Drum Tips #2
Proper Posture For Drummers – How
To Sit
The drummer’s posture can make the difference between
sounding good or bad.
There are four basic things a drummer needs: proper sitting posture,
proper kit set up, proper drum tuning, and have correct stick
grip - it all matters!
Not only will you perform better, you will feel like you
have more energy, as well as more freedom to the kit. It will open up new doors
you thought you never had, allowing you to move around the kit a lot easier,
and with more ease. In addition, you will find after a gig, you will feel a
million times better, as opposed to being achy, sore, and extra tired! So what
is the proper posture for a drummer then?
Sit Up Straight
It may seem all very basic, but it is important to know!
Basically, you have to sit up straight. Slouching on the drum throne is the
worst thing a drummer can do. Look at your back when you play, is it straight
up? You may notice you have a slouch, or curve in your back. Playing like this
for extended periods of time will cause harm and a lot of unwanted stress on
your lower back. Try sitting straight up on you drum stool for a show, and you
will notice the difference right away. Now it may be hard to get this at first,
naturally you will want to slouch, however try to counter that. Force yourself
to sit with better posture, eventually it will come as second nature. If you
look at any professional drummer, you will notice how they are all sitting up
right, and not slouching.
Sit At The Right Height
Correct posture does not only mean sitting up, there is much
more. For example, how high do you set your drum stool? This is very important,
as it is connected to how much endurance and strength you have on your foot
pedals. Every drummer is a different size, so I can’t give you a certain number
of inches; however, I can guide you in the right direction. Generally, you are
going to want to have enough room to make a powerful kick, keeping in mind
comfort and immovability. Adjust your drum stool so that with your feet on the
pedals, your knees make and angle of 90-110 degrees. Another way to look at it
is this: make sure your thighs are sloped downwards towards the floor a little
– not too much though! Having too much a slope will give you a lack of power.
If they are angled the other way, you will have to use a lot more energy to
kick your bass drum!
Relax Your Arms
Now that we have your upper and lower body correct, let’s
figure out your arms and hands. Basically, you want to relax! If you find
yourself struggling to keep your arms up, let them down a bit. You want to make
sure your arms and hands are as comfortable as possible. So no more struggling
with your elbows, trying to get them to stay up. As for your hands, same idea.
Make them as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Make sure you maintain the
proper stick grip! Never sacrifice stick grip for comfort!
Follow these basic guidelines next time you sit at your drum
kit and you will be surprised on how much you improve. Not only will you feel
better while you play the drums, but also when you get off the drums as well!
These are all very much common sense; however there are still drummers that
ignore these simple rules. This is one of the things that separates the
professionals from the garage drummers!
- Source, Rock Drumming Underground
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