Rhythm Knowledge Resolves ticks after brain surgery

Here’s an email sent to me to be used for document to raise my Berklee College of Music professorship rank. This student applied techniques from Rhythm Knowledge, Volume One, to his brain’s signal sending process to his foot.

Here’s his unedited email:

“Long story short, I had brain surgery ten years ago that left me with a disability in my wrists and ankles.  An uncontrollable “tick” where in the middle of playing a groove or practicing a rudiment, my wrists will stretch out, stopping me from non-stop completing a beat.  After the surgery, neurosurgeons told me that wearing a back brace, and staying away from sports, might be able to help my wrists stay calm and not “spasm”.  Needless to say, while my drumming ability is decent, it could be a hundred times better if the ticks would just go away.

            Just recently I’ve noticed a decline in these problems in all of my limbs.  Is this luck?  No.  Mike Mangini recently introduced me to the ideas of straightening your back as you play, the concept of using your eyes, and actually WATCHING what you play.  Watching and really thinking about what everything (legs, arms, head, left hand sticking, velocity of using your sticks, etc) feels like as you play.  And in my case, visualizing myself playing each groove without the “ticks” happening.  After a grand total of SEVEN DAYS, I’ve noticed a significant decrease in “ticks” that occur during my playing.  This all from sitting up straight, and consciously thinking about my mind and body as I practice.  This is a model that I believe goes far beyond drumming, something that can be addressed in every aspect of life.

Rick A. 9/23/04”