[jeremyjenks]

I know that the slap technique has been discussed ad nauseam, but I could not find my exact question so here it goes. I've been playing pretty consistently for about 4 years and my technique is actually sounding better then I ever thought it would, but I'm still working on improvement. I had been doing the slap technique in pretty much the same position as the tone, but with the fingers more relaxed. Recently, almost by accident I have discovered that if I turn my wrist just a little towards the pinky side when doing the slap it sounds cleaner to my ear, sharper. I feel it in my finger tips more, and less in the palm with my index finger knuckle hitting the edge with less force than my pinky knuckle. The only reason I question myself is that the slap was initially taught to me as coming straight down into the drum, making equal contact with everything from the pad of the hand all the way to the finger tips. I know there are always different paths to achieve the same result, but also I would rather not develop bad habits that I have to correct in the long run.Thoughts? Thank you!

[davidognomo]

there are some djembefolas that do that. If I got it right you mean something like Bangaly Bangoura, Amara Touré and Abou Cobra Camara do.

Check these guys out on youtube. They're great djembefolas.

I also turn my hands a little bit towards inside. I try to counteract that. If your hands are rotating towards inside, that means your wrist is contracted. Not a good thing, I guess. I think that most of the guys that have this, I usually see them, sometimes at least, wearing wrist bands. I also had some wrist pain at a given time. Relaxation starts from the spine, with good posture.

[jeremyjenks]

Thanks for the info! I will do a search on you tube on the folks you mentioned. I do find myself turning my hands in sometimes to get a higher pitched slap, but it makes sense that could do some damage over time.

[boromir76]

It is possible that with litlle rotation of the wrist, the force of impact focuses more on the index, ring and middle finger and the result is better sound.

There are also different ways of changing the wrist position... Personally, I make slight inward rotation of wrists when playing tones, not slaps. As I have found out, this gives tone a litlle bit fuller, plump sound.

As davidognomo pointed out, it can potentially be damaging to the wrists. I also had some minor pain in my right wrist at one point, but can not say if it was from extended use of computer mouse or playing drums or even combined. Few weeks abstinence of playing, during my hollidays trip didn't help, so I am leaning more in favour of mouse usage inflicted injury..