Tap your thumbs very, very lightly on your upper leg, or other soft surface, such as a small pillow, to assimilate the playing of your snare drum head.
This technique is accomplished by rotating your right-wrist in a counter-clockwise motion, and your left-wrist in a clockwise motion.
Do not tap too hard with your thumbs, and be sure that your fore-arms and wrists remain loose. A tense and stressed fore-arm and wrist will not allow you to play your drums properly.
Tap very lightly with accurate snaps, in exact meter and time, increasing in speed increments from a very slow rhythm, to a very precise rapid tempo; then gradually slowing your tempo once again to a very slow meter.
This exercise may be used with all rudiments, rolls, and your own particular chops, to loosen up prior to performance when a practice room is unavailable.
You may try this "Air Snare" exercise seated, using your right upper leg for the snare drum head.
You may assimilate the playing of a standard three piece trap set of drums by adding the tapping of your right and left toes; to assimilate bass drum and high hat cymbal; as directed below.
4/4 (four beat) Music: You may add the tapping of your right toe to assimilate the playing of the bass drum on counts, beat one (1) and beat three (3).
To the tapping of your right toe, you may add the tapping of your left toe, to assimilate the playing of the high hat cymbal; by tapping your left toe on counts, beat two (2) and beat four (4).
© Daniel L. Chesnut Sr. 2005