The "Stop At The Top Exercise"

 by  Tommy William Hanson           

inches) up above the drum head (with the stick tip pointing straight up).  It's an old & useful exercise, to be sure; and few realize that this exaggerated 'warm up' has been around for ages.  I first learned of this practice technique in the late 1950s, when I was a teenager.  It was to help me to work with the 'energy in the stick' ... the rebound (energy) resulting from a rendered down stroke.

However, a gross misunderstanding occurs, if a drummer thinks that this practice routine is the 'real secret' for playing fast.  Basically, the exercise only prepares one to 'exploit a natural rebound' ... that's all.  So if a drummer wishes to play rapid taps with one hand ... it is only possible to do so, if the stick tip remains relatively near the drumhead ... and not (pointing up) several inches above the drum.

Again, this avenue of practice certainly helps to cultivate the feeling of a drumstick's natural rebound, yes.  But the drill, leaves the drumstick in the wrong position for playing rapid taps, and drummers have to be aware of this!  Saying that the movement gets smaller when the exercise gradually speeds up, is not enough!  A drummer must be instructed to "Elevate The Grip and Not The Tip" (i.e., master the up stroke!)

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MOELLER (The Up Stroke)

When one becomes familiar with the 'Moeller book', it is the up stroke, that prepares a drummer to utilize 'Moeller speed', and the so called 'Moeller whip' (and not the 'stop at the top exercise' ).  To say again, the 'stop at the top exercise'  only helps to understand that a bounce or rebound can be used to play a drum more proficiently, than those drummers who never learned it. 

Moreover, whipping the drumstick down quickly will not improve speed, if a drummer mistakenly believes that the whipping stroke begins from that 'stop at the top' stick position.  Be aware, that there are teachers who give the impression that an up stroke is nothing more than practicing the 'stop at the top exercise', over and over.  In true fact, this is the opposite of what should really be done, in order to help create more speed.  What definitely needs to be done (to say again), is to "Elevate The Grip and Not The Tip".

The 'secret', is to 'whip' the drumstick when the hand is above the stick tip (and not attempt to 'whip the stick' from a position where the tip of the stick is positioned above the hand).  To say again, Moeller's book teaches that the technique ... the up stroke ... is what's needed for speed.  The (so called) 'Moeller whip motion' can then follow.  Just remember ... it is definitely not 'whipping the stick UP' (as some describe the up stroke).     

Unfortunately, too many drummers are not taught that an up stroke is defined as: "Striking a drum while the hand/wrist/arm gradually rise in elevation".  Amazingly, few even know that the term, up stroke, described in Moeller's book, refers to the body, and not the drumstick (consult Moeller's book).

When practicing the up stroke ... Moeller's writings teach us that:  It is the hand/wrist/arm that move upward, and not the stick tip.  After an up stroke has been rendered, and when a drummer's hand is in the correct position, a downward 'whip-like' motion  will cause the tip of the stick to automatically move both up and down, if one correctly applies a downward 'whip-like motion'.  

Note that a back-swing is not involved, since the hand is already positioned high.  Although this may seem unusual to many, a down stroke is physically possible from there (and that's how Moeller taught his pupils)!  For proof, study the book's pictures and Moeller's detailed description of the up stroke technique.

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More proof?

Just imagine holding the handle of a whip at shoulder height.  From there ... and without a back swing (as one usually takes when fly- fishing), it is easy to simply snap a powerful down stroke.  The result (when using a real whip), is that the whip's popper moves quickly up and down ... making a snapping noise.

In other words, no need to think... 'lift the stick' (back swing) ... or to think 'follow the rebound up' before executing the whipping movement.  THIS IS WHAT WASTES TIME!  Now, regarding the last few comments ... here's what should happen:  'The tip of the whip (the stick tip) moves both up and down ... two movements resulting from just one downward whipping motion' (wisdom from the 'ancients').

Advice?

The very best advice is to consult Moeller directly (his book).  And drummers should probably choose to be slow to follow advice from those who say:

"Listen to me ... forget Moeller's book." "The book is that marching stuff and that civil war field drumming stuff"
"To be sure, you don't have to read what's in Moeller's old book ... and the pictures are really old and most of them don't make sense"

(or further ... some may even say)

"Moeller's book is too old fashioned to be useful ... everybody knows that" 
"So start with what I tell you, and don't try to do the book by yourself"

And as for the worst misconception of all ... there are those who maintain that drummers who investigate Moeller's lessons (his book) face the possibility of learning bad habits, or may even damage themselves physically, somehow.

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In reality, the 'Moeller book' is a self-teaching manual (Moeller's own words), that can only improve a drummer's technique when carefully read.  Most have not paid attention to Moeller's words, however.  And trying to depend on the book's pictures alone (without reading what Moeller says), is not enough.

Finally ... Moeller states that anyone consulting his book will be better off then those who are being taught by the 'general run' of teachers out there in the drumming world.  He also states that no one drummer knows it all !  So consult more than one source when developing yourself into a proficient player.  And ... make sure to include Moeller, along the way.

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