June 2, 2006

Hi DruMMers Paradise Crew!

Here’s Something I’m doing iN My Drum LesSoNs at the Moment that I ThiNk You Will find Interesting & Stimulating!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

A few Weeks Ago I took oN a New Mature Student, Paul W, who is Left Handed. >>> He speCifically wanted to learn from Scratch oN a RiGht~Handed Set Up playing “Open Left” (Left Hand on Hi~Hat, RiGht Hand oN Snare & Right Foot oN Bass Drum) >>>

I was of course VERY Happy to ablidge!! >>> This was not the first time I had beeN asked to TeaCh a Left HaNded Player in this Way & it is a Style of Playing which I found ExCiting & Challenging! >>>

Paul W is thorouGhly Enjoying His LesSoNs & so am I !! >>> This way of Playing caN be GREAT for a Left Hander if that’s what You CHOOSE, HOWEVER it caN be MUCH MORE INTERESTING for RIGHT HANDED PLAYERS!!!! >>>

WhiCh all leads Me to My point……..TRY Playing “Open Left” (Left Hand on Hi~Hat) as a RiGht Hander!>>It is SoMething FRESH & DIFFERENT whiCh I Guarantee WILL BLOW YOUR MIND!!! >>>

I First saw this TeChnique being Employed by Famous (LeGendary!) RiGht Handed Players oVer 10 Years Ago, oN My continuing Quest for DruMMing EnLiGhtenment, these DruMMing Greats Were of Course the GREAT Billy Cobham & Lenny White. >>>

Both MeN Tore Up their Respective Fusion GiGs, oNe at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Den Haig in Holland & oNe in Southampton in the UK, using this Different Style of Playing for their ENTIRE Performances!! >>>
They Both made this Scary, Ambidexterous TeChnique LoOk Very Comfortable & Frankly Very EASY, WHICH IT IS NOT!!! >>>

In My Current UK Drum Practice I have decided to TeaCh ALL My ADVANCED RiGht Handed Students this COOL TeChnique with Great SuCess & Many of My Guys are LOVING it as Much as I Do!!! >>>

But WHY?!!! I Hear You Ask! >>>

Well it’s GREAT for Mind ExpansioN, Lateral ThiNking, Added Independance in the 4 Limbs, ImproVed Co~Ordination, but MOST IMPORTANTLY You will be Developing StrenGth & FleXibility iN Your Weaker HaNd whiCh caN only be A GOOD THING!!! >>>

Insidentally if You Play a Left Handed Set Up with Your Hi~Hat on Your RiGht Hand Side Why don’t You haVe a Go at Playing “Open Right”!!! >>> It will haVe the saMe Awesome effect oN Your DruMMing toO!!! >>>

Well there You haVe it, ANOTHER WiCked, CoOL & GroOVy Idea from drummers-paradise.com!! >>> NICE! >>>

PeAcE Out,

*** <<< The FuNk >>> ***

June 1, 2006

Hi DruMMers Paradise People!

I Hope I find You ALL Well & Happy >>> I’ve Re~Visited a GREAT Rudimentary ExCercise ReCeNtly whiCh I thouGht would be Usefull to ALL You DruMMers & PerCussionists out there! >>>

BeCause of My New Endorsement with TRUELINE DrumSticks, I’ve been Really Enjoying Beating Out Rudiments on My Practice Pad.
To test out the BalanCe & Feel of My New StiCks I came baCk to a Rudiment ExCercise I’ve always liked a Great Deal >>>

It came from oNe of Simon Phillips’ Ideas which I caMe across Years ago oN a “Zildjian Day in London” Video >>>
I Very sliGhtly adapted the Snare Drum Rudiment He Played infront of a Live Audience to make it a little more “Do~able”!!!

So here it is…………”Singles~Doubles~Triples~Quads”

RLRLRLRL (8 Singles) RRLLRRLL (4 Doubles) RRRLLLRRR (3 Triples) LLLLRRRRLLLL (& 3 Quads)

Play this at aN EVEN, FLOWING Tempo as a Smooth Looping Figure. >>> If You are Left Handed Maybe start the Excercise from the LEFT HAND. >>>

I have found also that if You ADD a 4th QUAD the Rhythm will CHANGE DIRECTION & You will be automatically Leading from the opposite Hand!! >>> COOL HUH? >>> Like this…….>>>

RLRLRLRL RRLLRRLL RRRLLLRRR LLLLRRRRLLLLRRRR LRLRLRLR LLRRLLRR LLLRRRLLL RRRRLLLLRRRRLLLL etc.

