The Complete Caravan Warmup
A little while ago I posted the first step of the warmup that I have developed and have been using for about a year. This is the complete version which is also going to be the first exercise in my book "Melodic Syncopation". Some of the formatting got a little messed up in the uploading process, but I think the whole thing is legible.
I can tell you from personal experience that this warmup is really phenomenal. Since I started it I have found using Moeller strokes around the set really opens up my playing by keeping me relaxed even when I am playing fast ideas. I also feel that beyond the technical advantages of just practicing Moeller strokes around the set, this warmup has the advantage of keeping me constantly focused on form and melody no matter what I else I am doing.
This warmup goes to the heart of what my book and this blog is all about, trying to bridge the gap between the drums and melody instruments. Give it a try for yourself, and see if you don't notice some pretty dramatic improvement after a couple of weeks. I will try to post some videos of me doing the later steps of the exercise on the set reasonably soon.
Here is a link to some videos of me playing step B.
ReplyDeleteThe paradiddle is the best thing to learn these well with because
it naturally executes them if you accent the first note of each
side. If you look at just the right hand: The first accent
(first stroke) is a down stroke (start high, end low) and the
next is the double stroke which are both taps. That stroke is
an up stroke.
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