Ok, so here it is: I will hereby make known: THE SECRET INGREDIENT!
After the great disclosure of my discoveries I will ponder around this ancient secret that master musicians have sworn by for centuries! (Fasten your seatbelts.)
This is something I believe God in His wisdom grafted into the fabric of our being at the very beginning of time. It has the potential to revolutionise and advance your musical experience to a “hole nutha level”! (Quote: Pastor Ed Young)
THE SECRET INGREDIENT IS………… there is no secret ingredient…
(seen Kung Fu Panda?)
But, here’s the bottom line: what God has given us is the ability to learn and improve! So the real “ancient secret” is…PRACTICE!
There’s a way that will make practice something you totally crave. I used to practice on average around 3 hours a day when I was 17-18 years old.
What made me do that?? EXPONENTIAL MOTIVATION
(my drum teacher so ingeniously tricked me into it when I was even younger…true story.)
Exponential is a word used about something that grows when, the bigger it grows, the faster it grows. OK?
Motivation (in this article) is ambition, desire, initiative… what drives you to practise. Big picture – we’re ultimately motivated and driven by the cause of our King Jesus, but that’s a “hole nutha article”. (HEAVENLY MOTIVATION….stay tuned..) But today, small picture, you need motivation to just get off your computer and practise!
So my teacher gave me 5 paradiddles (potentially boring technical exercises) and put it in a growth-savvy system for me:
“OK Rolf – do paradiddle number:
1. for 2 minutes
2. for 2 minutes
3. for 2 minutes
4. for 2 minutes
5. for 2 minutes”
This added up to 10 minutes of determined practice time… and after a week I had practised 1 hour! (including having one day off) Those 10 minutes seemed to fly away quicker and quicker, and a week down the track I felt improvements which was very motivating…then I put two and two together and thought: “if I spend 4 minutes on each paradiddle – I’ll get twice as good in half the time…” and BANG – 20 minutes a day…2 hours a week… and I felt more and more improvement… and this is how things started compiling to 3 hours a day. I couldn’t get enough… the more I learnt the more doors opened up for me to study deeper concepts, and the more I learnt – the more I realized how little I knew… great adventure!
So try to plan your practice into bite-size nuggets, and make it measurable – use a log… in my case here:
Monday Paradiddles 04.07.1994
1. for 2 minutes @ 120 beats per minute (using a metronome)
2. for 2 minutes @ 117 beats per minute
3. for 2 minutes @ 112 beats per minute… ETC..
Then I could see two weeks later that:
Monday Paradiddles 18.07.1994
1. for 2 minutes @ 127 beats per minute (using a metronome)
2. for 2 minutes @ 123 beats per minute
3. for 2 minutes @ 119 beats per minute… ETC..
IMPROVEMENT!!!!!! I feel so good to know that you’re doing something NOW, that you were totally unable to do two weeks ago!!!!! That is a great motivator….and it will grow as you grow. EXPONENTIAL MOTIVATION… the more you practise the more you want to practise. Remember to have fun with it all. Serving the Lord with gladness!
© 2008 Rolf Wam Fjell
wam, you’ve done it again.
I know how to do paradiddles and i will take your advice but what about if i dont have a drumset to practice on…cause i do want to do better but its hard when you dont have a drumset to practice at your house…and the only time i play the drumset is when i go to church to practice with the band i am in..so what should i do?
Hi Josh!
Thanks for your question.
The old problem of practice logistics…
This is something we all have to negotiate at times.
Some people don’t have a kit, some people have a kit but
nowhere to put it, some people have a kit and a practice
room but they live in a sound sensitive neighbourhood…
There will always be challenges no matter what you have
or don’t have, the main thing to remember is: “if there’s a will there’s a way.” For me, that has meant
getting up really early at times to practice at a studio
before their and my work-day began, or stay late at
school and practice there…
Here are a few ideas that I pray can help you:
1. Go practice alone at church if it’s possible or
somewhere else where there is a drum kit, like your
school or something.
2. Look around in your local area and find out if there
are any practice studios with instruments etc. They are
often connected to local music stores.
3. Buy yourself a practice pad. Work your technique by
doing your exercises on the pad 50% of your time, and
use the other 50% playing on pillows. (You’ll notice the
difference when you get on the real kit if you do this
for a while.) To give your legs a work-out, just play
alternating 16th notes on the floor along to some of
your favourite songs. This will build stamina and speed.
Also – if you didn’t already know: “air-drumming” is
said to help your sensitivity on the kit. (Even jogging
and general fitness makes you a better drummer…)
4. Buy a practice kit. Quiet and effective. They can be
quite affordable if you look around. This makes the
whole thought of practicing easier because you have the
tools right there in your home.
5. Buy a drum kit and put on sound-proofing so they
don’t make unwanted noise.
