Introduction to Moeller method and to "whip motion"

Moeller method - This lesson, dedicated to drum rudiments, introduces the basic principles of the Moeller technique, the best method, since over a century, to learn how to play drums with speed and dynamics, using the drum sticks bounce. Drum sheet

Video drum lesson preview   Moeller technique

Introduction to the drum lesson: Moeller technique

When studying percussion technique, the initial approach is surely the most important phase; that's why one should rely on a good teacher, especially to learn the Moeller technique. The following drum lesson is an introduction to the fundamental principles of this technique and to the four different strokes that make it. Established in late XIX Century, the Moeller technique, or Moeller Method, is still the most effective way to learn how to properly move the drum sticks, and play with speed and dynamics. Its conventional rules are easy, but their application requires much studying:
-> Differences between accented and unaccented strokes.
-> In accented strokes the stick starts in up position, in unaccented strokes in down position.
-> Each stroke ends with the stick moving to the next stroke.
Therefore, the possible movements are four, and they are the strokes that make the Moeller technique:

Full Stroke, Tap Stroke, Down Stroke, Up Stroke.

The gestual feature of Moeller method is the "Whip motion". The wrist moves before the hand, both to raise and let down the stick, letting you hit the drum with a sharper and stronger stroke. First you move the the back of the drum stick, then you bow your wrist, the elbow comes to the front, the hand and the forearm form for a moment a 90 degrees corner, in the so-called "Cobra position".

The other fundamental feature of the Moeller technique is how to grip the drum sticks: the stick fulcrum is held between the thumb and the middle finger, not between thumb and index finger. This goes for both hands when using symmetric grip, or just for the right hand in traditional jazz grip.

About VirtualDrumming

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All the drum lessons are played in real time by the virtual drummer. Just like a music teacher the virtual drummer plays at the desired speed the lesson on the score, making drum sheet music understable even to beginners. The drums method will be periodically updated with new drum lessons and drum sheet music.

This drum lesson dedicated to Moeller method is a part of the published basic drum lessons.
The basic drum lessons, the first part of this method for drums, deal with the right posture, which is the basic condition to develop speed, endurance and precision with your playing. The style and the role of drumming have evolved with time, but the basic drums technique hasn't changed much, and all the great drummers still build their own style from the same basis of musical theory.

Topics in the basic drum lessons and in the online drum lessons published drum sheet music are: Rudiments & Fundamentals, Coordinated independence, Basic drum beats, Snare drum studies, Drums grooves, and Songs drum parts, with transcriptions of songs and grooves by John Bonham, Phil Collins, Stewart Copeland, Steve Gadd, Ian Paice, Jeff Porcaro.