new toy - Yamaha drum pads

Post by **Mike** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:30 pm

You are ignorant. Left handed people feel more orientated with the kit reversed. You may not realise it, but as a righty it makes a definitely difference that your right hand plays the hats and left the snare - you would recognise more on a real drum kit,

Mr Drums · Post by **Mr Drums** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:31 pm

Hi aphasiac.

As Doog pointed out, I have the same drum kit as you - how are you getting on with teh drum skillz?

I find that it's pretty awesome for practice, but when I've used it for recording, I've had to play a few bars, then stop and punch myself back in again because the damn thing mis-triggers so much it's nigh on impossible to get through a song without a few cock ups.

Not sure if it's just my kit that's so temperamental - is yours a bit better at lockin' down da groove?

JordanD · Post by **JordanD** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:32 pm

aphasiac wrote:
Mike wrote:Left handed people reverse the whole kit. It does make a difference.
excuse my ignorance, but what are they? I can see disadvantages (not being able to play anyone elses kit), but i can't see the benifits (assuming you're starting from scratch).

It's the same with lefty guitar players - I don't get the point of learning lefty. Unless you're playing classical, surely it makes more sense to use your dominant more skillful left hand for fretting, and it's certainly a lot easier/cheaper to buy right-handed guitars.

what am i missing?

Isn't that last bit just like saying that righties should play left handed to use their dominant hand for fretting, seems kinda silly really? I've never fully understood why we fret with our weaker hands though, I suppose its down to rhythm and timing of the stronger hand.

Post by **Mike** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:33 pm

Looseness in rhythm and picking accuracy need faster more precise and confident movements that fretting of notes and chords.

Mr Drums · Post by **Mr Drums** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:34 pm

Mike wrote:You are ignorant. Left handed people feel more orientated with the kit reversed. You may not realise it, but as a righty it makes a definitely difference that your right hand plays the hats and left the snare - you would recognise more on a real drum kit,

Not always the case; I play drums the 'standard' way and I'm left handed. I just play hats and snare straight and cross hands over for floor tom.

Post by **Doog** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:36 pm

Mike wrote:Left handed people reverse the whole kit. It does make a difference.

I know a few lefties who play open handed (right arm snarin', left hand hattin'), including Mr Drumz, without too many problems. Although the ride tends to get moved to the left, for obvious reasons.

edit: DAMN YOUR ASSLETT

Post by **Mike** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:37 pm

Doog wrote:
Mike wrote:Left handed people reverse the whole kit. It does make a difference.
I know a few lefties who play open handed (right arm snarin', left hand hattin'), including Mr Drumz, without too many problems. Although the ride tends to get moved to the left, for obvious reasons.

Yeah but you're playing the drums with reversed hands, right?

That was my major point.
I imagine you can get some kool rolls going on being open handed, with less travel to move between snare and hat.

Mr Drums · Post by **Mr Drums** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:00 pm

Yeah reversed. I used to play left-handed setup (snare and hats on right, toms on left), but then I realised that I didn't want to keep fucking off normal drummers at gigs by swapping shit around...

Post by **Mike** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:07 pm

Makes sense, we equipment share lots and it takes much longer to switch if EVERYTHING has to move.

Cool that you can play both ways.

euan · Post by **euan** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:12 pm

aphasiac wrote:
Mike wrote:Left handed people reverse the whole kit. It does make a difference.
but i can't see the benifits (assuming you're starting from scratch).

what am i missing?

Obvious benefit is the difference between learning to drum/play guitar and not. The way my brain is wired is that I cannot keep a rhythmn or do anything all really for a bar if I play anything righty. At all.

I spent months trying to do both. I didn't play guitar for two years after I was forced to play right handed until I gave up after six months. I thought I was incapable because I had people like you telling me that I should be able to learn.

Try and learn lefty and tell me how you get on.

euan · Post by **euan** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:15 pm

Mr Drums wrote:Yeah reversed. I used to play left-handed setup (snare and hats on right, toms on left), but then I realised that I didn't want to keep fucking off normal drummers at gigs by swapping shit around...

Its the kick and hats that get me actually. I mess everything up righty cos I'm just unable to coordinate myself that way round, but I can keep a simple rhythmn without really trying lefty.

