3 Reasons You Should Learn The Moeller Technique.
I personally am obsessed with the technique of playing drums. Whether it be Moeller, Push/Pull, Finger, Gladstone, Heel/Toe, or Swivel, I find all of it incredibly interesting. Not to mention, studying all of these has made me a much better drummer.
The Moeller technique was developed by Sanford A. Moeller, an American drummer who developed his technique from a military and marching background. He taught drummers like Gene Krupa and Jim Chapin so you know we’re in good hands.
What Is The Technique?
To keep a long story short (and it can be a long story), the Moeller technique consists of 4 different strokes: Tap, Up, Full, Down. These 4 strokes each have their specific movements you need to learn in order to eventually combine them. These strokes allow you to gain full control of your sticks while developing speed and power with little effort. Not convinced? Well, here are 3 reasons you should learn the Moeller Technique:
Speed. Having a good understanding of the Moeller technique allows you to let the stick do all the work for you. This means that you exert very little energy, even at high speeds making the faster tempos easier to play.
Dynamics. Mastering the Tap, Up, Down, Full, gives you full control of your dynamic range without having to rely completely on the independence of limbs. Instead of thinking “I need a quiet note here”, you simply play a tap stroke and the stick takes care of the dynamics for you.
Flow. This is harder to quantify as it’s more of a feeling when playing. Having control of your speed and dynamics leads to you being able to execute ideas you have in your head with ease. When the 4 strokes become muscle memory, you have the ability to play a range of combinations and stickings, that when applied to the drum kit result in smooth controlled playing and a large vocabulary of grooves and fills.
These are only a few of the benefits provided by the Moeller Technique. It has become so ingrained in my playing that I lose track of how many different situations it makes my life easier. It is for all of these reasons, and more, that I make sure every student learns at least the basics of the Moeller Technique.
If you’re curious as to how long it takes to learn it, then it depends on your goals. If you wish to simply understand the concept, 6-12 months. If you want to truly develop and hone it as a craft like I did, 4+ years. And I practised a lot. Even my teacher/mentor Pat Garvey (monster player) told me it took him 4 years.
That doesn’t mean you don’t get the benefits of the Moeller technique before that long. Your grip, stick control, speed and dynamics will make a noticeable improvement within 1 year.
If you are interested in learning the Moeller Technique and taking your playing to the next level, get in touch and we can start a very exciting journey.