The Weaker Side [Paperback]

Famularo (Author), Chamberland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 19, 2007

Written by renowned drummers/clinicians Dom Famularo and Stephane Chamberland, The Weaker Side is the first step to achieving balance between all limbs. By focusing on the lesser-used side of your body, the exercises in this book will help you achieve a fluid, relaxed, consistent and balanced sound.

Product Details

• Paperback: 52 pages
• Publisher: Alfred Publishing (December 19, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739051105
• ISBN-13: 978-0739051108
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #288,144 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's like a cardio workout for your hands and feet!, January 2, 2009

By 

Steven (Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Weaker Side (Paperback)

Are you looking to develop your weak side as efficiently as possible? If so then don't look any further, this book is absolutely perfect for that purpose. This book is like a cardio workout for your hands/feet that focuses primarily on your weak side.

For the most part this book is quite simple. its not until you get towards the end when you start seeing more technical exercises that have complex broken 16th notes and flams. You don't have to worry about accents or anything like that - this book is pure "go go go!" with triplets and 16th notes that are heavily focused on your weak side (your natural side is exercised too). The exercises seem simple at first - and really a lot of them are - its the workout plan is where you really get your moneys worth.

I really love the way this book is laid out. There is a clear-cut ideal workout plan. There are 52 pages of exercises. Each page has 30 exercises where each exercise is a little different from the last. Grab a clock (with a second hand) and practice each exercise for one full minute and then immediately move on to the next exercise. This gives you a 30 minute workout. Just practice each page for a week before moving on and you have one full year of exercises that will definitely strengthen your weaker side.

Dom considers this book to be a natural follow-up book to Stones infamous book Stick Control. Dom even recommends you complete Stick Control before moving on to this book. Although that's probably the ideal way to approach this book, I believe you can still benefit just as much even if you haven't worked with Stick Control in the past. However, I highly recommend you develop a good stroke before taking this book on. Go to an instructor and make sure you have a good working free-stroke. The reason I say this is because this book works you so hard that if you have poor technique then it will only further solidify that poor technique and make it that much harder to unlearn in the future. If you approach this book with a good solid free-stroke technique - even if you're slow at it (for now), then this book will definitely work its magic.

You may be wondering if this book is like Stick Control because as I mentioned earlier Dom considers it to be a good follow-up book. Well, its really not. Stick Control works each side evenly whereas this book focuses much more on your weak side. Stick Control has much more technical exercises with complex rolls, odd meters and the like. This book is all in a 4/4 meter and for the most part there aren't many complex exercises, it does become more difficult towards the end when you start doing flams and complex broken triplets and 16th notes, but a majority of this book is pretty simple technically, its the workout that makes this book a challenge. This book has a more clear-cut exercise plan for a whole year and Stick Control is a little more open to interpretation (Stone recommends practicing each exercise 20 times, but who does that? Most drummers practice Stick Control many different ways) I don't recommend one book over the other, you should use both of these books, even if you're working with both books in parallel.

Just get this book, it will work wonders on your weak side. Find a way to work this into your practice schedule. I like to do 30 minutes on my hands and 15 minutes on my feet (30 seconds per exercise). Work with this book every single day and you will be amazed at how far your weak side progresses. Many thanks goes out to Dom for this simple, low-cost and highly effective workout book!

5.0 out of 5 stars Less than 5 days and already seeing results!, August 14, 2011

By 

AP (BK, New York) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Weaker Side (Paperback)

There's a reason why this book won an award at the 2009 NAMM Awards.. it delivers! Just follow the instructions as clearly as they are written out and you'll be on your way to cleaner and more even sounding execution on the drums. Be patient though.. spend A WEEK on each page as recommended by the authors, there's no rush. Also, play the exercises at a medium slow tempo (70-80 bpm is good), play using YOUR WRISTS ONLY and try playing the exercise NON STOP FOR 30 MINUTES, spending a minute on each exercise. I can guarantee that you will see results if you include this book in your daily practice routine!

4.0 out of 5 stars The Weaker Side, April 17, 2010

By 

Woodshed 80 (Albuquerque, New Mexico United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Weaker Side (Paperback)

Basically revolves around 52 pages which are supposed to be practiced one page per week. The exercises are written out much like Stone's Stick Control, and should be played at all tempos. Also the key here is to watch your technique and repeat the exercises for the duration of time suggested.