Every picture tells a story worth a thousand words. This is a picture of Jim Chapin at the Hospital giving me the lesson that was scheduled for Wednesday at his son David’s house. David called me on Tuesday night to tell me that Jim was in the hospital and still wanted to give me the lesson at the hospital. The nurse was floored, “you were serious about giving a lesson” as David, Jim, David’s daughters, and myself went off to a visiting room for my lesson.We, the world, present, past and future drummers owe so much to Jim Chapin for what he has given us.
TO All Modern Drummer Readers and drummers worldwide, Jim’s playing and performance at Kosa 2004 in Vermont at the age 85 speaks volumes of the Moeller technique that he has been teaching globally and this picture of my lesson at the hospital illustrates his devotion and dedication to drumming. Jim’s introduction at Kosa as the father of drumming was well deserved.
I have had several lessons from Jim in Seattle within the last five years. During my lesson on Tuesday, it appeared that Jim was playing things better with less effort than my previous encounters with Jim in Seattle. Jim’s playing has been evolving; hence I find it proper to classify his passion and playing technique as Chapinism.
Drummers, Readers and country people lend me your eyes; this picture is really a testament of what Jim has been teaching and sharing with drummers worldwide: “If they say no pain no gain, shoot them”, look at the IV needle plug in his arm.
The message is clear; Jim’s technique has allowed him to play to 85 years old with no pain even with a needle in his forearm. When I say play, I mean playing just like he did or better than on his video (which every drummer should own a copy of).
The word video leads me to the second part of my Long Island Double Play (Lessons with Jim and Dom Famularo). Just like Jim, Dom teaches technique to provide speed, power, and endurance (the facilities to be musical) with out the tension that leads to pain and injury. Dom as a student of Joe Morello and Jim Chapin teaches the Free Stroke and Moeller technique in his book “It’s your move” (Another book that drummers should own).
My lessons with Dom were a tune up to my previous visit in February. In this picture, Dom just as Jim did was tweaking or fine-tuning my technique. Dom pointed out that my left wrist had a slight bend that would produce tension and limit efficient playing.
Both Jim and Dom are ergonomic doctors. Dom in some ways looks like Groucho Marx, and I could not resist calling him Dr. Quakenbush. Having witnessed Dom’s humorous interaction during a class at Kosa, he probably will not mind the slight photo modifications made by my son as shown below. After all, he called two guys geeks, grilled them on what a geek was, and then told the class that geek use to be a person in the circus that would bite off a live chicken’s head.
Dom’s diagnosis led to a reassessment of items contributing to this wrist bend. My job requires significant keyboard entry use of my left hand in various Autocad Software operations. Dom recommended that I try the Microsoft ergonomic keyboard. Additionally while driving back to the Hotel from Dom’s house and playing on the steering wheel I observed the same improper left wrist bend.
The Bottom line is simple, modern drummers need good technique more than ever to have the facilities to play the many diverse styles of music and to survive physically.
As part of the drumming community, I would like to express my thanks to Jim Chapin, Dom Famularo, and all of the other great drum masters that are always willing to share their knowledge, wisdom, and of course, their stories.
Oh yea, returning full circle to the word video. I hope someone produces a new video to document Jim’s present playing and other items that he did not cover in his first video. My candidate for a new video title would be “If they say no pain no gain, shoot them.”
Dave Riecken ©
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