Have you been in school and think of getting home or to band practice so you can drum? What do you do at school to get your chops up when you're not drumming?

Sometimes I'll just beat with my hands on my thys or something. I'll just close my fingers and use all wrist and do a roll or something. Or I'll get bored and do flam drags with my hands or pencils. I've also been known to start thinking of a beat to right down and start dutting it or trying to sing a roll or something. But most of the time I'll just beat with my hands when I think of drumming and don't have mallets or sticks. It actually helps a little because you're using all wrist and that means that you can't rely on your fingers so you build up your wrist chops.

Im constantly drumming at school, and where i work. If there is another person in my class thats on the line, we will even run through the whole show just tapping on the desks, much to the dismay of the teacher. When i use just my hands i usually end up working on double strokes or paradiddle rudiments to build up my wristing speed.

i usually just tap on the table or desk, whatever Im closest to, and play some troubled spots in the show or excersizes. Sometimes i run the opener..i even do this and am not aware of it at all.

I always think of getting to somewhere where I can drum. I've lost count of how many pairs of sticks I've had taken away by teachers because I pulled them out and started playing the cadence for that year. I've spent so much money to replace sticks it's unbelievable. If I don't have sticks, I just tap with my hands.

LOL same here!!!! One time, i had a teacher make me write a really long paragraph 50 times because i was always constantly drumming on the desk. Its just like an automatic reflex. When there is nothing to do, start drumming!

I start drumming the second the teacher gives us some free time. Its amazing how much stuff you can fix with ur hands or with a pencil or pen if you are really focused on it. When we went to BOA in Atlanta this year my SL and one of the other pit people and me brought a pair of sticks in the bus and started to do warmups and run through the show on the seats of the bus. Some people thought we loved drumming so much that they told us to be quiet since we had a lot of energy.

I sit down and just start taping my feet. I want to eventually do diddles with my feet. I can already do paradiddles at about 100-115. I can do diddles at about 90-100 or so. This is good for double bass pedals on a drumset. I also tap pencils and pens on my desk at school. I use fingers, hands, everything.

have you considered a "Gripmaster"? its one of these squeeze things that is suppose to improve your forarm and such.... its supposed to be good. personally, i dont like it since i like to hit the sticks so Im getting chops while increasing skill and articulation, etc at the same time. You might get it at some sports shop or athletic center if you're interested in trying it.

On www.thedrumclub.com a finger exercise is given that I have been using that seems to be quite effective. For your right (matched hand) hold your arm perfendicular to the floor and slap your last 3 fingers on the palm of your hand as fast/hard as you can. You will begin to feel the burn in your arm. For left hand (tradish) do the same thing using your middle 3 fingers. I really think it is effective. Its great to do in class you feel like you've accomplished something each time you feel that burn in your arm.

I've become one of those drummers that if I don’t have a pair of stick in my bad, in my back pocket or with in an arms length I feel naked. I always have drum sticks. I found if you don’t have stick patting you hands against your chest is a great way to practice. Then you can "feel" when you mess up. It works rather well. I also got these little rubber tips that fit on the end of my sticks. They are really slick. They make next to no noise unless you are doing like 9 inch accents. If you keep it to a 3 inch tap, the noise is like none. They're great.

Yeah i was thinking about checking out those silent tip things. I wanted to get someone elses opinion on them first though. I also agree on the "always having sticks with you thing." It just feels wierd if i dont have sticks with me.

i dunno, i find myself snappin my figrs walkin down the hall nowadays. all my teachers hate me cuz i'm constantly double strokin on my desk. i mean all the time. i usually play on my thighs and stuff like that tho.

In my AP government class there is a tenor player, and a drum major. Me and the tenor player will just start playing the show, and sometimes the drum major will start conducting. Its kinda funny.

One time, the snare and tenor players all got ISS (a very long story. It was for "gang activity" Yeah, its kinda funny when 8 white guys get pulled into the office for gang related activity. (Yeah, we got screwed))but anyway. . . . The same tenor player and I had ISS together, and we just started playing the show or whatever. The ISS teacher kept getting mad at us and telling us to stop. I was all like "Sorry, its like a second nature." So then we had to go into paper rock scissors. . . . . (hey, we had 8 hours to blow!)