I’ve put Spacing in this ONLY to make it Read Better!! >>> It is intended to be a Steady Stream of 8th Notes/Quavers. >>>

Playing this at a FiXed Tempo of Your Choice will open up Your Wrists & Help You to Develop More STRENGTH & SPEED in Your Hands >>> Helping the Muscles & Tendons in Your HANDS, WRISTS & FOREARMS to Build better Muscle~Memory!! >>>
WhiCh is ALWAYS a GOOD THING! >>> & with My TRUELINE “Power Grip” Sticks I can practically FEEL My Muscles Developing as I Play!!! >>>

Hope You have a Bit of Fun with this, Maybe try Playing along in Time to Your Current Favourite Track or Piece of Music!
How about Using the MP3 on this Very Site!!! Just a ThouGht!!!

PeAcE & Inspiring Rhythmic Ideas,

*** <<< SiMoN the DF >>> ***

May 18, 2006

On 13th May 2006 BILLY WARD was presented with the Gift of a “DF Wear” T-Shirt, Signs of LIFE Volume 2 Album & The F&R Trio Album “Rainshine” in Croydon in South LONDON by Simon Greenhill the Daddy Funk!!! >>>

Billy Ward’s Drum Clinic Tour,UK Spring 2006 >>>
Panther Kitten, Tim (Fellow Drum~Pro&Ex-Student), Ryan (Fellow OCDP Player&Current Student) & I travelled Up to Croyden in South LondoN in the Funk~PantherMobile! >>>

It was a BriGht, Sunny Saturday & the Whole Day went like Clockwork, Smooth & Easy!!! >>>
Billy was Performing a Drum Master~Class sponsored by the London Drum Company & Organised by
mikedolbear.com Nice oNe People!!! >>>

This was a GREAT little Event, which was purposly small & low key to enable Working Drum Professionals like Myself & a small handfull of keen enthusiasts to have Personal & Direct contact with Billy.

Within Minutes of arriving I met Billy Ward & Presented Him with The Daddy Funk Presentation PaCkage & had a RelaXed Chat about Drumming, Trueline Drumsticks & His British Clinic Tour >>>
I found Billy to be Friendly, Open & Very Funny! >>> He is a Sharp Witty MaN, who was Happy to share some Insights with Me & Generally Hang~Out >>>

I would like to again Thank Billy W for Introducing Me to TRUELINE “Power Ball” Drumsticks & helping Me to Secure My Endorsement with this Great Little Company! (CheCk Out My Previous Blog for MORE DETAILS)

Billy Really is a TOP DOG in the Drum~Community & I’m Very Glad to Count Him Now as one of My MaNy International Drummer Friends >>>

If You are oNe of the Few Who don’t know that MuCh about the Man I STRONGLY Suggest You Seek Out His EXCELLENT DVD “Big Time”. For More info go to His Website billyward.com He also has a GoOD Page oN
drummerworld.com whiCh is Well worth a LoOK!!! >>>

Billy Ward is a Great Drum Teacher, Drum~Enthusiast & Groovy Player. His Style & Approach is Very Similar to My Own & it was a HUGE HONOUR to Hang with Him & be INSPIRED by His FRESH, INVENTIVE ApproaCh to the DrumSet >>>
I found His Answers to My Questions on Studio Recording Particularly InsiGhtfull & His LoVe of Trueline Drumsticks as I haVe already said lead to My Subsequent Endorsment …. They REALLY DO Help to Reduce Hand, Wrist & Forearm Fatigue!! >>> We are both also Zildjian Cymbal Endorsees >>> So that’s a BIG 2 Count RiGht There!!!!! >>>

Have a LoOK at the Photo just to the Left of this Blog of BW & DF >>> & CheCk Out the “Photo Gallery” Page on
daddyfunk.com for MORE Photos of this HISTORIC MEETING!! >>>

Speak to You ALL SoON,
PeAcE & Awesome JazZy Vibes,

*** <<< SiMoN GreeNHiLL the DF >>> ***