How to make diddles sound better..

[Hazzy]

I have a huge problem with diddles, I am right hand heavy with them, and I don't know how much arm/wrist/finger to use...I can play them quick but they sound like poo. What things do you do to get them better? Is double beat all i need to do? thanks

[pfortyseven]

Try learning 32nd notes. It helped me. Also, do a long, drawn out roll, and make it sound like stupid fast singles. THAT open. then you should have something to work with.

[Elmo11]

Do Sanford (in exercise library) on a pillow. Make sure every note you put on the pillow is full stroke and full sound quality. Eventually you will be able to play Sanford with no rebound as good as you would with the snare rebound. then Diddles are pie

[koopthepoopscoop]

Just work double beat as much as you can. Also try playing single stroke 4's. As a bass drummer, working on getting quality 4's helped my double beat a lot. And working double beat helped me get quality 4's

[DrJosiah]

Practice slow and to a click. Stick Control has become your new best friend.

There are so many doubles exercises out there, just anything that cycles doubles in various forms (inverted, starting at different places, etc) and work em.

3's as well will tremendously help your diddle quality.

Can not stress enough that you need to slow down and work with a metronome. Making sure the note values are beautiful at very slow tempos and gradually increasing the tempo as you are able to maintain a relaxed control over your hands, arms and each and every note you play.

There is no substitute for breaking down rhythms to ultra slow tempos and focusing on every note you play.

[FerreusOpus]

[BSBottom5]

Do Sanford (in exercise library) on a pillow. Make sure every note you put on the pillow is full stroke and full sound quality. Eventually you will be able to play Sanford with no rebound as good as you would with the snare rebound. then Diddles are pie

don't do this.. playing on a pillow is possibly the worst idea ever. it makes you wourse on a drum. someone delete this comment. forserious. I've watched way too many people do this and permanenty jack up their technique, hands, and pretty much every aspect of their playing.

[Mr.Jsquishy]

make your diddles sound likes singles, and make your singles sound like diddles

[Elmo11]

Do Sanford (in exercise library) on a pillow. Make sure every note you put on the pillow is full stroke and full sound quality. Eventually you will be able to play Sanford with no rebound as good as you would with the snare rebound. then Diddles are pie

don't do this.. playing on a pillow is possibly the worst idea ever. it makes you wourse on a drum. someone delete this comment. forserious. I've watched way too many people do this and permanenty jack up their technique, hands, and pretty much every aspect of their playing.

Explain?

[Jenalin]

Do Sanford (in exercise library) on a pillow. Make sure every note you put on the pillow is full stroke and full sound quality. Eventually you will be able to play Sanford with no rebound as good as you would with the snare rebound. then Diddles are pie

don't do this.. playing on a pillow is possibly the worst idea ever. it makes you wourse on a drum. someone delete this comment. forserious. I've watched way too many people do this and permanenty jack up their technique, hands, and pretty much every aspect of their playing.

Really?
I've had so many, experienced, and extremely skilled players tell me that playing on a pillow is the way to go. How exactly would it mess up everything?

[Mr.Jsquishy]

Do Sanford (in exercise library) on a pillow. Make sure every note you put on the pillow is full stroke and full sound quality. Eventually you will be able to play Sanford with no rebound as good as you would with the snare rebound. then Diddles are pie

don't do this.. playing on a pillow is possibly the worst idea ever. it makes you wourse on a drum. someone delete this comment. forserious. I've watched way too many people do this and permanenty jack up their technique, hands, and pretty much every aspect of their playing.

Really?
I've had so many, experienced, and extremely skilled players tell me that playing on a pillow is the way to go. How exactly would it mess up everything?

playing on a pillow= good

[Elmo11]

Playing with no rebound is the best thing to build chops because it makes it x4's as easy of when you do have rebound.

Maybe the people you know didn't practice right.

[Patti_Mayo]

I tried the pillow thing and it just didn't work for me, I got on a drum and felt terrible. my best recamendation is do snaford or double beat or w/e but do it all with DOUBLE STOPS!!! And make sure your left and right are matching eachother in intensity, this is what helped me the most with my diddles.

