Dick Cully is a guy every drummer should know of. He not only can give insight into Buddy's technique but is an all around great drummer himself. Search out his youtube videos and be dazzled by his clean precision. This is the playing I strive to attain.
Dick you are a monster ..for the first time i see the very single stroke traditional roll with the high movement of sticks..from pianissimo dynamic...i have 53 years and i reprise study of drum after many years..i love traditioal grip.an..I would like a play this roll.. compliments for your technique..
The great thing about listening to Dick is that this guy has thought it through. He has spent time on thinking about what he's doing. And in doing that, he solidifies his actions into beautiful sound. It's alot of practice to get his smoothness, but Dick is laying out the motion and eventually 'feel' to achieve it. Wonderful stuff!
Impressive stamina, clean, fast, powerful, controlled, lengthy, very fast and effortless paradiddles, moeller, singles, doubles, very impressive, Dick Cully. I have to admit it. The action on the rim was very impressive.
I have seen it in person dozens of times and can attest to how mind-blowing it is; I remain in awe! (The only thing I would suggest is to put the word "living" between greatest and drummer to make any doubters open their minds to his prowess.)
Dick; thank you. I'm 54 years old now, been drumming off and on for years. You're a true inspiration. I've heard em all, from Blakey to Royster. I saw Rich live once, but it's true, you are the ONLY other guy that Ive ever seen with Rich's single stroke speed. Thank you. Career well done. And as someone said: Piss on em all :)
Mr. Cully, you are simply amazing. You inspire me every time I sit down to practice. Your videos and explanations are extremely enlightening and helpful. Your speed I just can't fathom but I figure, if I keep on it, I will be my best. You are truly gifted and I admire you completely. Thank you!!!
I sure do wish I could figure out how to do this stuff without killing myself. I have been playing for 52 years and, at 62 years of age I now have the following: Tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome and torn rotater cuffs in both shoulders which has all come from drumming over the years. I have always (unfortunately) used the matched grip, which, to me, inhibits a lot of what can be done with the stick in the left hand. I can do only a fraction of what you are doing, only for a few minutes. How in the world did Buddy and you keep from getting any of the above ailments in your limbs? I have had surgery for carpal tunnel on left hand, am having right hand surgery hopefully next month. I have injections in the shoulders, which only work for about 5 weeks. I am just blown away by your ability and talent. I'm a big Carl Palmer fan and learned a LOT from him and Buddy over the years. I have a couple of videos here on you tube, but nothing to write home about. Anyway, I am just completely blown away with your playing and it is so deeply inspiring for me and just wanted to thank you for posting these and sharing them. You **ARE** the only other person I have ever seen do the single stroke roll like Buddy. It hurts me hands, wrists and elbows and watching you do this with such ease. Congratulations on your superb, phenomenal drumming. You are a true inspiration, sir.
I had some reservations towards Cully in the past but now I'm actually grateful thats hes keeping Buddy's style alive. Seth Davis, a good friend of mine, is also a great fan of Cully so, theres no denying his immense wrist/arm technique. Although a little bit slower than matched grip as for as counting the strokes goes, trad. grip more than makes up for it in endurance and power. This is such a beatiful demonstration of a single stroke roll.
a guy shares a wealth of knowledge in a few minutes to whom ever cares to listen and we're gonna troll the camera man's sticking knowledge and drop atrial fib on everyone? great videos, i watch alot of videos online for myself and for teaching ideas. you are very good at explaining what you do and even better at doing it. thanks for the info.
You are more than welcome to your opinion after watching one clip, although watching one video and making a judgment isn't really too hip. Practice???? I have a lifetime of it and don't have to any more. I play in my own big band and have for over 30 years. Watch a few more of the over 140 videos that have been posted before you suggest what I do with my life. I'd also like to see you post your credentials so that I can learn what makes you an expert.
This video came at the right time for me! I was trying to figure out where the power for the speed came from, many videos talk only about the wrist technique I've been struggling to figure out how much leverage I get with fingers and wrist alone. While developing my double bass technique, the front of my legs beefed up. You pointed out the motion of the forearm, and that was my other question which is now answered. This is one of the most interesting drum videos I've seen on RU-vid!
Dick, you are absolutely magnificent! Such lightening speed! I wish I could do single strokes that fast! I am a super Buddy Rich fan, and you have his speed and licks down great. Can you give me any ideas on how to speed up single strokes other than just doing them and pushing for speed? God Bless! - Neddy Rich
He's showing that speed comes from turning the radius ulna, not from the fingers, which is partially true since speed can come from both, though full arm (radius ulna) is easier to get power and control with.
Yo diddle betta than my diddle any diddle day. A thing of beauty. Hard hitting slammers will never get this because it is the barrier of them being true drummers. Sticking is a must. I am truly in awe.
Ive seen a few do what he did at the end. I can do it pretty well...but not that well. Someday though. Dick Cully, you are awesome. Should be on the cover of MD.
Don't take it personally. Buddy was actually studied by some physical therapists and researchers and they concluded that Buddy speed shouldn't have been possible by a human. They were perplexed by speed and fluidity. The fact that you come close is not tall order. Great stuff.
I got to meet Buddy once and shake his hand and thing that I vividly remember was that his fingers felt like fat sausages and his hand was very calloused (sp). This was at a show in Kansas City in 1979, and he was his normal charming self. I also remember him yelling at a poor old guy in the audience who dared to get up during the show to use the bathroom. Classy. I don't have anything against Buddy, but this kind of stuff really happened at his concerts.
