Freehand technique
Encyclopedia
The freehand technique is a unique method used by percussion
to produce a fast drum roll
with a single hand. It is based around using the rim of a snare drum
as the fulcrum
point of the drumstick. By doing this, a drummer can produce two strikes of the drum
with each full motion (one on the down stroke, and one on the upstroke).
This method has recently become quite popular in the drum community due to it being demonstrated in live drum clinics by world famous drummer Johnny Rabb
. Johnny Rabb has been expanding his use of the Free-Hand Technique in his new project, "The Ten Finger Orchestra". He has been expanding his use of the free hand technique around the entire drum kit while mixing background music on a Digital turntable.
The freehand technique is also known amongst many drummers as the gravity blast.
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
to produce a fast drum roll
Drum roll
A drum roll is a technique the percussionist employs to produce a sustained sound on a percussion instrument. Rolls are used by composers to sustain the sound and create other effects, the most common of which is using a roll to build anticipation.- Snare drum roll :The most common snare drum roll...
with a single hand. It is based around using the rim of a snare drum
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
as the fulcrum
Fulcrum (drumming)
Fulcrum is a drumming term. Traditionally, the fulcrum is said to denote the part of a percussionist's grip that is the main lever for the drumstick/mallet to rotate...
point of the drumstick. By doing this, a drummer can produce two strikes of the drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
with each full motion (one on the down stroke, and one on the upstroke).
This method has recently become quite popular in the drum community due to it being demonstrated in live drum clinics by world famous drummer Johnny Rabb
Johnny Rabb
Johnny Rabb is a professional live/studio drummer, author, inventor, and instructor. As a Product Specialist for , Rabb performs around 70 international clinic dates per year...
. Johnny Rabb has been expanding his use of the Free-Hand Technique in his new project, "The Ten Finger Orchestra". He has been expanding his use of the free hand technique around the entire drum kit while mixing background music on a Digital turntable.
The freehand technique is also known amongst many drummers as the gravity blast.