changing focus from drums to piano, techniques get in way of eachother?

[nouon]

Hello

I`ve played drums for some 18 years aswell as a little piano on the side
(started playing piano for one year when I was 8 years old, but changed to drums)

I would like to focus more on playing the piano since I`ve started to compose more music

What I´ve noticed is that there seem to be hard to switch between drums and piano
because the techniques are quite similar, but has some fundemental differences which is important to be aware of inorder to avoid pain when playing.

specially the use of the fingers is different, I think you use the longer finger flexor muscles which run from the underarm to the finger tips more in drumming.

anybody else who plays both drums and piano out there with some tips perhaps?

thanks

[sevencircles]

Ask Peter Jablonski 

[nouon]

I am Peter Jablonsky, I`ve always had this dilemma, just hasn`t told anybody





kidding of course

[worker]

The DVD by Seymour Fink is excellent. He demonstrates the basic finger motions and gives simple exercises to make the pianist aware of the correct motions as well as strengthening these motions into your muscle memory.

"Mastering Piano Technique" is the title. It also is in book form which, for me, was terribly difficult to follow and understand.  The DVD made everything simple and intuitive.

[danny elfboy]

Hello

I`ve played drums for some 18 years aswell as a little piano on the side
(started playing piano for one year when I was 8 years old, but changed to drums)

I would like to focus more on playing the piano since I`ve started to compose more music

What I´ve noticed is that there seem to be hard to switch between drums and piano
because the techniques are quite similar, but has some fundemental differences which is important to be aware of inorder to avoid pain when playing.

specially the use of the fingers is different, I think you use the longer finger flexor muscles which run from the underarm to the finger tips more in drumming.

anybody else who plays both drums and piano out there with some tips perhaps?

The techniques are very similar and in fact you'll have an advantage at the piano as a drummer.

I'm not sure about the fundamental differences.
No muscles really run to the finger tips and the phalanges are basically muscleless.

Also our joints are the real pivotal of motions of the body.
The most important joints we activate or need to maintain relaxed at the piano are the shoulder joints, the elbow joints, the wrist join, the fingers joints.

Playing the piano depends less on the fingers joints than it depends on the elbow joint and wrist joint.

That's why the worst mistake possible in playing the piano is keeping the arm still and the elbow and wrist joint locked as in "playing with just the fingers but lifting them high"

The important aspect of using the wrist join is to allow the up and down motion of the hand or the "breathing of arm muscles" while the important aspect of using the elbow joint is to take advantage of the forearm as a big lever moving vertically.

These movements are typically percussive and as far as I can tell are the basis of drumming as well.

The important aspect in both the techniques is that less and less of the work must be carried out by small muscles and joints and more of it must be carried out by bigger muscles and joints.

[nouon]

thanks for the response


I actually bought the fink video 2 years ago, I found it interesting for 1 week, but then suddenly the tape got chewed up on playback, dvd sounds like a good ide

I would also like to check out the  taubman videos

I'm not sure about the fundamental differences.
No muscles really run to the finger tips and the phalanges are basically muscleless.

I was thinking of the interossei muscles versus the longer flexors of the 2 and 3joint of the fingers, I think you use the longer flexor muscles more in drumming because you flex all the fingers (except the index finger and the thumb who holds the stick) at the same time

I might overanalyze it a bit though, mayby I`m just a bad piano player

 

regarding the use of arm muscles, I think the main difference between piano and drum technique with sticks is that you get support from the piano, while playing the drums
you can`t get support from the instrument in the same way

From what I hear hand drumming and piano playing are much closer in the use of the arms

I totally agree with using the whole playing apparatus, very good explenation you have there

thanks

[danny elfboy]

I was thinking of the interossei muscles versus the longer flexors of the 2 and 3joint of the fingers, I think you use the longer flexor muscles more in drumming because you flex all the fingers (except the index finger and the thumb who holds the stick) at the same time

Why you flex the fingers that are not holding the stick?

regarding the use of arm muscles, I think the main difference between piano and drum technique with sticks is that you get support from the piano, while playing the drums
you can`t get support from the instrument in the same way

Not in the same way but to a certain extent, because the drum surface anyway prevents you from falling forward so like the keybed it is a stop-point which stop the motion

I totally agree with using the whole playing apparatus

As I said ... you'll have great advantage in being a drummer as far as piano is concerned.
Piano is compulsory in organ classes ... I would make drumming compulsory in piano classes ... 

[nouon]

for lighter strokes, you use the fingers, the point where you hold the stick between
the thumb and the index finger functions almost as a hinge joint for the stick , and the fingers pull the rear end of the stick, especially used on ghostnotes/ light snare work


 

Not in the same way but to a certain extent, because the drum surface anyway prevents you from falling forward so like the keybed it is a stop-point which stop the motion

it doesn`t prevent me from falling forward, but one can bounce the stick of the surface 


I do think I can use it to my advanteage, I just have to be careful to distinguish some of the differences and be aware of the  habitual movements which  is better for drumming

As I said ... you'll have great advantage in being a drummer as far as piano is concerned.
Piano is compulsory in organ classes ... I would make drumming compulsory in piano classes ... 

what a great attitude, no drummer jokes so far, that has to be a record