@drumminman49 but, it does cut of the resonance of the stick and reduce the effectiveness of the left stick being able to get the drum to "speak." Because of this the sound of the hands becomes uneven. Not that this really matters in a drumset setting where your hands are on two different surfaces, making two different sounds, but still. Also it takes away the leverage gained from the natrual stick rebond. Essentially, playing with half a stick cuts out reliance on rebound.
If you really study this, it becomes apparent that Dick's left wrist has about zero degrees of pronation / supination. This range of motion with his left wrist is a key reason he can do this with traditional grip. I just checked, and my LEFT wrist has severe supination (w elbow by my side I cannot turn left wrist to the left and have wrist perfectly horizontal as palm faces ceiling). Yet my right wrist has no pronation or supination and I can get the stick moving the way he does in this video. Dick doesn't mention how important wrist flexibility is w respect to the left hand and traditional grip in this video. But he should. It's important to achieve what he does here. I'll do some drills and exercises / stretches (youtube has many medical and physical therapy ones for pronation supination of the wrist) and see if it helps me achieve this.
Subbed and wow, just margins off from Buddy. Very similar speed and power, but seems like a bit less consistency. You might very well be the only person alive today who can do this, and this was posted nine years ago and the video looks like it's probably older than that to boot. How have your singles progressed since you posted this? Have you surpassed Buddy's singles in the interim? Can you post a more modern version of this demonstrating where you're at today? I'd love to see it!
@drumminman49 Hey Dick Ronnie here My both uncles were in music. Uncle Nick Riviello was in Les Browns Band on tenor, and My uncle Bill Miller was with Sinatra for 45 yrs. I Played Sax young and got disinterested in it and started drums but cant match your style but still love it. You Must see this kid I found On RU-vid...His name Is Dylan Elise, from New Zeland... Young Kid and hes GREAT..Hope you like... Ronnie
If I knew you were on here I would have watched! I used to hear you and your big band at the Holiday Inn in Boca Raton over 30 years ago! (sorry to date both of us). Are you still playing in South Florida? Videos are great!
I'm very impressed.. I love Buddy Rich and I have to say... a job well done on the snare drum with the speed almost equal to Buddy. My only critique would be that Cullys speed drumming isn't quite as smooth as Buddy's is. Cully's got some atrial fib on his fast chops. I also saw at least three videos showing Buddy's drumming is still more faster in speed, not to take anything away from Cully's chops. Keep up the practice and show us your other Buddy Rich skills.
@drumminman49 I've always wondered why the left stick is held that way in traditional grip. But if your right works fine in a matched grip way of holding the stick, why would it be a disadvantage to use your left hand in matched grip also? Can you only play well with just 1 matched grip stick? What is the advantage of traditional grip? You play your right hand just as well as your left here. traditional was started by snare drummers marching with the snare bouncing on one leg.
Powerful, clean, even, effortless, just great. Still can't get over that sort of pumping motion from 04:44 on in his right hand. That looks like a moeller motion, but its not. I really don't know how to do it. It looks to be so simple and obvious, yet so tricky. Damn.
I used to play drums a bit when I was young and just rock drumming. I'll admit I wasn't great at it. One thing I wonder about is one handed single stroke rolls played like Rich and the video poster Cully and a handful of others. What I mean is you rarely see drummers playing single stroke rolls even todays drum heros. Is this a very hard thing to master and play?
Can any of you drummers tell me should my arms be touching the side of my body while doing single stroke rolls? Especially if i'm doing them at a fast speed?
@drumminman49 Disagree with you there, for two or three height passages at high speed moeller is perfect, for single height or some two height passages velocity stroke(what you use) is used. You probably use moeller without even knowing it plus(and since you never mentioned you use velocity despite you clearly using that). Try demonstrate all you did there at 12 inch height without using velocity stroke and that should proove your "gimmicks" comment wrong. See drum corp drummers for height!
Mr. Cully, I have used my index and middle finger to play for decades cause it feels right. But I thought my tech. Was bad . And stopped trying to get faster , but I be dam your technique looks exactly the same and your the fastest I've seen. I should have seen you 30 + years ago. Crap!!!
When making constructive critisisim on a pro drummer it is important that you can prov or back up what you are saying and the best way is to have some vids of yourself on the tube, Dick is a world wide respected drummer and considered by many to be next in line to Buddy himself so to tell to keep practicing is an insult, although you had good intentions it is very easy to get burned on youtube
Well I wouldn't say Mr. Cully is the only one that can do a single stroke roll with such dynamics. After all, he probably got the idea from someone. I have seen it personally with several world class drummers like Sonny Emory, Dennis Chambers, Ed Shaughnessy, Pat Patrillo do this with ease. I have even seen some drummer do it with the feet. However, Mr. Cully has proven that he has a place in their league. So let's stop making such comparisons, the next great drummer is being right now.
Dick thanks for this Video and your Dead Honest approach to Buddy's style.....I continue to work on the Left hand tech. >I Once heard Doc's Severson say after Buddy Died that he never practice and it was a God Given Talent he... Had...
Seems like the RU-vid culture has created a population that believes that merely having an opinion automatically makes you an expert. Please disregard Mr. Smiths commentary. He has posted 5 videos to date, none of which have anything to do with music or drums. I can't even tell if this guy ever played an actual drum set or not.