Yesterday at school I took out 2 pencils and started doing diddles on the desk. Some girl gave a an evil look to stop. So I played on my text book. It was so awesome. My friend was impressed. It basically annoyed everyone else though. But I can tell that they were jealous I can do it and they can't. Some of the thugs were impressed because they always be beatin on the desk doing some rap groove but when they heard me they started bobbin they heads like theys were lovin' it. Next step is to use Sharpie peamanent markers because they are longer than the pencils I was using.

I'm always tapping on things with my fingers or hands or even pencils. It usually makes people mad cause I do it when I'm thinking hard, and I don't even realize it. Back in marching band season, I used to run the entire show using my fists as the bass drum parts and hands as snare. (Usually having bass drum rhythms by my side helps my snare playing when I go over our show). But I have found that tapping on things constantly isn't OCD or terrets or anything. (Contrary to further belief). It actually helps your sticking.

Yeah, It helps build muscle to contract your fist repeatedly. Its actually pretty tiring.

I'm always getting yelled at for tapping on the desk. wether it with pensil or just my hands. My one teacher gave a speech on how every year she has a student "tapping his/her way through class". It was actully really funny.

I also start tapping when Im thinking hard or trying to figure out a dang math problem. Most of the time i find myself doing single 4's with my right hand. I think all this tapping we do in between classes and during helps <s>alot</s> [color:"red"]a lot</font>. It's seemed to improve me.

Yes, I would have to completly agree with you MrWooton, because drumming is not only muscle memory, but part of the mind as well. If you cannot understand the way a particular rythem is supposed to sound in your head, then you probably cannot play the rythem. Thus, tapping on a desk can really help one to understand the concepts of variouse rythems.

That's probably the smartest comment I ever made...

i always hack...i'm horrible with it. i'll be sittin in class doin diddlys and hten i have to write something,so i'll hurry to finish so i can stop wanting to tap..its awful. v. fun, but awful. lol

i have got into so much trouble because i tap in class. normally the desk is what i tap on. not only do the teachers yell at me, but i get a lot of crap from the kids around me that aren't in band. i have gotten my sticks taken away from me and i've had my knuckles smacked with a ruler and everything. i still drum though.

I'm always drumming, whether at work or at home or even when i'm about to fall asleep. Not with sticks or my hands, but in my head. For some reason i'm always subconciously drumming. I think thats why i don't need to practice as much.

i like practicing with fingers- i always use my middle fingers for 16th, triplets, or 8s and then if i want diddles i use middle amd forefinger. That way I can hear how the rhythms go- now I just have to get it on drumsticks...

at school i pretty much drum everything with my knuckles against the desk. flams and paradiddles are what i ususally go with, it helps build the wrist i guess.

at work though, we have this huge 14(or so) inch knife, that is perfect for diddling. holy god my manager hates that crap. hes like, not only are you not being productive, youre being annoying too.

some people just dont get it, eh?

thats why i don't bang on things, unless i'm in the music building. So if they ever complain i tell them to leave the music building or put up with it.

We carry our real feels around school and play on them all day. Good thing to break those long silences in boring classes.

I was once made to tap all through my lunch in high school for tapping. So being the jerk that I am I stopped and got my pad and my sticks on the way back to her class to be "punished". So I show up with the sticks and the pad and ate a bag of chips and practiced my corp music for the upcoming camp. Boy was she pissed. Oh the look on her face.
I loved that day especialy since I did not like her in the first place.

When I'm sitting in class I do an open roll on my legs, with all wrist. It actually has helped out my chops and doubles. Although my teachers get pretty pissed at us because half of the snare line is in my English class and we are constanly being yelled at by our teachers.

I have used the slap your fingers against the palm of your hand thing, I can't seem to get the left hand right, anyway does wrist curling really work? has anybody noticed a significant difference?

alot of times I click my teeth together to a song that our Line just learned and tap with my hands or feet.