[FlamingFlamsOHMY!]

Only practice on a pillow if you know exactly what you are developing and how you are going to. For example, if you try to learn double stroke technique with using your back fingers on the second stroke, it may not be beneficial to play on a pillow. The lack of rebound from the pillow would cause you to lift the stick for the second stroke using your wrist, which is exactly what you don't want to do. On the contrary, if you are simply trying to build wrist power or speed, pillows can be helpful, to a certain extent.

Basically, be smart about it, and if you don't know what you are doing, get some help from someone that can play better than you can.

[Elmo11]

Only practice on a pillow if you know exactly what you are developing and how you are going to. For example, if you try to learn double stroke technique with using your back fingers on the second stroke, it may not be beneficial to play on a pillow. The lack of rebound from the pillow would cause you to lift the stick for the second stroke using your wrist, which is exactly what you don't want to do. On the contrary, if you are simply trying to build wrist power or speed, pillows can be helpful, to a certain extent.

Basically, be smart about it, and if you don't know what you are doing, get some help from someone that can play better than you can.

Agreed.

[DrJosiah]

Only practice on a pillow if you know exactly what you are developing and how you are going to. For example, if you try to learn double stroke technique with using your back fingers on the second stroke, it may not be beneficial to play on a pillow. The lack of rebound from the pillow would cause you to lift the stick for the second stroke using your wrist, which is exactly what you don't want to do. On the contrary, if you are simply trying to build wrist power or speed, pillows can be helpful, to a certain extent.

Basically, be smart about it, and if you don't know what you are doing, get some help from someone that can play better than you can.

Bingo.

Practicing on sub-rebound surfaces can be a great tool, but only if you know how to use the tool.

The name of the game in modern drumming is rebound control, with a proper full stroke, the stick should be making a lot more notes then you need. It's learning how to control all of them that is the key.

[andyh]

2 key things, don't crush the diddles or play them to open.

[moontheloon1127]

Scot Johnsons diddle control #3 is nice

[tidus1112]

I just learned to play 3 stroke rolls. Seemed to help me with my diddles. If you can play 3's easily, you can probably play 2's pretty well also. Weird way to think of it, but it helped me. Otherwise, just play a bunch of double beat exercises. AB, sanford, w/e. you can also play roll exercises like diddles and taps (gallop/pat's double, whatever) or chicken and a roll or anything like that. There are millions...okay, probably like...tens of exercises that are pretty much amazing for improving rolls. AB helps, sanford helps, gallop is my favorite though, personally. Just practice a bunch though, and eventually, your rolls won't sound like poop.

[Drummersean518]

absolutely great

[KJennings]

Playing on a pillow will make you really good...



...good at playing on a pillow.


Worthless.

[UHSnare45]

Playing on a pillow will make you really good...



...good at playing on a pillow.


Worthless.

pretty much this. it's like pad hands.

[knight427]

Playing on a pillow will make you really good...

...good at playing on a pillow.

Worthless.

Playing doubles on a pillow worked for me when I was young and just building my chop strength. I didn't spend tons of time doing it, but I did notice a significant improvement in my doubles quality after a few sessions on a pillow while watching TV. Like any exercise, it has a specific purpose and YMMV.

[snareplayer18]

Double beat (any one) focus on each hand sounding the same and triple beat. For both of these exercises focus on each note at the same height, like the triple beat the first note shouldn't be the loudest/highest note and a gradual decrescendo from there. each note should be a wrist turn and all at the same height. play all tempos. then apply the same playing/feeling to rolls/diddles

[drmmrboy88]

Do Sanford (in exercise library) on a pillow. Make sure every note you put on the pillow is full stroke and full sound quality. Eventually you will be able to play Sanford with no rebound as good as you would with the snare rebound. then Diddles are pie

don't do this.. playing on a pillow is possibly the worst idea ever. it makes you wourse on a drum. someone delete this comment. forserious. I've watched way too many people do this and permanenty jack up their technique, hands, and pretty much every aspect of their playing.

I agree.