Drumming Tips and Drumming Techniques: Drumming Articles

Speed Drumming Controversy - Truth Vs. Fiction

I've noted some negativity swirling around what is called "speed drumming" - which came to be as the WFD (World's Fastest Drummer) competition has grown. Many of the negative comments I've read on blogs and forums are disturbing to me - since they clearly appear to be coming from drummers who seemed to never even have tried any of the practice techniques involved. Nor does it appear that such drummers have even tried a Drumometer™. For these drummers, I say that "coming down hard" on an issue without at least first-hand knowledge, lowers the validity of their opinion. Yet, everyone does have right to their opinion. But it doesn't take much effort to become part of a local/regional WFD event? And some of the practice techniques required do have positive impacts to your overall drumming too!

Speed drumming and the related practice techniques have even been slammed by some "big name" pro drummers -who admit they've never been involved with any WFD event. To me, being a "big name pro" and giving strong negative opinions without knowledge of the discipline - only demonstrates ignorance on their part. This is not right.

Drumming for speed over the long periods of time (i.e., the 60-second time period of the WFD) IS a separate discipline from everyday drumming. However, most drummers may actually have very similar speed capabilities over shorter intervals of time (like 2 to 20 seconds)? YET, by developing long duration drumming speed, I have found that you DO improve your time, the balance between hands and/or feet, your endurance, and your overall playing precision. This is NOT a bad thing.

And working on your drumming speed doesn't mean that you NEED to compete, or, focus only on this mode of drumming. Instead, I see speed drumming exercises as just another excellent tool that couldn't hurt any drummer should try. If nothing else, you become better informed of the topic, which helps one become a more well-rounded professional drummer. Why can't we just accept this mode of playing as simply another developmental tool and chill out a bit?

The Drumometer™ and It's MANY Uses

For those of you who don't know much about the WFD (World's Fastest Drummer) competition, the device used for your speed measurement over time is called a "Drumometer™". This devices has a piezo trigger and can measure the number of "strikes" (with hands, sticks or bass drum beaters) over a period of time (60-seconds is their standard). The "device" consists of a timer/counter section (that can be set to count from 1 second on up to 15 minutes). It also incorporates a metronome, and a foot trigger (to restart the device at the last setting). This latter feature makes it easier to continue with any given exercise - as well as manage your practice time. The device comes with a triggered Remo pad "striking surface" - for use with sticks or hands. You can also mount their piezo trigger on the beater side of a bass drum, or on the surface of a hand drum. Once you set your time interval, striking the pad causes the timer unit to begin counting down - while the number of strikes accumulate. Both the "time remaining", and "total amount of strikes" are displayed in real-time.

I know the many benefits of speed drumming practice techniques "first-hand" because I competed in the 2004 WFD event at Winter NAMM and came in third. I must say that I never thought I actually found it to be both a "fun" and rewarding experience. Better yet, when I returned home from NAMM, many of the musicians I play with started saying things like, "You're really laying down killer grooves lately." And this was when I truly realized that the Drumometer, its metronome, and all the speed drumming exercises I had been using were the only variables! SO SPEED DRUMMING EXERCISES HAVE UNEXPECTED POSITIVE BENEFITS TO DRUMMING.

Are There Any Negatives About Practicing with a Drumometer?

There's only one potentially negative I can see about using a Drumometer™ (but it's not the fault of the device). Since it DOES measure speed, one may initially focus on using it for speed development ALONE. But this tool offers so many other ways to help you improve as a drummer that you need to be aware! Drumming speed capability is only one small aspect involved in becoming a well-rounded drummer. No one wants to play with a drummer who plays "blazingly fast", but who also plays tasteless fills, can't keep time, and doesn't really know how to groove with different genres of music.

Final Points

If you think about it, these days most electric guitar and keyboard players use a myriad of electronic devices to practice, record and perform. Their devices have been designed to make them sound better too - and even stay in tune! I guess that's okay, but a Drumometer™ is different. This device does NOT make you sound better by itself. Instead, it pushes you to GET better. It can therefore be a great tool to help you not only develop speed, but to improve your overall drumming. This is a critical distinction in regard to a metronome alone, or other electronic devices that other musicians use either at home, live and or in the studio.

In everyday personal practice, the instant feedback of a Drumometer™ helps you "on the path" to improvement. However, actually "doing" the work to improve properly" is another issue altogether. Still, this "tool" WILL help you balance hand-to-hand and foot-to-foot strength, endurance. It will also help you build endurance, feel, and dynamics - over a wide range of metronome speeds.

So, forget whether you "approve" of the concept of a "World's Fastest Drummer" competition. Instead, consider buying a Drumometer™ to improve your "overall drumming". If you do this, I believe you'll see it's vast potential. Maybe then, the amount of crazy comments about the Drumometer™ (and speed drumming) will become more realistic and balanced.

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