347 – [Daniel Glass Show]: The Secret To Playing Fast!

In this session, Daniel discusses our obsession with playing as fast as possible, and offers a real, practical road map to reaching new levels of speed. The short answer: If you want to play fast, you must first learn to play slow!

What’s covered in this session:

  • Daniel describes how learning drum parts on classic power ballads helped him understand the benefits of slow playing.
  • Daniel explores two elements of drumming that we fear most: playing slowly and playing softly. If you ignore these elements, you do so at your own peril.
  • An explanation of “space equals time,” a phrase that Daniel learned from his teacher Freddie Gruber.
  • Why playing slowly offers us a deeper understanding of the space between beats, leading to greater clarity when the tempo increases.
  • Why playing slowly can help us to identify and remove tension, which is the greatest impediment to playing fast.
  • Daniel explains an exercise he created that helps develop speed by developing greater clarity and reducing tension.

Resources/Links/People Mentioned:

  • Barry Manilow’s hit song, Mandy, which (like many power ballads) begins with a basic quarter-note pattern on the hi hat.
  • Daniel demonstrates the function of the four limbs in a basic rock groove. By slowing down the movements and allowing the limbs to drop, greater relaxation and clarity can be achieved, leading to greater speed.
  • Daniel’s Drumeo presentation on the evolution of timekeeping and pulse. At 39:45, he demonstrates concepts related to the above topics (slow play, “allowing” the limbs to drop in a tension-free manner).
2 replies
  1. Dallas Cantland
    Dallas Cantland says:

    This actually cleared up a LOT! And is exactly what I’ve said to my bandmates that fell on deaf ears. Fast drummers give up power for speed and guys breaking cymbals, sticks, etc. are generally playing slower.

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