Paradiddles! All the time. My teachers hate me for that. During PE -before class starts- I usually complete a few 8/7's and Triplet Partials at different tempos, then I just go back to doing paradiddles.

Im usually carrying a pair sticks where ever i go. Anytime that Im not practicing piano or in school Im usually beating the wall, my shoe or my lap to practice on.

I'm in ap and honors......and since I do my work..I get more respect than the rest of drumline since they have regular *some what irrelevant.....but oh well*..anyway, I just take my sticks out and drum anyway..lol..but if the teachers are actually lecturing us on something "very important" I just pat on my legs, desks, anything....people don't care anymore....they really have respect for the drumline.....=)

My drum teacher has showed me some really good "practicing without sticks" tequniches. First to build up your "snare chops" slap your four fingers against your palm as fast as you can for perferably an half an hour. When one hand gets tired, then switch off to another.
To build wrist chops take the butt of your sticks in the normal position with the tip of the stick resting under the arm near the elbow. Hold the hand tightly around the tip of the stick. Bend the wrist back until the stick butt is 6-8 in. from the elbow. Return the butt to the arm. Repeat motion and increase the speed.
Then the third excercise is for working on traditional position/ bass drum/ mallet chops. Hold your hand in a fist. (or like you're holding a key) Then start twisting your lower arm back and forth as if you are turning a key. Do this as fast as you can until you simply can't twist your arm one more time then switch over to the other hand. Hope this helps.

~Taiko

Whenever I don't have a drum, I am ALWAYS tapping on a desk, table or mostly my legs. It won't help technique but it will definatly help your playing. <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I usually practice diddles and 4-on-a-hands as fast as I can I find that it really helps.When I'm around other people on the line we play some cadences.Then other times I just do it to show off.

I almost never practice drumline with my hands.....but i do like to play a funky double bass drumset beat. The hi hat is change in my pocket and the snare is my left knee. I do in the middle of class and everyone looks over amazed <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I drum on books. And my set snare at home

I always drum on my desk or on my chest, usually rolls, my part for the show, or a slowed down snare solo, using all wrist.

wow, this brings back memories. the quad cap'n and myself had latin one together my junior year and we were conveniently positioned across the room from each other. i would give 4 taps with my pencil and we would play one of our cadences together from across the room with pens or pencils until the teacher yelled at us. then we would tap with open hands on the desk in the same fashion. she would yell again. then we would play them out by tapping our feet. then she would threaten detention and such. imagine how mad she was when we quit translating latin in class one day and started writing our own language for our drumline. it was funny. but now i usually jsut play with my hands on my chest or stomach when i'm standing around or sometimes with my teeth while i'm taking a test or something.

well I'm one of those drummers that feels naked with out my sticks too, I usually have them in a side pocket in my hands or just carryin them around. I have my real feel in my bookbag and my big notebook of drum stuff, other than my beatin on the desk, the book gets just as much attention. in 8th grade, I had this one teacher that hated my sticks, I could just take them out to show someone a visual and I'd have to take them to the front, she was fun, but she hated my sticks, can't have that kind of teacher, but I was still beatin on the desk and playin with my nails( I have really long nails for a guy) in my MS Studies classes I even learned how to do a one-handed roll with my pen and the desk, one of the quickest ways to get into THE DESK(basically it's one of the broke desk in the class, the actual desk part isn't connected to the chair so it's leanin down) plus I have a stress ball that'll put in my pocket and pull out the sticks <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/70383-peace.gif" alt="" />

i ussualy tap anywhere with my pencil at d'office,it's help me for concerntrate to my work (well my boss it's not agree with that...)sometimes i do 8th and diddles with a smooth finger on my keyboard...but anyway basically u can do it everyway u want....

