This really sucks, that is, having to break my rule about drummer birthdays rather than deaths, but I had to do it this time. Jim Chapin was on my list, and I was going to do a diary about him on July 23, his birthday, but sadly, he passed away yesterday just shy of his 90th birthday.
Unless you are a drummer, you probably never heard of Jim, but you may have heard of his son, Harry:
Note the resemblance to this old picture of Jim from the 1950s:
Maybe it's fitting that someone who taught "coordinated independence" would pass away on Independence Day.
Jim Chapin was a drummer, but he was more a teacher. I have only limited personal knowledge of Jim Chapin, but I'd say my experience is typical. I met him at a NAMM Show (a music retailing trade show) many years ago. Such shows are like any trade show, except for the unrelenting NOISE, especially near the drum booths.
Jim was sitting at one of those booths among the expensive drumkits tapping away at a practice pad. Oddly enough, there was more interest in this unassuming old guy with a worn practice pad than in the latest in snare drums or lacquer finishes. People paid close attention as he demonstrated the Moeller technique for improving control and speed. It was "down, tap, up, down, tap, up" over and over again, and the small audience couldn't get enough of it.
After a while, the crowd thinned out. I talked to him for awhile, and asked about lessons; I was recovering from a serious injury to my hand (I'd cut off a part of my left thumb) and I was concerned I might not be able to play again at all. To my pleasant surprise, I found out that he charged only a quarter for an hour (that's $25 in "hep kat" lingo). There was a problem though: he lived in New York, and we were in Anaheim, California. He mentioned that he'd be in CA for a little while after the show, and we could probably do some lessons in his hotel. I didn't hesitate to accept that offer.
At my lessons, I was gratified to know that I had been given good basic training by the teachers I'd had many years before (although not specifically in Moeller technique) and that I had not developed any seriously bad habits in the meantime. However, I was still in a serious technique deficit.
As a quick aside, here are some quick definitions about gripping the drumstick.
No matter the variety the grip, the basic technique for holding a drumstick is to hold it loose in the hand, with the main gripping being done at just one point between the thumb and index finger, forming a fulcrum. The rest of the fingers keep the stick going where you want it, and not flying out of your hand.
Traditional grip refers to a method of holding one drum stick between the crotch of the thumb and index finger and the other like (but not the same as) a hammer. It was developed so that drummers could play a marching drum that rested on one leg and tilted to one side. The stick is able to swing in an arc over the edge of the drum without hitting the rim. A right handed drummer will typically use this grip in his or her left hand.
Modern rock drummers typically play matched grip, where the stick is held the same way in each hand, sort of like the hammer grip described above. Two major variations have developed in this style of grip.
In French grip the thumb is on top of the stick and the index finger curled below. It allows for a great deal of fine control, but tends to be better for soft playing. I take no position as to whether French grip may have other uses beyond drumming.
In German grip, the thumb and index finger are on each side of the stick. It tends to work better for loud playing, but may sacrifice a little control.
American drummers have been said to have developed an American grip, which is sort of halfway between French and German grip.
I was amazed at how quickly Jim was able to see some things I was doing that weren't helping me develop the grip in my weakened left hand. I had settled in to a decidedly French grip (which was not really natural for me), simply because it hurt less. Jim got me to move back toward the German Grip, where the thumb is level with the index finger. It was very hard at first, because I didn't have any pad left on my thumb, and I dropped the stick a lot. He told me not to worry about it, because as I built up a callus, I'd be able to control it.
He was right. It took a while, but I finally figured out that I could still play matched grip with power. Soon afterwards, I was confident enough to play out again.
I'll never forget those lessons, because they not only helped me improve my drumming, but also improve my outlook on life. I had thought I'd never play again, and that made me felt like life was over for me. In spite of what must have been a devasting loss of his son, Jim exuded such a positive attitude that I could see that there was no reason to think I couldn't keep going.
And, any time when I feel as if I need a little bit of humility, I will take out this book and discover again just how much more practice I could use:
Everyone who studied with him had a good story to tell. This one really says a lot more than I can:
Billy Ward's Thoughts on Jim Chapin
So today, in spite of the sadness I feel, I want to take a moment to say thanks to Jim Chapin for helping me and countless other students. Here is a short segment from a Jim Chapin video. Any aspiring drummer will get a lifetime of knowledge in just three minutes.