This is a great explanation of the intent of "Stick Control"! I took lessons when I was way too young (7 yrs old) to appreciate this book, and I frustrated my teacher to no end. When I stopped with lessons my teacher told me to try and master the first 2 pages of exercises and I'd be better than 90% of drummers. I'm now using this for hand control on hand drums and the effect is amazing for my technique. The basics will always serve us well, and Stone was the master teacher.
6 years later but this is super helpful. Almost every other explanation I’ve seen has people playing accents or doing it differently which is not inherently bad but this seems like a much more measured and logical approach. Thanks.
Thank you, Mr Patella! I've been using the Stick Control book for many years, worn through three copies, and I feel like you've really opened the door for me to utilise it properly for the first time. More of these vid's, please, taught sequentially.
I found this amazing instruction due to a comment you had left on another video giving a guide of stick control. I'm so very glad you left that comment as it guided me here. I fully appreciate the tone in which you projected, as it was extremely positive and constructive, to the video maker, and you left no room for negative interpretation. You have my respect and gratitude. Now on with the lesson.
Thank you Matt for the explanation! I've been playing for over 60 years, and coincidentally, have been working on techniques to improve my hands. Not necessarily for speed, but to increase the effectiveness of my "Feel." Ciao
With his knowledge from the student of the author, that's all that I needed to believe this is the way its intended for the students to learn. Makes much more sense this way. Thank you for your time to post this video for us all to learn
Matt your Drum teaching has to be the best that I have ever learned. I learned more from you in this one lesson then all of my teacher’s put together, mostly because you have learned from many great teachers and are yourself a great teacher, not to mention the many years that you have been a Drummer. Thank you for this video and the proper interpretation which is very Impressive and inspirational in my journey as a Drummer. Much Respect 💯
This is EXCELLENT. Finally a solid interpretation of the exercises. I am going to share this video/info with my students. I have always wondered about the stroke to be used while working with the book. I had learned to start from ready position. Now I understand how using a velocity stroke promotes the use of physics for power, rather than muscle. Sure, it's great to have the kind of muscle control that allows for solid consistency, but why not let physics do that for you. Ultimately, the intention of the book has now become more defined. And in doing so, connects a few dots for me (makes sense of other theories and practices I've been using and teaching). Thanks, Matt! This video has started my day off well!
Very helpful..... thank you.... I've always heard that without direction Stick Control was not all that useful.....this really provides that direction.
Fantastic, cheers Matt. I love this book, but have struggled to keep interested in it. Now I can approach it in a new way and help my pupils too. Thank you
Thank u for breaking the book down. I admit I been guilty of performing these exercises all wrong, now I cannot wait to apply this new method and am definitely looking forward to the next series of videos.
This really has helped me to understand how to properly practice stick control! I have the stick control manual and I will practice the first page of the exercise as you explained it
Some great points here! However----I used to play the whole book 20xs on each line every single day, just as Stone specifically asks. It took me about 4 hours each day and exploded my playing. I highly recommend it to all players. I also studied with Joe Morello regularly and over time. The intent behind the book your discussing here, broadly, was to develop stick control as the title of the book implies. The first time I cracked the book with Joe we were alla breve at about 90bpm. I think for different students he would have different assignments, as any good teacher will. Good point about the basic idea to be making the right hand and left hand sound the same, because if you can do that and each sound is happening at the precise time you intend, and that equal sound is ALSO the exact sound you intend, with the exact mechanic you intend, then you are achieving stick control. Blessings!
Teresa Bondora.......this book came highly recommended to me many many years ago. So I sat down with it.....did page one, and YES!!!i it took forever. Never opened the book again. I concentrated on books by George Wilcoxin, especially his swing solos snare drum.book. that one got my hands and wrists stronger, and moving!
Hi Matt, I just came across a link for this on another site. Thank you for the video! Stick heights and even strokes are something all drummers should know about. This is exactly how my first teacher, Mr. Wright, taught me many years ago. He was a saxophonist, but picked it up from drummers in jam sessions where they would switch instruments. Maybe it's not coincidence that Joe Morello Park is in the area. John X. also re-introducing the concepts to me after complications from surgeries got in the way. Excellent approach to share!
Amazing. It was so nice to get this "first hand" information, THANK YOU! I started playing Stick Control in the university with the only professor in drums here in Bulgaria...but again he wasn't a student of George Lawrence Stone as you can imagine. I've worked my way in to the book, put some double bass below the stickings from the first chapter. I've played it a million times and I already have my way of doing the things that probably won't change but it's really great to get to the core of this exercise and the meanining George Lawrence Stone put behind. Cheers and groove on! I subscribed. :)
Exactly. I had lessons with Jerry Granelli who also studied with Morello, and he taught me that way, with more use of the wrist and closed fingers though.
thanks Matt. equaling the power in each hand to help match the sound on each height. this should be a major help for beginner as well as the seasoned drummer. very valuable jewel,thnx again.