Carry my sticks around with me <s>alot</s> [color:"red"]a lot</font>. Use my hands mostly to be quiet in class:D

To my knowledge, more than half the game of drumming is in your head. If you sing your parts to yourself in your mind as if you were playing them, it can be very effective. While it will not build hand chops so to speak, it should dramatically increase your mental ability if done right.
While in Crown, before every show we would gather around and sing our parts. It may sound kind of cheezy but it sure made us play cleaner.
I believe a "tick" comes from the mind, not the hands. Once you learn how to control your mind, then as long as your hands are decently in shape you should be able to play cleaner than ever!!!
-Nate <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif" alt="" />

you can practice rudiments with just hands. You can really build chops even play some triplet rolls with just hands. Coordination is something you can work too. I often learn how to mark time to exercises in class at school.

In school, SCV double beat with pencils and using various wrist and finger exercises; I usually have sticks around the house, so I just play on a pad.

I run through through show music or do some rudiments with pencils or just my fingers if class starts to drag, but it usually doesn't last long. My teachers and classmates tend to get annoyed easily.

I have the worst habit of drumming during class. I just hear this beat in my had and just totally rock out on my desk. I also drum on nose. A fellow drumline member passed that onto me. That's what happens when you're with the same people for a long period of time.

I always play sprees on the sides of the desk with my thumbs.

When i'm without sticks, i tend to focus more on the stuff that I can't play. I'll sit there and run it through my head as if i were playing it, then i'd play them really slow with my fingers to get a feel. Then by the time I get in a position to use sticks, the licks (rudiments, etc...) seem a little more familiar to me.

I play with my hands on a desk or something.

play on ur legs with ur hands and do the doubles and evrything with ur hands. that will build em up and warm em up

although i dint join my school band.. but i learned secretly from my friends.. its so funny.. i am always drumming the table when i finish my work and have nothing to do.. and then my teacher will call out my name or stare at me.. lol

I just beat on the desk with my hands, flat or wrapped as if I were holding a stick.
I do this very much when I'm bored in school..which is pretty much anytime except Symphonic Band.

Most humorous when the spanish teacher tells me "No musica por favor"

I've always used class to compose music and to work on rudimental patterns...I learned to play flam taps a few years ago in German and ive tried to learn a new ruidment or pattern every so often in class. As has been mentioned many times above, its also great for cleaning parts of a show or piece.

I'm a firm believer that drumming is 95% mental, 5% physical. So with that said, almost all of my "non-stick" practice time goes to thinking about passages I've been working at - playing them in my head and observing a "virtual drummer" play them and realizing what motions my arms and hands need to be doing to get the clarity and notes going correctly.

Im always tapping out stuff in class, always till the point it annoys my teachers

2 pencils... this annoys my classmates... very much... or i use my hands.... this is aslo annoying to them too... i need a shirt that says
"Im a drummer... let it be..." anyone wanna make one.. ill buy it...
kcboy2007@yahoo.com if u know a place with cool drummer shirts

when i wanna make my singles faster, i use hammers.. yes i said it,, hammers.. they are extremely heavy and when you get back to playing with regular sticks..... your singles are SOOOO fast!! its awesome..

I want my singles to get faster so this really works?

WestQuadPlayer

Hammers? Sounds like mad Carpal Tunnel. I don't reccomend it unless you're hitting a pillow. If anything, use fifth Bass Mallets.

Man, I've gotten in so much trouble from drumming with my fingers, hands, sticks, whatever. I've gotten sticks thrown in the garbage from playing. Even my Drum Pad. Even so, they could never stop me. I think it's OCD, honestly. No matter where I am, I need to tap something. I'll absent-mindedly just start playing our Tap Accent in Class, and after three minutes of playing it, a student will snap and turn around and threaten. I'll be like "What're you talki-- Oh!" It's pretty funny.

Yeah isn't it funny when they finale snap and freek out,
They usually catch me playing Martian Mambo or SCV Double beat on my desk,
its funny, "David Shut up! its getting on my nerves.

