Open-Handed Playing, Volume 1

This book reframes hand technique not as a limitation imposed by tradition, but as a deliberate choice that expands vocabulary and flow across the drumset. Working from the proven concepts of Chapin and Cobham, Hessler and Famularo present a systematic progression that makes open-handed playing accessible without oversimplifying the work it demands, giving intermediate to advanced drummers a genuine alternative to the crossing patterns most learn first.

Working through this book feels like gaining permission to play differently while building the discipline that makes the permission worthwhile. The 118 pages balance detailed technical explanation with the practical spirit of a master class, allowing drummers to understand not just what to do but why the effort transforms their playing.

Drummers in the intermediate to advanced range who are ready to examine their technical foundation and consider how hand placement shapes their musical possibilities. This serves both jazz and fusion players exploring the vocabulary Cobham pioneered and classical percussionists interested in Moeller fundamentals.

• Start with the foundational exercises before moving to applied patterns; rushing toward musical applications undermines the physical reorientation that open-handed playing requires.
• Practice left-hand lead figures in isolation until they feel as natural as right-hand lead, then layer in the orchestration work.
• Record yourself playing through the same passage both ways (traditional crossing versus open-handed), then listen for differences in continuity and dynamic shaping.
• Apply the concepts to music you already know and love first rather than only working through the book's exercises; this cements the technique in contexts that matter to you musically.

Assign this as core study material for percussion students in jazz and contemporary music programs, or use sections as supplemental technique work for drummers in your ensemble who show readiness for advanced hand technique study. The systematic approach also works well as a self-directed summer project for students seeking individual growth between academic years.

• Open-handed coordination and independence between left and right hands
• Moeller technique application on the drumset
• Economical hand motion and reduced physical tension
• Single-stroke and double-stroke facility across all four limbs
• Transcription and transposition of patterns across different hand configurations
• Musical application of technical concepts in jazz, fusion, and contemporary settings