Do you have anyway to equal the strength for each hand? Im struggling with that and my left hand has a more drier tone as compared to my right hand which sounds more 'wet'
then go have fun with it No apology necessary. Excellent lesson. i was taught to do it the same way. Then go have fun with it if you wish. But I still 45 years later refer back to this approach as a benchmark for myself.
...once you get down to faster vamping the speed the sticks/strokes seem to come together naturally and the volumes are “equal enough”. The vamping must take the boredom but certainly offer exercise for left thumb and right hand.
"Accents and Rebounds" was the sequel, as I recall...I also utilized the first three pages of Stick Control with my feet for double kick drums ....only difference here is the "vamp" and I'm not sure why the instructions command 20 repetitions of each exercise without error before moving on....this seems to be an approach to the exercises having once "wired" them into your brain and having done the 20 reps initially...so, in a way I'm glad I stumbled across this....can't go wrong with Joe Morello or one of his students
I do play Traditional Grip, but what really weirds me out and freaks me out is 99% of all drummers who choose to play Traditional Grip always look like they have a 20 lb weight on they're Left shoulder; lol L shoulder goes waaaaAAy down L arm curls in, it's like the body is very uncomfortable and *seeking* leverage and strength. Trippy stuff Again just trips me out that Tradition is "the right way" but no one plays it open handed and/or Left hand lead lol. "It is what it is." Enjoyed the video, thanks for the insight...
I will officially launch my website on April 4th... I will be broadcasting via (ZOOM) all codes and IDs and times will be posted . www.thedrummersvoyage.com I am making this free for the Month of April if you want to be added to my mailing list email me mattpatella1246@gmail.com you will receive updates and PDF's, if required for the lessons so check it out. Tell me what you think. Keep practicing
Thanks bunch! Can you send links to step #2, #3 great stuff I been doing stick control book in not the best way for me I know now after watching this part #1 of this George C Lawrence stick control vid series, cheers !
Just makes me wonder why anyone plays traditional grip...So often you see players with left shoulder slouched down and right shoulder raised up, got to be bad for your back etc...not saying anything against your drumming or teaching skills which are great, and you have managed like that for 60 yrs...
Thanks a lot, great vid. I'll practice it this way from now on. Still a little proud though that i managed to do 1 page per day with the repeat 20 times system, gives you willpower hahah.
Thanks for the lesson! Been looking for an explanation like this! What exactly is the purpose of the vamping section? Also any suggestions on which tempos to use? Of course it'd be ideal to practice at as many tempos as possible, but as you point out in the video, there's only so much time in a day and you can't get through the book at a reasonable pace if you're playing everything 20 times each.
All well and good, maybe so. Then why was Gorge Stones work written with accents? Thats the way I was taught them, thats the way I played them. I was required to play all twenty six (at the time) rudiments to pass my juries for my NARD certification.
but the notes are 8th notes and your playing them in 1/4 notes. it should be double time to your metronome. still, i appreciate what you are saying about strength and balance. absolutely. ok.. at minute 11:25 in your present, that's double time. nice
Matt, with respect, if I am only doing 4 measures of each exercise and vamping for 4, am I getting enough practise at the sticking variations? It seems I’ll be doing far more vamping than sticking variation. Why didn’t GLS stipulate this in the book instead of saying repeat each exercise 20 times? Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere
I suspect that the 20 times was to insure his students played each exercise long enough to benefit from it. If you're having difficulty with one particular exercise than there is no limit to the amount of times you can play it.
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Honestly, I am astonished. I'm going through this book and at some point we started introducing the accents etc. And I dunno why GLS wouldn't want it to be there. What you say, Matt, also makes sense, yet I didn't really understand what this "1,2,3,4,3,4,3,2,1, etc" is all about. Would be nice to have it clarified. Tku.
1)George Stone put no accents in stick control the reason to equalize your attack on both sides the counting system I use for this is 1/8th note count I do line as written which is 4 measures and I make the transition with out stopping by playing a 4 measure VAMP which is counted as (1) an 2 an 3 an 4an (2) an 2 an 3an 4an (3) an 2 an 3 an 4 an (4 )an 2 an 3 an 4 an...which equals 4 measures .If you need a PDF for this email me mattpatella1001@gmail.com...this is the way George L Stone taught this to all his students,If you want to develop accents with the level system Accents and rebounds or Master Studied I and II
Yes!! I do it!! and you go into super turbo mode when you return to playing with sticks!! Trust me!!! Super control & warp 10 speed achieved!!! Playing with brushes is the best wrist workout you can do!!!Zero rebound or bounce!!
I’m a brand new player, just got a kit for Christmas. I take it this book would be a good thing to practice a portion of my playing time daily, say 15-20 minutes devoted to these exercises before anything else? As long as I focus on snapping wrist and letting sticks do the work and trying equal sound, all other stuff should come with time? Newly retired from military and taking up a new instrument. I’ve been playing guitar for awhile.
@@MattPatella access and ease to the knowledge one needs to further there skills. Chops take on new meaning seeing a bad ass solo..but when seen done by credible, tru masters teaching proper technic Slow to fast without a thought..... Its humbling motivating and is what I needed to progress