WestQuadPlayer

That's always fun to watch. Their reactions. Especially my German teacher from last year. This guy was psychotic, old, senile, and a few months from his retirement. Whenever I'd bring my sticks, he'd throw them in the trash. Of course, I'd just get up and get them again. Then, whenever I'd tap my fingers, he'll start staring at me. After about 30 seconds, he'll say "Can you stop that puh-leeeaaasseee?" just like a little child. If I keep going, he'll finally snap: "G0D DAMNIT! CAN YOU STOP WITH THE FREAKING DRUMMING?! I WILL BRING A HATCHET TOMMOROW AND CHOP YOUR HANDS OFF!", that or "THOSE STICKS WILL BE GOING WHERE THE SUN DOES NOT SHINE!" And he'd turn red as a tomato, and then slouch, pout, and cross his arms . . . Like a 5 yr old. This man was seriously bugged out. He continuously threatened the Announcment-Speaker on the wall because it'd interrupt his lesson plan.

i always go around playin' different rudiments and stuff on my chest. and it bounces pretty well.

I play exercises with my hands, but I act like I'm playing a drum. (air drumming) I hold my hands like I have sticks and then play. By doing this, I eliminate rebound all together and have to place every note where it goes.

It also helps to visualize the music rather than just hearing it. and visualizing where the drum is and where I need to pull back for imaginary rebound really helps with wrist control.

I've gotten so good at playing with just my hands that I can play almost any rudiment. That included drags, rolls, etc... It is a great way to practice parts, or just kill time. Sometimes you can get a drum-circle going at the lunch table or something. It's good fun...even though it gets me in trouble sometimes <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> .

Im definately all about playin on my chest....i'll play along w/ songs on the radio and other drumlines @ drum corps shows and stuff. My friends always give me the weirdest looks and try to imitate me, but whatever, i like doing it, it's fun for me and feels good. I also drum on my desk all the time...it's so hard not to, i do paradiddles w/ my hands and feet i'll go RLRR with my hands and LRLL with my feet at the same time....I'm trying to improve my set playing <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I have always heard if you can mentally think what you are going to play then you can play it with your hands so that is what I do really works for me. Oh this might be weird but I use my teeth to during class. Chief

^That's what I do. I think about it throughout the day, then I can play it. It's also good to know I'm not the only one who drums, if you will, with my teeth.

I practice in class on my legs and on the desk. I have most of my classes with my best friend who loves music like i do and also is in marching band and jazz band with me so we can be in the car or walking down the hall or in lunch or class or at an assembly or at a metting and i'll jus count it off and we will run through the whole show and all of our jazz band songs

In class, my feet would always be moving. When my hands werent writing, they would also be tapping. I generally liked to do various hemiola exercises using both hands and feet to attempt to get my set playing up.

Also, I use sticks for this, but, when I want to practice and there is no pad around, Off comes the shoe. What are shoes good for besides being mobile practice pads?

i always take out my sticks and just start to play on my text book or sumthing, i always get yelled at by the teachers, but when they turn back around i just start to play again, the first day of school i just started to play and like everybody in the class just surrounded me and the teacher thought there was a fight, it was funny

The teachers really hate me for my drumming in class... i mean REALLY hate me... during a lecture I tend to zone out, and I'll hear a rhythm in my head. Before i know it I'm tapping it out without even knowing it... it draws some really evil glares from the teachers. On the plus side, my doubles are cleaner than ever!

I am always banging on the desks at school. The people around me just look at me like I'm crazy but they don't realize that it is a force of habit for drummers.

I have my music on me at all times when I am in school. When rdver I hey a free chance I go over the parts in my head if I try to understand the music fully, and what is asked of every note. The preparation you do off the field is just as important as what you do on it. I often find my self trying to get on step with the person in front of me.

I just basically beat my hands on the desk. Or I can 2 pencils or pens and just beat away on my desk. I don't think that really helps but the hands without the sticks is a good technique I use. Only drawback is the hands are formed in matched grip when I mostly play traditional

During class, I sometimes play on my legs, but most of the time I beat on the desk with all of my fingers closed unless the occasion calls for a closed double-stroke roll. I remember one day in my English class, I even got Bill Bachman's Quad Logic book out of my bookbag and worked through a little bit of his Diddles for Decades. During my classes in the science lab, I usually practice bass grooves with my knuckles, feet, or elbows, because that is the only classroom that doesn't have carpet.

when i'm not practicing on my thighs during class, i'm usually coming up with cool patterns licks and fills. haha my math notes are surrounded by cool two measure rythms that we might later use for a cadence or something. As soon as it pops into my head, i just throw it onto a piece of paper, because i know i'll forget it.