I know from experience that it can be de-motivating having to do a lot of non-drum related tasks in order
to practice, but it is worth it, and if you really want
to improve, you will do whatever it takes to get some
daily practice happening. I’ve had to do all of the
above ideas (part from number 2) at some point in my
development journey.
Hope this helps Josh. God bless you!
Rolf Psalm 34:5!!!
Rolf!
This is unbelievably gracious of you to be taking time to help out us fellow drummers and to share some of your wisdom. There’s SO MANY things i want to ask you, but im sure you dont want to read an essay.
So, I guess the main inquiry i have for you (and Gabe and whoever else is taking a look at this) is, what is it like? I mean, I’ve been drumming at my resident church for about two years, and there’s jsut those times when, i dont know, you’re not even there. You know what i mean? It’s like you’re not playing, just soaking in God’s glory through the passionate praise of everyone praising his name as one body. Do you know what i mean? And if you do, what is it like at one of those huge events you play at? Like, my church is semi big, but it’s nothing like what i see in your worship dvd’s.
Thanks for taking the time. Really, you don’t know what it means to me.
CBP
hmm…i see, thanks for posting out your “no-secret” secret Rolf. Yea, i think the way is Practice….keep practicing. This is what M.J said “Practice makes perfect”…amen!
Well Ralf i just want to know hw 2 become over fear because i am the next drummer for my church and i have been waiting for this moment for a long time but i think ill always mess up n hw can i learn drum patterns from ur sons plz
God Bless
rolf, it’s me again. I wanna ask you, how do you normally keep up the “consistent various fills” in playing a particular album? For example, God He reigns album, how do you actually remember this fill, that fill..? or did you fill in spontaneously?
Well from the first album RWF started to play and it was i think “For all you’ve done” He’s developed new skills everytime i listen to him playing.. So this method really works then.. I just have a simple question for Wam. Where you from? And are you guys coming to england anytime next year?
Rolf,
I have been playing and practicing like you have for about 20 years now. I have been playing in worship bands through church for the majority of those years along with several gigging bands. I have seen a lot of changes in worship and have embraced them whole heartedly! I wanted to tell you that your playing style resonates with me. I never really knew what drummers were on what Hillsong albums, but always knew one of them did a ton of the same fills and grooves I did, from the same ghost notes on the snare patterns for pocket grooves down to the same arms flailing, crash/ride, anthem chorus parts that help usher God’s presence right in. Obviously the drummer I was sharing beats with is you. I just wanted to let you know you have a brother in the states that loves to jam right along with ya and shares your passion for worshiping Jesus while creating music that people can lose themselves in while worshiping.
I’d love to correspond with you via e-mail if you ever had the chance. I’m not a creep…just a drummer on a mission (and still in medical school). Hit me back sometime!
Branon (soon2adjustyou@gmail.com)
Hey ROlf!!!
Thank you for sharing this awesome technique with us! Everytime I listen to the Hillsong songs, I really like the style of your drumming! lol (I also love others too!)and I have a question…I am now leaving our church’s praise team(yea…its pretty sad…ㅜㅜ) and theres a new guy who probably played about an year or even less than that…and I really dont know what to tell him to practice with. He has a kit but I tell him to listen to the Christian songs that we mostly do at our church.(We dont do that much Hillsong songs because our church is Korean church…lol) But I practice about 1-2 hours a day and if I tell him to practice that long, I think it will be hard for him…and if I tell him to practice the patterns and stuff like that, he will be bored. So, what is the best way for a beginner drummers to practice? And another thing, aren’t you guys coming to Toronto by any chance? I went to the Conference in 2007 but I missed the one in 2008…so yea… Glad to know when you guys are coming and Thank for sharing this thing again!! God Bless!!
Thanks Rolfie, Something so simple yet so powerful!! Do you happen to have those 5 Parradiddle exercises to share?
To Daniel from the Korean church: With the beginner guy … find something that inspires him to practice. Give him every opportunity to succeeded in something that he practices and then he will naturally get a hunger to practice more. I think Rolf’s advice is great … start him doing 10 mins a day and then coach him to increase it. You can’t force him to practice against his own will.
Anwayz … I’m glad to see this website finally happen Rolf … I remember discussing this stuff in the mighty “WARHEADS” group back in 07.
Keep hitting those skins
Matt Walter
Thnx for the great answer Matt!! God Bless!
Hey Rolf I have a Question…. In your main posting you said that your instructor gave you 5 paradiddles and i thought there was only one… The one I know is hand pattern RLRRLRLL is there more than that??? Thanks for your Time!
Nate
Hi Rolf!
Well,thanks so much for posting this here. It’s really a blessing. And, oh, the advice you gave Josh..that was great.. I was also having the same problem.. I don’t have a kit at home and the other problem I have is that since I’m a high school student, I’m busy in school. I don’t know what to do. And the paradiddles..my teacher never told me what their purpose is..that’s why I didn’t practice those so much(geez..that’s why I never improved..^^). But now, my questions are answered. Thank you so much. Now, with your advice(yeah..practice^^) and God’s help, my team and I will bring glory to God!