I don't understand it, but ah well.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:15 pm

Being lefty was the biggest reason I never got to practice drums much. Swapping the whole kit all the time from my drummer was a pain and I never could get the set perfect, and didn't get a lot of time to practice.

I tried the whole open hand thing too but it came down to my left foot needed to play the bass drum, and in order to do that you have to swap the whole kit. I simply could not get it to work with my right foot on the bass drum. Although my primary stomping foot with pedals is my right, I can't do any sort of rhythm with it, like the few times I've used a wah I had to use it with my left.

I still want to get a set of these someday.

aphasiac · Post by **aphasiac** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:17 pm

Mr Drums wrote:Hi aphasiac.

As Doog pointed out, I have the same drum kit as you - how are you getting on with teh drum skillz?

I find that it's pretty awesome for practice, but when I've used it for recording, I've had to play a few bars, then stop and punch myself back in again because the damn thing mis-triggers so much it's nigh on impossible to get through a song without a few cock ups.

Not sure if it's just my kit that's so temperamental - is yours a bit better at lockin' down da groove?

well considering I've been playing drums for exactly 1 week, i'm doing ok! really enjoying it infact, lots of fun playing along with the demo songs!

misfires are a problem with this kit, it's not just you, all online reviews mention it. For me it seems that alot of the time the snare doesn't fire if hit at the same time as another drum - oddly though, it's only ever the snare. Also the actual touch sensative bit of the pad it dead centre and is about the size of a Â£2 coin - and alot of the time i miss it

not sure about getting into "teh groove" - i havent even touched the high-hat pedal yet!

aphasiac · Post by **aphasiac** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:34 pm

JD wrote: Isn't that last bit just like saying that righties should play left handed to use their dominant hand for fretting, seems kinda silly really? I've never fully understood why we fret with our weaker hands though, I suppose its down to rhythm and timing of the stronger hand.

I alwayss assumed we play the way we do because in ye olde days, the hardest part of playing with the picking/fingerstyle, so guitars were designed so you used your dominant hand for this.

Nowerdays guitar playing has changed, and fretting hand technique is as difficult/harder than plucking hand yechnique. So yeh our guitars are the wrong way round.

But then as euan points out, i could be totally wrong, as having control over rhythm and dynamics in picking/strumming is probably alot harder than it actually seems.

euan · Post by **euan** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 3:52 pm

PenPen wrote: like the few times I've used a wah I had to use it with my left

Funnily enough I use my right foot for wah.volume duties but that is more for convenience and little bit for comfort. My guitar is resting on my left leg/hip and it just feels slightly uncomfortable to me. But then again, I'm weird.

euan · Post by **euan** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:00 pm

aphasiac wrote: But then as euan points out, i could be totally wrong, as having control over rhythm and dynamics in picking/strumming is probably alot harder than it actually seems.

Think about it. In a right handed players case the left hands wrist is pretty static, the fingers are doing all the movement. But the dominant hand is going all the picking and strumming which comes from the wrist. I think you can learn the finger movement. Getting the motion and rhythmn in the wrist however is a lot harder

gaybear · Post by **gaybear** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:23 pm

this is a goofy discussion.
on drums, the hand that is playing the highhat/ride is doing significantly more work than the snare hand, so of course you're gonna use your dominant hand.

euan · Post by **euan** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:26 pm

gaybear wrote:this is a goofy discussion.

Whats skateboarding got to do with it

gaybear · Post by **gaybear** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:26 pm

euan wrote:
gaybear wrote:this is a goofy discussion.
Whats skateboarding got to do with it

crap. i am goofy footed.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:29 pm

euan wrote:
PenPen wrote: like the few times I've used a wah I had to use it with my left
Funnily enough I use my right foot for wah.volume duties but that is more for convenience and little bit for comfort. My guitar is resting on my left leg/hip and it just feels slightly uncomfortable to me. But then again, I'm weird.

nah, this very thing is why my right foot is my stomping foot, so it isn't so weird. I nearly always use my right for that, but the two times I have ever used a wah I just simply couldn't do it with my right, I had to use my left to use it properly. I have little rhythm as is, but I have more with my left foot at least.