Same here. I often zone out in math (or any other class) because my mind is busy trying to come up with some lick. And my notebook has more sixteenth notes in it than derivatives, etc...
I use pens on my knees to practice my matched grip. I guess a positive side effect is that I am never unprepared for class; I always have six or seven pens in my pocket!

I often find time is Spanish class to work on some stuff. Right now I'm working on brushing up my rudiments and making them faster by just using my wrists. Also, I'll practice some exercises at really fast tempos to speed up my fingers for single strokes.

Me and a drummer friend of mine have the same algebra class. We have a teacher that accually lets us bring sticks and a pad so at the end of class when ever we have free time we drum. Most people think its cool but I think its annoyes a couple people but you know what, I dont CARE, Im A DRUMMER , I HAVE TO DRUM!

i'm always reading music in my downtime in class, and i always drum with my hands on tables or my thighs.

i always drum in school. when Im bored i sitm there and tap my fingers on my desk. one time my teacher got so pissed she gave a detention for 3pm till 5:15pm.

Yeah, you may want to watch that. I used to tap all the time. It tends to drive people nuts.

man.. I tap all the time and I can't help it... I'll just be sitting there and start to tap.... usually parts of the show or our cadence... my friends get really annoyed.

I think I may know why most of us percussion players tap so much!

It's muscle memory, I am thinking. If you think about it carefully, most of the time when drummers unconsciously start "tapping," as they say, the "tapper" is tapping a rhythm they know quite well: and what drumming comes down to is muslce memory, that's why we can play things from memory without the slightest thought after memorization, due to muscle memory! I've had the same problem.

(that sounded redundant, but there you go)

I was going to make a new thread about this, but that would be lame. I went about 3 days practicing with only my hands. Quality results, I tell you, at least for my matched grip that I am using more now.

Check it out guys,

I recently purchased a handheld GYRO @ SCPA SoCal Championships; this thing will KILL your chops (in a good way, of course). It's made by DYNAFLEX and I have the Pro model. Check out their site, NOW!
Its encasement is blue with am enclosed neon-yellow center ball. CHECK IT OUT. I promise this thing is the BEST for chops, no joke.

I always tap pencils and pens on my desk at school.That is why I always have two of the same pencil or pen.
But when I am at lunch i get out my practice pad.

usually i tap the feet or hands, last year, i learned all of a solo on my feet and could play the harder parts better because of it. if i have some sticks and no pad, the crossed leg and shoe works pretty good.

I hear you all. Every year before the homecoming game, everyone know how the drum part sounds because I keep running through it! I just use either my index fingers, or the sides of my thumbs though. you could also try listening to Basic Strokes by SCV and trying to mark time to it.

the people on drumline at my school all have the same classes, so we usually break into a cadence or beat in the middle of class on the desks

drives the teachers nuts

if trying to learn a new excercies or a new tenor around pattern i just bring the music from class to class and go over the stickings.

yea, decyphering music away from the drum will help you master it

if u sit in the back o class and u got an hq pad use the soft side when its not really quite and the teachers barely ever notice i do it all the time

this is so funny. hahaha. i usually just shake my legs and not really think... but the drumming on chest or wrist exercises/stretches sound fun and distracting for a boring class

Yes, we do that to, but nobody knows the people doing it are all in drumline at my school.

I've usually just played with the hands. It's amazing how much this will actually help. Playing diddles and such because there is no rebound to speak of, your forcing yourself to try harder. It helped me.

