This month we’re going old school—with a new twist. What we’re working on is a standard exercise called Irish Spring that comprises swung double beats with smooth hand-to-hand turnarounds. This exercise has been used by rudimental drummers for decades, but here we’re going to add a tag (ending) and experiment with some fill-ins. When it’s practiced correctly, the Irish Spring will not only do wonders for your finger control (which is necessary to play relaxed and powerful doubles) but will also help your shuffle feel become smoother than ever. The best technique to use for each note in the exercise is the free stroke, where you throw the stick down toward the drum with your wrist and fingers, allow it to hit the head with all of its velocity, and then let it rebound back up on its own—just like a dribbling basketball. If the second stroke of a double […]

April 2012 Issue