Finger Drumming

[biff_larken]

So, ever since I first saw David Hynes on youtube, I've been REALLY interested in finger drumming (getting better at it, to be more specific). I have percussion experience (percussionist of the year each year, all through high school, but that was 7 years ago). I own a Korg Padkontrol and absolutely love it, but I don't think I'm getting that much better. I don't know, maybe I am.

 

Is there anyone out there who has any advice on how to become a better finger drummer?

[djals]

I don't really know myself, thats why I bought the Alesis Control Pad.

 

You just can't get those little stick rolls (paradiddles I believe there called) with your fingers, not unless you've got a SERIOUS drug problem! !

 

I used to play drums a bit, and tapping away on a keyboard/pad just feels so alien compared to the real thing.

 

Anyhoo, good luck with your training!

[nikkik]

Hi!

Might not be helpful, or what you want to hear, but...practice.

 

I am still trying to figure the config that works best, but that is because I am still trying to figure the best fingers to use for what drum piece. For now, I am still stuck doing a few pieces at once. For example, I might start off doing only the kik and snare with some tom fills, then come back and do the hihat/ride and cymbal hits.

 

For practicing, pick a few albums you love, know really well, and are not too complex if you want; starting with something complex can be cool, just play simple beats over it, adding more and more as you get better/more comfy.

 

I have two kiks and two snares mapped on my pads, just so I can play as if I had two kik pedals and using right and left hands for the snare. To me, it was easier double mapping the snare. I also varied response for the one snare pad very slightly.

 

Try different mappings, get basic beats going (to a metronome is best), and jam with albums you know really well. Once you find your pad map and finger "assignments" you should be half way there I think

[biff_larken]

Hi!

Might not be helpful, or what you want to hear, but...practice.

 

I am still trying to figure the config that works best, but that is because I am still trying to figure the best fingers to use for what drum piece. For now, I am still stuck doing a few pieces at once. For example, I might start off doing only the kik and snare with some tom fills, then come back and do the hihat/ride and cymbal hits.

 

For practicing, pick a few albums you love, know really well, and are not too complex if you want; starting with something complex can be cool, just play simple beats over it, adding more and more as you get better/more comfy.

 

I have two kiks and two snares mapped on my pads, just so I can play as if I had two kik pedals and using right and left hands for the snare. To me, it was easier double mapping the snare. I also varied response for the one snare pad very slightly.

 

Try different mappings, get basic beats going (to a metronome is best), and jam with albums you know really well. Once you find your pad map and finger "assignments" you should be half way there I think

 

Oh, I'm well aware that practice is the cornerstone here, just curious if anyone had anything additional to say. Thanks, Nikki! I think I'll mess around with my pad assignments.

[Subtonic]

I asked this question before but I didn't get very far either.

 

There doesn't seem to be a formal technique when it comes to playing AKAI/Trigger Finger/padKontrol style midi controllers for drums.

 

So it seems to be practice, practice, practice.

 

Practice makes permanence, not perfect.

[toysun]

Seems to me that you need to lock down your mapping - if you keep playing around with different ones than you'd be working against yourself getting better, no?

[three_eyed_otter]

I agree lock down your mapping. Confine your presets to 16 pads/cells etc. AND, practice creating patterns where you have to use 2 fingers from the same hand at the same time or different fingers from the same hand successively. An example would be if you were doing a 16th note snare drum roll, beginning on beat 4 (4/4 time sig), and you need to spank the bass drum and crash cymbal on beat 1 (the downbeat) of the next measure. You have two options, either use 1 hand (the free hand) to play the bass drum & cymbal w/2 fingers or you could allow the hand that was playing the final 16th note of the roll to use a "new" finger on the bass drum and the "free" hand to play the cymbal. I have found that when I try stuff like this my finger drumming gets more fluid.

 

have a good one

3Eo

[el-bo]

low crsh *** high crsh *** ride *** ride bell

 

 

 

 

high tom *** mid tom *** low tom *** high splash

 

 

 

 

 

l/stick snare *** r/stk snare *** low splash *** r/stk close hat

 

 

 

 

sn buzz roll *** bass drum *** l/stk close hat *** open hat

 

 

 

 

this works for me...4 x 4 pads on my mpd 16 and microkontrol

 

 

 

the b/drum, h/hat (open & close) and right snare hit are kept close......

 

***************************************************

 

if i use my index finger of my left hand to hit the r/stk snare and my index finger of the right hand to hit the l/stick hat, it leaves both of my thumbs centred around the bass drum pad (great for double kicks and kick bounces)

 

the middle finger (r/hand) covers the open hi-hat

 

***************************************************

 

i have the two closed high hats to play alternate hat strokes, both centred around the open hat for either hand to alternate

 

****************************************************

 

fill *1: if high tom is (A) and low tom is (B), l/stk snare is © and right stick is (d)...then you can follow traditional drumming practice....your paradiddles and para para diddledoos etc..i'm not a drummer, but i know this one

 

A ®, C (l), C (l), D ®, D ®, A (l), B®

 

(r = index of right hand, l=index of left)

 

 

and end with bass drum and crash together

 

this fill takes a while to get up to speed...but you can always lower the tempo to get it done.....when sped back up it sounds way authentic

 

******************************************

 

fill *2...hi-hat choke

 

bass drum is (E) and open hat is (F) and l/stk hat is (G)

 

 

hit both snares © and (D) with a flam type action...either one ever so slightly later than the first

then bass drum and open hat together...followed quickly with a closed hat to choke the open hat

 

 

 

C (l) + D ® , E (l) + F (mid finger r/hand), G ®

 

****************************************************

 

tip * 1 when using ride instead of hats, over-dub the left foot keeping the beat on the hat-stand....this really sounds authentic

 

tip * 2 accompany crash hits with a bass drum

 

for practice, i have a logic template called 'drum fun'...it has a kit set up with a bit of compression and verb...that's it....whenever i load up i tunes and want to play along, i just fire up this simple template...mix to taste....great fun....

 

 

hope this helps

[doug941]

Thanks for your input! That was a really helpfull post!

I just got a trigger finger, and I was interested in different pad assignments. I'm gonna lock yours in... You got me sold!

[johnnymac2201]

Being a great drummer on a drum set, like David Haynes is, is also a big help in playing finger drums.

[el-bo]

i might try and post a video of me playing my mpd16....my assignments have changed ever so slightly

[jdm11b]

I bought the M-Audio triggerfinger hoping I could "finger drum" tracks into the computer, but I find that the pads have to be struck quite hard. I end up hitting it with rubber xylophone mallets, or turning off the sensitivity so everything has the same velocity. Not a great product if you ask me.

[biff_larken]

I bought the M-Audio triggerfinger hoping I could "finger drum" tracks into the computer, but I find that the pads have to be struck quite hard. I end up hitting it with rubber xylophone mallets, or turning off the sensitivity so everything has the same velocity. Not a great product if you ask me.

 

Have you checked to see if the Trigger Finger offers different velocity curves for the pads? I have a padKontrol, and I can change the sensitivity of each individual pad.

[Clueless]

Don't forget to exercise your fingers - this will improve strength and dexterity. Here's a few exercises:

 

Bring the tip of each finger on the left hand in turn to the mound at the base of the thumb. Rry a variety of different finger patterns and speeds.

 

Start with the left hand relaxed and the fingers bent into a loose “C” shape. Rapidly jerk the fingers back, taught, turning the “C” into more like a “P” shape, keeping the knuckles bent. Hold this position for about 10 secs, relax for a few seconds then repeat.