-Mae
Another Secret ingredient is Pray!
am i right ? usually before i practice a pray. Ü♥
hehehe
EXPONENTIAL MOTIVATION man! i love it thats the feeling i’m experiencing right now!
Thanks Psalms 150:5
God Bless of all the Drummers who play’s drum for the Glory of our Saviour King!
I want to know those paradiddles too!
I know:
- RLRRLRLL
- RLLRLRRL
- RRLRLLRL
- RRLLRRLL
Are these the ones that you did, if so whats the 5th?
Thanks for you time Rolf!
Ole Tom
Hi There..
I have some question
Do you know how to improve your hand & foot speed ?
What drumset are you use for hillsong concert ?
How many cymbal you use for the concert ?
For you,what is the best doublepedals brand ?
Ok…Thanks…Gbu…
Hallo my brother Rolf.Thanks a lot for sharing a good technique of practisin’ drums.I am really blessed and amazed by the way you play!…I already play at my church’s youth team here in Greece and i want to find a way practising with some excercises that will result me fastness and a stable-no mistakes(at least not serious)situation.Could you please suggest me some good ways of exercising with that result?I would also like to find a way playin’ not too hard but to be completely harmonised with the other members of the Band.Please tell me some suggestions about all these things.One last thing i would like to ask is about tabs.Could you please tell me where i could find some Hillsong’s song tabs for drums?I think that would be helpful…
God Bless You!
Nick
Hi Chase Bannister Pritchett.
Basically it feels the same anywhere I play.
Giving God the glory is the best feeling, because
everything about that is just right. Also - you
mentioned large venues etc - I give 110% no matter the
size of venue or crowd. Because in the end of the day -
God is the same in a room filled with 300 people as He
is in an outdoor stadium filled with 300.000 people.
So no matter where I play - my “audience” is God.
It’s just about connecting with Him. Psalm 34:5 God bless.
Hey Rolf,
First of all thanks so much for your obedience to God and being in tune with his spirit you are an inspiration and keep up the good work. Couple questions i have for you is what would your advice to be for preparing for an audition? (what to practice, how many hours?) I have a mix-minus cd I was given by a church and it has a three songs i will be auditioning for? If you could advice me anything that would better prepare me for this audition then that would be great.
Thanks,
Jonathan
yeah…bring on the practice
hi,my name is daniel and im teaching a guy to take my place on drums for worship so that i can help lead worship,and hes getting discouraged because there is a pressure of him having to be good enough to play on the worship team for services and all i have for him is to not be discouraged,so if i can get some encouragement that i could relay to him that would be GREAT!…and some advice for me in training him.
Thanks,
Daniel
Hi Rolf
can you share with us whats the 5 paradiddle your teacher asked you to practice? lolx
Titus
hi rolf
just wondering how i could practice galdestone grip on a pillow because isnt its necessary to have bounce when doing gladestone technique??
thanks isaac
Hey man I think it’s so cool you actually take time and respond to these comments. I agree 100% about Practice being the secret (or not so secret ingredient). I just wanted to say that in the 13 years I have been playing Hillsong has made practice for me so much easier and enjoyable — especially your drumming. It has helped me exponentially and I wanted to say thanks. If you want, I have attached a link of me attempting to do a couple of your guys’ songs, come check it out. Thanks again and God Bless
http://www.youtube.com/craigkack
Hey Rolf Fajell Wam,
I’ve just got to say nice drumming, you are amazing. Hey I was wondering what kind of cymbals are you using in the hillsong creative dvd lesson on youtube. Sound good. keep doing what you do, God bless.
Robert
Hi Rolf.. How are you doing? I’m Julius from Philippines and i am really blessed on what you are doing when you are playing.. I am a drummer on our resident church and i love the fills that you are making when playing the drums. just dropping by to say i am really blessed with your playing and with your heart of worship within you and it really makes me thank and worship the LORD especially the video of the song with everything. Keep rocking and flaming for JESUS! GOD BLESS you brother!! Hope to chat with you i know that you have a inspiring and motivating experience to serve GOD.. thank you
Hei Rolf!
Just wondering if you had any drum videos of your self. Which I could buy? If you don’t, please make some;) I just love the way you play, you play so clean and your technique is also very good. I would so buy a drum video where you showed your different techniques for hand, foot etc, and tips and tricks, and stuff!. God bless you Rolf!
hi rolf!
wat kind of vic firth r u using?^^
Hi Rolf…
is it easy to use
lighter sticks…?
Hey Rolf… Its Brandon I really enjoy your drumworkshop vdieo on Mighty to save, actually i have a question to ask you. on mighty to save you played a loop on the Hi-hat cym and snare at the same time.
lOOKING FOR VIDS OF YOU’LL COME DRUMS SO I CAN LEARN IT. DO YOU HAVE ANY?