I practice in all my classes. I'm not even in band this term, but I do it anyways, and have often been in trouble for it. My school isn't very band oriented. We have a whole one percussionist in it this term. I often find myself pulling my music out in the middle of class because people are always asking stupid questions. We have a lot of music this year, especially with only two percussionists playing in that concert. This Thursday we have our first drumline practice so I guess I'll be playing with the sides of my thumbs more often.

I usually just have my pencil in an inverted traditional position and I use the eraser for natural rebound.

Other than that, I tap on anything.

I'll look over music, tap my foot or just play electric wheel chair with my fingers. Yea, teachers know the drummer in the class. Once during a state test, I started playing our show and one girl is turns to me and says,"Alright we know who's in the the band, drummer boy." Everyone got a kick out of it.

Just like everyone one else replying, I also bring sticks and/or a pad to class, and when I know I'll get in trouble, I'll tap with my hands or feet, then if I have some free time, I'll write out my show music or make a cadence/ song. That helps me invision the sound of the notes.

Go with the pencils or pens, believe it or not it helps you in your drumming. Do it whenever you get the chance it is going to pay off big. <img src="/threads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

For building muscle and such I use my wrists with closed fingers usually on my chest. I have a pocket (like a dip) b/w my chest and shoulder, and that is my rim shot place lol. But I only drum on my chest loudly when it's ok and allowed wherever I am. I can do crazy open diddles with just my wrists, and it helps so much once I go to my drum.

On the other hand, in a more serene society, I use my fingers, predominantly my index and middle to diddle. This builds the actual rudimentary and rhythmic values. So when I put my fingers and my wrist together on a drum with sticks, it combines and becomes much easier to play stuff.

Also, squeezing in your palm is great for building muscle. It burns so good.

Lol, I don't even play percussion,at least not yet, I play Trombone, and I'm always thinkin of something wether its our cadence or a cadence I made, or even rudimentary and other random stuff, I take my sticks out of my backpack (sticks i sneak to school) in 3rd period and start drummin' on the bottom of my shoe (unfortunatley that is where I got the very bad habit of opposite Tarditional playin (left hand matched!) I play the opener to our show with my hands.

I am always thinkin of either snare parts, or somethin band-related when I'm doing nothing.

---
off topic:

any ideas for how i can get on the Line as a Tenor or a snare (we don't even have a tenor!!!!!!!!!)

Timing exercises are great without sticks... Hertas are a good rudiment for this.

Whenever I have free time I'm always mentally running through something with my hands or my fingers. Mental practice is almost just as good as physical practice and allows you to keep music fresh in your mind.

i carry my pad and ms4's everywhere.practice in every class on my thigh if i dont feel like getting out my pad,but only til my teacher gets pissed,then i gotta put my stuff away.

usually, ill do rudiment break down exercises. a lot of times, i'll do book report rudiments in class just because it pertains to school haha

I usually don't notice until someone points it out, but most the time I'll tap on the desk, paradiddle-diddles and book reports. After that, I'll go into Cheezy Poofs or Flammus.

If nobody stops me, I'll just go into the show.

I also do some of those timing exercises Phantom does, but I dun remember what they're called.

;P

This reminds me of marching season when I have a copy of my music everywhere I go. So when I get free time I take 2 pencils or pens and practice. I have got iss for 2 days before because I told the teacher to hold on Im trying to finsih. But I work on paradiddles and flams mostly. Unless Im bored and want to make up some stuff lol.

Wow... I certainly can't in good conscience condone not paying attention is class, but that's freakin awesome. Way to be hardcore

my parents both find my drumming to be a nuisance, so i've resorted to using a pad a lot more than an actual drum.

But sometimes it's a hassle to run around the house looking for my pad and stick, so I have no problem tapping out a lick with my fingers and hands on a desk. It's pretty easy to learn some music on your hands and then transfer it to a drum anyway.

if you are practicing tenors without sticks, use regular drum sticks, and just play on the floor or on a bed, it will help you speed up your diddles and swipes without relying on the bounce of the instrument and it will be very quiet. Then when you get to playing the instrument tou will be much faster. Just stay relaxed, and it will go great. I have recommended this to many people over the years, one of them marched cavies a few years ago, and they did this at the start of playing tenors.

i usually just drum on my chest while walking to a class, and when i get to the class i tap on the desk , but that can annoy your teacther.

