatebreed. He resides in Beacon, New York, where he teaches drumming to a handful of students. In his spare time, he is working on his Special Ed./Elementary Ed. Teaching degree. You can email Matt at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).