5 Benefits Of Open Handed Drumming - Drum Lesson (Drumeo)

Fix your hand technique:

Playing drums open-handed is usually dismissed by the majority of drummers. After hearing what Claus Hessler had to say on the topic, well... Let's just say I have some practice to do.

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Claus Plays:
Mapex Drums
Sabian Cymbals
Evans Drumheads
Vic Firth Sticks

[Deetroiter]

I started playing open handed because it’s what naturally came to me when I picked up the sticks. Other experienced drummers encouraged me to do what feels natural, not fight it. I try to learn and play all methods, but open hand is my absolute core and natural playing. Sometimes I run into things that would be ‘easier’ with cross hand but I just improvise and it works all the same! Allows for some really wild and creative stuff (triple bass drumming…two pedals and one hand playing the stick off of the bass drum…or single bass pedal and two sticks on the bass drum!)….its all art and exploration. Rules were created by people who decided others should play how they thought is best. ‘Rules’ are guidelines, not requirements.

[rkfan]

As a lefty drummer that plays open handed, we need more content like this.

[teeoh]

That last statement was ON POINT. The first time I sat down behind a kit, I INSTINCTIVELY went open handed. There were no readily available videos back then (1983, I didn't have MTV yet) of drummers playing. It wasn't until I saw the "Looks That Kill" video by Motley Crue, that I switched to cross-playing because I thought seeing Tommy Lee was the "proper" way to play. I stuck with that until very recently, because I noticed the imbalance between my left an right hands, on certain things. Now, I'm using a combo of the two styles, depending on what I'm playing. Glad I saw this today.

[reacharoma]

I always thank you Drumeo! You guys such a precious work for all drummers. Just thank you bottom of my heart!

[M]

Glad this is on here, a lot of people used to ask me why I played open handed, my answer is that when i had lessons at school there where 5 of us in all and I was the only lefty in the group so instead of changing the kit around all the time I played this style. I have thought about putting my drums to a left handed setup but i'm used to playing open handed with my right foot being the lead on the bass drum. As always Drumeo, good work :)

[oscarmckee]

I started as a right handed player..then taught myself to play open...it wasn't easy..but with a lot of practice..I mastered it

[american_psycho]

As someone left handed, I didn't know any better. I played the hats with my left because it was on my left side. Didn't make sense to cross my arms. It wasn't until later I realized that's uncommon

[vahnn]

When I first learned drums, I hadn't really seen anyone actually play drums before. It made most sense to me to play open-handed. After a few years playing like, for some reason I felt like I should change to playing closed-handed, so I played exclusively like that for a few years. And now I can play both styles and switch between them on any beat without interrupting the flow, and yeah... the freedom is fantastic.

[tommylight]

Open handed players represent!

I play this way because it's always felt more natural.

[JeffreySharp-lx]

Thank you
I’ve been playing open handed for 45 years and have been very comfortable with playing this way although people refused to teach me in the 1970s saying it was wrong
I love Simon Philips and others that I discovered and loved your video

[chrisadamson]

I'm a lefty and used to play my friends righthanded set when he went to school. I'm so glad I learned that way. It opened up a lot of and styles as well as Drum setups.

[egatzu]

Been playing open handed for 40 years love it. Alway have other drummers looking how the heck do you do that.

[bartoszdolewski]

I am a right-handed drummer and decided to go open-handed after 13 years of playing the drums. Let the agony begin!

[TheRealSandman]

I play a mixture of open handed and the crossing over! Naturally learnt open as I'm left handed but drum teacher taught me the crossing over way

[PabloRVasquez]

Thanks for this video, I thought i was doing something wrong by always playing open handed. They always want me to play closed handed or regular you could say. But i always feel more free when i play open handed.

[RyanJohnson]

I took lessons when I was a kid, and being left handed, my instructor figured traditional lefty would make sense. He would re-arrange the kit every time to show me rudiments! Just a few years ago, I tried open hand and it felt much more natural. I'm better at keeping time with my left, but for some reason controlling the hi hat with my left foot and kick with my right also feels more comfortable. Go figure

[chrisfairbanks]

At 3:35 he mentions other open handed drummers. I checked them out right after this. I'm really glad I learned on my own and didn't have anyone to correct me. I'm ambidextrous and have always led with the left hand and right foot, but lately I'm trying to play cross handed and even traditional just to mess with my mind and work my coordination. I can't really play in a band so now with so many lessons available I can really expand my playing. Sometimes when I finally get some crazy pattern, it feels like I just learned how to juggle. And places online where people can setup a time to jam with others over the internet?

[FONO]

Open handed drummer here :-) Really appreciate this. Thanks

[jacobfriedman]

Claus is amazing and very humble. I met him at the berklee percussion weekend this year and he's really nice.

[shadowpsc]

I've always naturally drummed Open Hand - I'm ambidextrous and also play guitar/piano. I learned limb separation/autonomy by forcing myself to cross during repeating phrases (if a song is verse, chorus, verse, chorus for example, I play one of each open handed, one of each cross).