The Moeller Method for snare drumming

**buddyrich** · 16-Feb-09, 00:57

Is anyone familiar with this drumming discipline? It seems to be a slightly black art but as far as i know it's to do with using a looser grip, allowing greater stick rebound to increase speed and power via down and up strokes. Or something.

Apparently Jim Chapin and Freddie Gruber teach it and Neil Peart and Dave Weckl are proponents of it.

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 16-Feb-09, 01:43

I was just gonna say... what about the Buddy Rich?

**buddyrich** · 16-Feb-09, 02:21

He he. Buddy's style was definitely a black art.

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 16-Feb-09, 03:02

Send Calum McIntyre a message via MySpace:

www.myspace.com/calumdrums

I have a feeling he'll know. Just don't let his seizure-inducing webpage put you into a coma.

**buddyrich** · 16-Feb-09, 03:12

Fantastic! Sounds like someones been listening to mr bungle. Do you know the guy?

**The Pepsi Challenge** · 16-Feb-09, 04:43

I know Calum, aye. I've played a couple of gigs with him before, and he's a regular denizen at the Edinburgh Jazz Bar. In fact, if he's not at home he's usually down there. A mighty find drummer, he also has a tasty habit for mono, second-line drumming. He also looks tired a lot.

**the_big_mac** · 16-Feb-09, 05:16

I've just started learning it, to be honest it feels very strange, but I can see the point in it so will stick with it.

Buy the JoJo Mayer DVD, he describes it brilliantly among other things to do with grip and technique.

**buddyrich** · 16-Feb-09, 14:09

Aye i looked at that one, theres another guy that teaches it too, michael michalkows, who has a dvd out too.

Im going to start off with jim chapins book/dvd thing. Moeller taught him and he taught mayer so it'll be along the same lines. Plus chapin wears a suit and tie during the whole thing-sartorial elegance and bafflingly fast hands, what a guy.

I've been doing the basic exercises on the pad and theres definitely a logic to it. Dave Weckls clips on youtube make a lot of sense. He maintains the rebound/bounce is part of the upstroke, though Chapin says it's not. Whatever, i think i'll go for the weckl dvd too.

Keep me posted how ur doing with it.

**the_big_mac** · 17-Feb-09, 09:26

Originally Posted by buddyrich

Aye i looked at that one, theres another guy that teaches it too, michael michalkows, who has a dvd out too.

Im going to start off with jim chapins book/dvd thing. Moeller taught him and he taught mayer so it'll be along the same lines. Plus chapin wears a suit and tie during the whole thing-sartorial elegance and bafflingly fast hands, what a guy.

I've been doing the basic exercises on the pad and theres definitely a logic to it. Dave Weckls clips on youtube make a lot of sense. He maintains the rebound/bounce is part of the upstroke, though Chapin says it's not. Whatever, i think i'll go for the weckl dvd too.

Keep me posted how ur doing with it.

At the rate im going it'll be 10 years before you get an update! Cant keep the sticks in my hand after 3 strokes

**TBH** · 20-Feb-09, 01:09

Learn from the best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RzQMT1lt1E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYT77...eature=related

**zebedy** · 20-Feb-09, 02:45

I suffer from weak wrists as i've broken both too many times. I find this video from tony royster good fun to have a bash at. His explanation to the Moeller method.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U66XZjaRt0

**Deemac** · 20-Feb-09, 11:17

Originally Posted by TBH

Learn from the best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RzQMT1lt1E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYT77...eature=related

Thanks for sharing - truely stunning playing and technique

**Deemac** · 20-Feb-09, 11:22

Originally Posted by zebedy

I suffer from weak wrists as i've broken both too many times. I find this video from tony royster good fun to have a bash at. His explanation to the Moeller method.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U66XZjaRt0

Nice stuff too Zeb

**Chobbersjnr** · 20-Feb-09, 16:36

Originally Posted by Deemac

Thanks for sharing - truely stunning playing and technique

Originally Posted by Deemac

Nice stuff too Zeb

SOOOOOOOOOOOO will one be seeing an improvement in technique at the weekend senor mac........???????? after seeing the videos (that I've not yet watched)

I'll be scrutinising & giving marks out of 1 just as the acoustic basher asks to be turned up/down/completely out of the mix yes

**buddyrich** · 21-Feb-09, 03:23

Nice to see Roysters take on it. Interesting that he seems to totally disregard the idea of the stick bouncing on the downstroke.

Chapin seems to favour an exaggerated-movement version of it but i suppose this is for beginners at it like moi who need to get it logged in the muscle memory-note his right hand index finger is not wrapped round the stick, allowing the stick to bounce up to fully vertical. Weckl prescribes this too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yNb-kUPwMI