Left hand slaps

[deadhead]

Anyone have a good exercise for working out left hand slaps?

[burke]

fraid not but I used to have only a right handed muted slap. When I started working on left handed (non muted) slaps because of trying to expand my vocabulary, these eventually became better than my R - handed slaps. Doesn't really answer or help with your question but hopefully it will be encouraging.

[Derbeno]

Well if you find doing alternate R L slaps for 10 minutes purgatory ??? Here are some other exercises

1.BOS on right 4x then BOS on left 4x and so forths

2. BBOOSSMM do it RLRLRLRL 8x then LRLRLRLR 8x

3. This is a Tomas Cruz great Tumbao exercise to further develop equal tone quality/clarity on both sides

BTSBBTOO BTSBBTOO
LLRLRRLL RRLRLLRR

As always concentrate on tone quality not speed (speed will come automatic) to measure progress against all three examples; ask someone to listen without looking and see if they can tell when you swap hands.

Good luck

[Garvin]

Those are great excercises Derbeno...

The point of practicing technique should be to develop clarity in both hands. As you said speed comes later. I'm only echoing this to re-affirm it for myself. I'm terribly undisciplined when it comes to practicing and literally have to force myself to slow down and just work on bass slap tone very deliberately when it comes time to clean up my sound. It's hard when all you want to do is rock out on all three congas or practice riffs. But nothing will sound really great until it is pronounced clearly. I was also taught to practice slaps on my tumba. Tune it way down almost to the point where the tone is gone and practice slaps that way. You'll be surprised how strong your hands are once you return to the quinto. Great tips, and always an eternal struggle for me as well.

Thanks!

[Sakuntu]

Play the Ghananian Rhythm kpanlogo on low tuned drums for about 2 hours a week (The main kpanlogo rhythm is driven by the left hand slap). Worked wonders for my left hand....as a matter of fact, my left hand now sounds better than my right hand.

Good Luck

[Tonio]

True dat!! Kpanlogo is kiiller for left hand work.

T

[akdom]

Hi all

Left hand slap will come.. patience is the key word.

There is one thing that helped me: the "fast" marcha.

o o s o o o t t B B s t t o t t
l l r l l l r r l r L r r l r r

This is a version that allows you to play fast without having to struggle withe the two tones on conga followed by the two tones on quinto.

You can play this pattern very fast and the right slap is replaced bu a left slap..

try this, it will help... I hope


B

[blango]

Im not a fan of 'gajate' but i did pick up his one handed tumbao, which significantly improved my left hand slap. It helps you get a slap right out of a palm, or heel. that is the key to playing tumbao in the New York style.

Tony

[jmdriscoll]

I just posted an exercise a few threads up that allows you to build your Bass/Toe, Opens, Slaps, and Muffs on both hands all in one exercise. It is helping me gauge the uniformity of all these hits every 2 measures. It sounds just like a 1 drum tumbao, but it is really just a rudiment that I came up with today. Give it a whirl and tell me what you think. comments, questions, or otherwise Thanks, MD

PS.. I'd like to find or figure out a good exercise that allows me to use RL and LR flams. I can't maintain consistency in my flams to save my butt..



Edited By jmdriscoll on 1185641108

[Amber]

Hi,

all kind of rows with uneven counts of strokes IMO are helpful to develop strength of both hands,

For example: 3

BOS BOS
RLR LRL

you can change it to OSB, BSS, SBO, SSO or whatever.

If it bores you why not try 5 : BOOSS BOOSS
RLRLRLRLRL

a bit unorthodox , but I like it ,I don' t like make exercising a WORK in its unpleseant sense...try this and if it bores change and substitute the strokes to maybe OOBMM or whatever..

What about this : RLRRLRLL..
OOSSOOSS

Just my 2 cents..

Amber

[congamyk]

If you have the Tomas Cruz Volume II the Timba pattern exposed my left hand slap - I had none!

This pattern will make your left hand slap a monster.

[jmdriscoll]

I second that. Just learning the Guaguanco in vol-2 will get your left hand slap up to speed. I am actually trying to get my right handed open slap to catch up to my left now..

[Tonio]

Not sure if its been mentioned yet, but try a left handed tumbao if your right handed, and visa versa.
Kinda of opposite of the regular tumbao hand strokes.
It will help your left hand slaps and right hand heel toes too!

T

[Congadelica]

Tomas Cruz DVD 2 Guaguanco in vol-2 is what I have been wroking on the past few days it is killer work for the left hand its goes like this
R(T) L (Q/C) R LL
O S OSS
R (T) L (Q/C) R LL
O S S BS (T)= Tumbadora (Q/C) = Quinto/Conga.

I hope this helps It has improved my Left slaps , My right is pretty strong Im just working on parity between each hand . All good so far .

Marco



Edited By Congadelica on 1185829047

[JohnnyConga]

Here is another exercise for the left hand or the weaker hand it's a 5 stroke


T=tone S=slap M=muff P=palm

TMTSP TMTSP TMTSP TMTSP or any configuration of this 5 stroke one hand exersize............

Also just doing simple tone-slap tone slap tone slap tone slap with just the weaker hand...A MUFF is acquired by "pressing" all the fingers into the conga head...any questions?....."JC" Johnny Conga...