Triple Your Hand Speed On The Drums - Russ Miller

Fix your hand technique:

You may already have the skills to triple your hand speed in one day – you just need to know how to use them.

The human body can only go so fast. But drummers like a good challenge, right?

Russ Miller studied with Jim Chapin and Freddie Gruber, two of Sanford Moeller’s protégés. Moeller was a pioneer in standardizing movements – notably the ‘whip’ – that allow drummers to play with more efficiency.

Russ often hears from drummers who are concerned that they’ve ‘hit the ceiling’ physically, or that they don’t feel they’re advancing sonically. In this video, Russ dares you to change the way you think about striking the drums, and shows you a few foundational concepts of the Moeller technique that will address both of these common issues.

There’s only so much movement you can achieve with one downstroke. You need to use the mechanics within that stroke to not only execute a higher number of notes, but better dynamics and articulation.

With the Moeller technique, you can create multiple notes with one movement. The key is controlling the stick height after the rebound, and leading the ‘whipping’ motion with your elbow. Try to keep your palms facing down for the most power.

There are three types of note that you need to know in this lesson:

The downward note (after which you let the stick rebound slightly)
The finger note/tap
The upward note (as Jim Chapin used to tell Russ, imagine pulling the stick away like you just put your finger on a hot burner)
The three-in-one formula is down, tap, up. With a whip motion, the power ends up coming from the stick’s tip. When you have to bring up your stick after every hit, you can only go so fast. This is why you need to keep the stick height low for the second and third hits.

While you stay relaxed and comfortable, here are three exercises to try while playing with less effort:

Exercise 1 (11:05) – The Basics
Turn on a metronome subdividing triplets at 60 BPM. Repeat after Russ: down tap up, down tap up. Not unlike a video game, right?

Exercise 2 (12:11) – Alternating Threes
In this exercise, you play 3, 6, 9, and 12 on each hand. That means 3 down-tap-ups on one hand, then 3 down-tap-ups on the other hand. You’ll then do it 6 times on the first hand, then 6 on the other hand, and so on with 9 and 12.

Exercise 3A (13:00) – Interplay/Rolls 1
Here’s where you’ll learn how to incorporate the movement into a roll. Imagine every down stroke is an accent: down right, down left, tap right, tap left, up right, up left. Buddy Rich used to refer to the visuals of this as ‘stirring the soup’.

Exercise 3B (14:20) – Interplay/Rolls 2
Now you’ll combine finger technique (on your left hand) and the Moeller technique (on your right hand). These are the moves: down on the right hand, fingers only on the left, tap right, fingers left, up right, fingers left. With this choreography, the accent is only on the first note. You can do this exercise in groups of 6 or 8.

Practice along with the video and don’t forget to keep track of your progress as you go through these exercises. Once you get them down, you’ll be able to get more speed and natural dynamics while lightening up your playing. It’ll be easier to play faster and you’ll sound better at the same time.

Voila: you can now play three notes where you were playing one note before! It’s amazing how many possibilities you can unlock with just one new technique.

Follow Russ:

Follow us:

#drumeo #drumlesson #drums

[yourfaceonmondaymorning]

Watched it everyday for a month. After all the tripling the frequency of my drumming creates such a high pitch it made all the dogs in the neighborhood go nuts and I've had bats crashing into my windows.

[benblackburn]

I like how he came in on a spaceship and dropped the mic on a great digestible lesson that everyone can comprehend. Even after a decade plus of playing I still have trouble with my hand technique but this breaks things down extremely well. Looking forward to going over the practice exercises

[kurtthedrummingplumber]

This is the first time I've seen a lesson on The Moeller technique, explaining how to play it properly between hands.

Nice one guys!

[DrumeoOfficial]

Motions 2:30 The Thing You Were Looking For 6:00 Exercise (#1) 11:05 Exercise (#2) 12:11 Exercise (#3) 13:00 Exercise (#3-b) 14:20 More Info in descirption. 👆

[storminsea]

Drumeo are unreal. The amount of tips, ideas and full lessons they post! Very inspiring content as always. This is a great lesson. Thanks!!👍🥁👏

[corontsurara]

If I triple my speed today, and then re-watch this video tomorrow does that mean I'll be able to hit nine times faster? Oh man, and then watch it again the day after tomorrow!

[FanPhys]

This is a great lesson and a very clear explanation of the Moeller technique. BUT, and it's a big but... I wish these guys would stop telling us that this is the only way to play fast single strokes. It's not. At 10:32 he says it's not possible to do it another way, but if you look at players like Damien Schmitt and Gergo Borlai, these guys have incredible speed and control and do not use cyclic Moeller movements. I was taught Moeller technique in the same way almost 20 years ago and it actually really harmed my playing by being told (similarly) that it's the "only" way to play the drums. Just keep an open mind and remember that any particular technique is just one tool in your box.

[hardiksharma]

"Lead from the elbow" is something I only heard from Gil Sharone till now, which just clicked in my mind and solved the mysteries of Moeller for me, but he talked about it just for 2-3 minutes in his Drumeo vid. This is a complete helpful tutorial to just that. Russ rep++

[michaelcougar]

This guy is a very good teacher. Explains things slowly and thoroughly.

[jeffconner]

I don't know about anyone else, but that was an awesome lesson & will carry anybody's speed & technique into a much better sounding, fluid & very dynamic that many drummers lack. It brings me so much joy & contentment to see a player that good, teaching the secrets of being a successful drummer, thank you!!! Sincerely, Jeff

[eastonotsae]

Its always a good day when Drumeo posts

[bradtraq]

First off the drum rack is insanely overbuilt and beautiful and I love it 100% so freaking much. Also this is some nicely and eloquently put drum lessons on theory and almost philosophy on a specific technique and I really thank you a lot for creating this. You connected the emotional aspect to the playing aspect in a very understandable way to help everybody with the part that matters most, which is expressing feeling. Good shit dude!!

[shaileshsharma]

I'm beginner from India Dentist by profession but love to play drums...Thankyou Miller sir and Drumeo for making such educational stuff for us to learn from.Thankyou once again really enjoyed your lessons....

[drum-drum-drum]

Russ was my DRUM teacher in FL - Wow, he made it.

[mikecourt]

Best explanation of this technique that I have heard in my 24 years of playing.

[danieltrochei]

How many terminators did it cost to make those tom arms

[thomaslatham]

I was in the Air Force, I recognize those tom mounts! They're off of the bomb bay doors from a B-52!

[garrybrown]

That for me, was the most useful drum lesson I’ve seen so far anywhere.
Thank you so much.

[fishfinderchartersdavis]

I haven’t played for 20 years and have a desire to play at home for pleasure again .... big thing for me.. this lesson is just fantastic, so well articulate and simply explained
Thank you for doing this segment Russ just beautiful mate .... where’s my practise pads pant pant ;)

[mr.rainbowlovescoffee]

When I started playing the drums I was in the marching band in my high school and I learned a lot about technique and speed and I got to say this guy is spot on 100% correct you must learn these techniques it's very important I've been playing for 40 years now and I still learn from the best and this guy is top notch