I always carry a pair or 2 of sticks and a pad with me to school, and I'll play during band class or whenever.

Girlfriends....

I always carry around a pad and sticks. So if the class has all their work done and they're just chilling, I'll whip out my pad and work some stuff out. Otherwise, I usually just tap my fingers on my desk, not playing anything specific.

girlfriends make good drums. Especially if they like it

I usually carry a pair of ScoJos in my bag to "pad it up" when I have time.

Most of the line has picked up the habit of drumming with hands on desks and tables, thanks in no small part to us seniors. :P
The funniest thing happened today though, I have calculus BC with the bass section leader, and he was locked out of the classroom mid-lecture after he went to get something. so he's looking through the door window and knocking, and I come over and start playing the 'A' part of our double beat exercise. Then he joins in, and when he does I switch over to the 'B' part, which layers into the A part in a really nifty way. So we have this groove going on the either side of the door, and then I open it after the phrase ends and the whole class is just wide-eyed, bewildered.

I used to carry some hardimonds and a 6 inch reel feel, but not anymore. Everybody was begging me to let them play it, so I just didn't bring it back. Now i catch myself playing paradiddles or swiss army tiplets without even knowing it, and even the show music sometimes; also, some cadences i or other people have made *cough*gostosa*cough*

I carry some scojos or hardimons sometimes, but not often. There is no real reson to carry em anyways, or at least for me there isn't.

Im always getting looks from ppl and teachers esp. they all hate that I do it and Im like sorry its just a habit.

Then this 1 was like break thehabit and I was like FU...


yea it was pretty funny

i usually do paradiddles with my hands and feet. or just pound on the table and make my teachers mad.

I normally have a pair of sticks in my binder at school. Or I'll tell the teacher I forgot my book or something in the band room and I go get my sticks because the teachers know that if I don't have what I need for class I normally don't pay attention and I write cadences all day.

I usually just drum on my desk with my fingers, but there is a kid in my class that has actually taken out his drum pad in class and started drumming.

ive actually never gotten in trouble for drumming with my hands...maybe because i havent been at it long enough

I tend to drum with my hands and fingers.
Though, since second grade I always played around with my pencil in my right hand using my fingers. I feel it is starting to bite back at me, because my left hand lacks finger control.

Lol i can remember in middle school when i would carry around those scojo practice sticks every where i went..
i would play on the desk when the teacher would leave the room, or when they turned around. Then they found out and took them to the principal.. he never gave them back.
i was determined to find a solution, so i got one of those putty pads from Vic Firth.
those were the days.
now i dont even have time in school to even think about pulling out a pair.

I must have played Ditty ten thousand times on my desk by now. However, being a second semester senior in high school, my teachers just find it vaguely endearing instead of a real distraction. In Statistics for the past two semesters I have sat in front of someone on the line, so we're always playing cadences and our features. Usually my teachers will make good-natured comments about my incessant tapping and the fact that I have sheet music on my desk.

My friends, however, hate my guts. Oh well.

I particularly enjoying working out mallet permutations using my pinkies and thumbs. Right now I'm adapting the triplet flam grid to mallets for a fun triple-lateral exercise.

I usually just use my hands/fingers and drum on a desk. Although once during English class, unfortunately while we were taking a test, I started thinking about the show and it was getting to an intense part and I just started doing drumspeak obnoxiously loud. Everybody stopped working and looked at me confused as all heck. Our teacher was a drummer so he knew what was going on and started laughing. It was awesome. But I don't recommend anyone ever do that. lol

Here is something i like to do:
1. Hold 1 drumstick straight out in front of you with both hands knuckles up.
2. Extend all of your fingers on your right hand while your left hand is holding the stick.
3. Close your fingers around the stick again
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 for 8 counts, then switch hands and do the same thing.
5. Feel the burn!

Try this, it was recommended to me by a clinician a while back.

i just drum on my chest with my hands.