Drumming - What is Moeller Motion?
Most drummers have probably heard of the Moeller Method (or Moeller Motion), however the technique has been somewhat perceived as something of a secret due to the fact that it is considered quite difficult to learn.
So what is the Moeller Method?
The Moeller method is a system that enables you to prepare for the next stroke you are playing by ensuring that you get your hands into the best position beforehand.
By doing this it allows you to play the drums faster by staying more relaxed, it also provides more control and allows the flexibility to add accented notes at will. The technique has also been promoted as requiring significantly less effort, and therefore carries less risk of injury or strain to the drummer than by playing with sheer brute force alone.
Where does it originate from?
The original technique was described by Sanford A Moeller around the 1920's. Sanford Moeller was an American drummer who was fascinated by the way that Civil war drummers could play their snare drums (often for days without hurting themselves or feeling any fatigue) using mismatched sticks and on badly tensioned rope skin drums.
He spent many years studying these drummers and found that there was a particular way that they held their sticks and hit their drums; he then coded these techniques into a system.
Although the technique is called the Moeller method, it wasn't Sanford's technique. He simply gathered information from what he saw, and then taught it to others. Drummers such as Jim Chapin, Gene Krupa, and William Ludwig all studied under Sanford Moeller. Jim Chapin was one of the biggest advocates of the technique and is still working to popularise the method.
So how does it work?
It's very easy to forget that the drum stroke you are currently playing will affect the next. Therefore to play with any degree of fluidity, it's important to know what stroke is coming and how to deal with it.
In very basic terms there are two types of notes that are played on the drums. These are loud notes (accents) and quiet notes (un-accented notes). For each type of note there are two types of drum stroke that can be played, the one that is used is based upon the note being played after the current stroke. The notes and stokes that can be played are as follows:
| Type of note | Type of stroke |
| Loud (Accent) | Full Stroke |
| Loud (Accent) | Down Stroke |
| Quiet (Unaccented) | Tap Stroke |
| Quiet (Unaccented) | Up Stroke |
The type of stroke to be played depends on the volume of the note to be played with consideration given to the one that follows. This then translates directly to the starting and finishing height of the drumstick.
For example:
Accented notes are played with the drumstick starting at a high point
Unaccented notes are played with the drumstick starting at a low point
After the first note is played the stick finishes at either a high or low point depending on the note following (again either an accent or unaccented note).
The starting and finishing points for each stroke are as follows:
Full Stroke - The drumstick starts and returns to a high point
Down Stroke - The drumstick starts at a high point and finishes at a low point
Tap Stroke - The drumstick starts and finishes at a low point. Please note that this stroke is played using a wrist motion only.
Up Stroke - The stick starts at a low point and finishes at a high point. Please note that the resultant stroke on the drum is an incident of the lifting of the arm, not a deliberate action.
Once these basic actions have been mastered they can then be applied to phrases of accented and unaccented notes to great effect. The technique can also be applied to the Hi-Hat and Ride Cymbal to create more interesting ostinatos.
Mic Harrison
Professional drum tuition in South Reading
www.micharrison.co.uk
?
External Links:
Previous page: Reviews
Next page: Record label
Add A Comment (click to open or close form)
Add A Comment