When I was a percussion major at U.N.O., I used to watch a friend of mine, Greg Ahl, perform with the U.N.O. Jazz Ensemble. At the time, Greg was a much more advanced jazz drummer than I was. He was a senior and I was a freshman. At the time, I was still really struggling to play the drums the way I wanted to. Watching Greg play, it seemed so effortless. I made the observation, that in addition to having more experience and technical skill on the instrument, Greg was completely relaxed when he played.
I felt really felt that learning to relax while I played the drum set was one of the keys to mastering the instrument. Playing a drum set involves your whole body, probably more than any other instrument. In one interview I read with Max Roach, he pointed out that the drum set is unique and challenging, in the fact that it’s the only percussion instrument that forces you to use all four limbs at the same time to play the instrument. Because of this fact, any tension you hold in your body, especially in your back, gets in the way of expressing yourself on the instrument.
So while in college, I enrolled in a class called, “Relaxation Techniques.” In that class, we studied all types of mental relaxation methods, including yoga, message and meditation. My friend Barry Brown took the class with me. Barry would become so relaxed that he would usually fall asleep, despite the fact that we were laying on a hard wood gymnasium floor. That’s how effective the techniques were.
After I’d learned and practiced these techniques, it was easy to apply them to my drumming. The more you practice relaxation techniques, the easier and quicker it is to put your mind and body into a completely relaxed state at will. So now that I’d practiced, I understood what it felt like to eliminate all stress and tension from my body. Every time I’d practice the drums, for each exercise, groove, etc., I’d practice them in a completely relaxed state, at every tempo, ranging from very slow, to breakneck tempos. When I rehearsed or performed with a band, I would do the same. Needless to say, this completely transformed my drumming.
I later read a book by Maxwell Maltz, called “Psycho Cybernetics“. This book gave me additional insights into the role our mind plays in the performance of any task or goal. And most importantly I learned some new visualization techniques for relaxation, that I still practice to this day.
Here are 3 simple techniques described in “Psycho Cybernetics“. Practice these lying down somewhere quiet. Lie flat on your back, and close your eyes. I actually find it’s more effective to lie on the floor without the use of a pillow.
- 1. Imagine your body is just a balloon filled with air. Two valves open in the bottom of your feet and the air starts escaping. As it escapes, every part of your body gets flatter and flatter. Imagine your left leg getting flatter, then your right, then your left arm, etc., until your whole body is as flat as a pancake.
2. Imagine your whole body is made of cement. Feel your left leg sinking into the floor. Then imagine your right leg sinking into the floor, your left arm, etc. After you’ve done this for your whole body, imagine a friend comes into the room. He tries to lift your leg and then your arm. He cannot though, because they’re way too heavy.
3. Imagine you are a marionette. Instead of joints, you have strings attaching your limbs, etc. Imagine your arms are attached to your torso by a string. Imagine the same for your jaw, your head, etc.
Practice these several times a week for about 10-15 minutes a day. Then simply recall these same feelings of total relaxation when you practice or perform on the drum set. You’ll be amazed at the difference in your playing.
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