Tiger Bill's Speed Lesson #51: Developing the Weak Hand - Part 2

This month we continue with our exercises specifically designed to strengthen your weak hand. This will allow you to develop equal speed, power, endurance, and precision in both hands. If you missed last month's lesson, please go to the lesson section at DrumMagazine.com and work on Tiger Bill's Speed Lesson #50 - Developing the Weak Hand Part 1 before proceeding to this one.

Video Lesson

Study the written exercises below before accessing the video clip. Play the line marked S with your strong hand and the line marked W with your weak hand. You should be practicing these exercises daily and keeping track of your progress by writing a metronome speed in a notebook. Select a speed that allows you to play each exercise easily and without tension. Repeat each exercise for at least 3 minutes without stopping. Once you become comfortable repeating each exercise separately, practice playing all three exercises from one to the next (for a minimum of three minutes each) without stopping. These three exercises should take you 9 minutes to complete. Each day you should try to increase your metronome speed a notch or two while keeping a record of it in your notebook.

Both this and last month's exercises will be most effective in developing your weak hand if they are played one after the other in order, starting with the first exercise in lesson #50 and finishing with the third exercise in this month's lesson. Play each exercise for a minimum of three minutes before moving to the next and do not stop between exercises. Each month your new exercises should be tacked onto the end of those from the previous month's lessons. This month, your total practice time should equal 18 minutes. That's a total of 9 minutes for last month's and 9 minutes for this month's exercises.

Additional Workouts

Once you get good at playing these three exercises with your strong and weak hands as explained above, reverse the sticking and play the Strong (S) part with your weak hand and the Weak (W) part with your strong hand. You shouldn't have to devote nearly as much practice time to this but it will help you keep both of your hands balanced and equal in speed, power, endurance, and precision. For more information on drumming without tension, visit TensionFreeDrumming.com.

Questions on this month's lesson can be sent to me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) .

Until next time: Stay loose and have fun!

Tiger Bill Meligari