Relax. Don't use any more muscles than necessary. Maintain a strong fulcrum. Hands, when not playing, should be at rest in the set position in order to look confident and professional. Chops are the key to playing great – burning muscle pain is your friend. When playing a marching bass drum, play in the center of the head. Have the mallet striking at a right angle (check this by practicing in a mirror). The mallet must always contact the head with its full velocity, especially when playing low.  Play through the drum; when playing an orchestral bass drum, strike a bit off center––this will produce fuller overtones. Be able to play the whole part with proper mallet heights before attempting to split it up with the bassline. Make sure it is always hitting the drum in the center of the head, this may be harder if you have a smaller drum.  This will get a fuller sound. If you have rolls, make sure your pinkies don't fly out! Practice with a metronome or electronically quantized music.  Know where the downbeats are and be able to count all of the rhythms while marking time with your feet. When playing splits, always stay with the full ensemble, don't adjust your timing to a previous error within the bassline. Play aggressively. Take one step at a time (especially with tempos). However, get to know the whole part and not just yours. Knowing how the split flows will help you with your own part. Once you rehearse with the drumline, you will see how your parts fit in with the snares and tenors. This will help with cues and timing. Get your charts. When you set them up, make sure you know where your music starts and stops and how it fits in with the charts. Make sure your spacing in the bassline is even, as this will be very noticeable. Make sure the drumline's  arcs and lines are smooth (because you are probably on the end and you can tell if it is smooth, more than the snares). Playing split sextuplets can look really hard but just know where you come in and it should be fine. Also, don't crush them down. They should sound smooth and not choppy. The same rules apply to 32nd note splits, if they are at fast tempos they probably won’t sound choppy. Just make sure you are hitting all four notes and not just three. If you are used to playing sextuplet runs and then you have a 16th note run, make the switch in your head and play them smooth and even.

Summary: Get the correct posture: Play the bass drum. Hit the drum correctly. Get the rhythm right. Don't practice "above your head". Memorize your music. Practice with the bassline to get your parts solid before going into a rehearsal with the rest of the drumline. On the practice field: Playing long splits:


A baseball pass is used if you want to throw the basketball far down the court to an open teammate. Take the basketball in on hand and bring it slightly behind your head, above your shoulder. Step with your non-dominant foot and throw with your dominant hand, much like you would with a baseball.  Baseball passes can easily be knocked out of your hand because you do not have full control over the ball. Only use a baseball pass if you really need your basketball to go the extra distance. One of the drawbacks from a traditional overhead or chest pass is that you need to set up for the passes which gives the defender a clue on what you are doing. Dribble passes are ones that are made by transitioning from dribbling right into a pass without setting up for a chest or overhead pass. As your ball comes up when you are dribbling, instead of holding it and setting up, push the ball toward your teammate as it is coming up from the ground.  You do not have much control with this pass, so make sure to practice it before trying it in a game. Step forward and follow through just as you would with any other pass. The foot you are stepping forward with should be on the same side of your body as the hand you're throwing the pass with. A behind-the-back pass is thrown by gripping the ball in one hand and wrapping your arm around your back. This is one of the most difficult passes to throw, and should only be used if you practice it enough. Square your hips as you normally would with one leg forward. Using the arm on the same side, bring the ball behind your back and snap your wrist so the pass gets distance.  Don't look at the teammate you plan on passing it to or else you will give yourself away, and the defender may know your attempting to throw a behind-the-back pass.  This is a pass that's used if there's a defender that is right in your face. It is harder to control the accuracy of this pass since it's being performed behind your back, so you may turn the ball over.

Summary: Throw an overhead pass with one hand for a baseball pass. Throw a pass as the ball comes up from a dribble for a dribble pass. Toss the ball from behind your back for a behind-the-back pass.


Retinoids are a form of vitamin A which will reduce the amount of hypertrophy to your sebaceous glands. You can find over-the-counter acne preparations with lower doses of retinoids than you'll get from a prescription.  However, many people respond to the over-the-counter strength products well and do not need prescriptions. Ask your doctor if you need a prescription or if over the counter is a better option for you. Women with bad acne have the option to use oral contraceptives to control their hormonal levels. This also has the advantage helping to balance other secondary effects of the hormones, such as irritability and water weight gain.  You need a prescription to get contraceptives that affect your hormones. Don't use oral contraceptives if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Accutane is an anti-acne medication for treatment of severe acne and requires a prescription. If you have sebaceous gland hypertrophy or severe acne, ask your doctor if Accutane is right for you.  You will need to have your blood monitored every month while taking the medication and may experience side effects for several months after using it. Do not use Accutane unless you fully understand the risks of the medication. Accutane can have long-term effects on your health and wellness. You cannot take Accutane if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Phototherapy is a treatment option you can perform at home by purchasing special equipment, or you can choose to ask your dermatologist.  Research supports this treatment, which is simple and easy to perform. Technically, exposure to sunlight is phototherapy. However, in climates where the sun doesn't shine enough hours or you can't get outside when the sun is out, you can purchase a phototherapy unit. Use the unit to treat your acne as directed and using the safety precautions listed on the unit. Possible side effects from using these units include skin that becomes red, peels or changes skin tone.  Your doctor may also perform photodynamic therapy in the office. This involves applying a medication to the skin, which is then activated by a special light. This is more effective than a light treatment alone. Oral and topical antibiotics may be used to treat acne, especially when reinfection is a concern. Topical antibiotics can be used long-term, usually along with benzoyl peroxide or retinoids. Oral antibiotics are usually used short-term to get a bad breakout under control. Antibiotics are especially useful for inflammatory acne, which is acne with a lot of red bumps, pimples, or cysts.
Summary: Consider prescription retinoids. Consider oral contraceptives. Ask about Accutane. Ask about phototherapy. Talk to your doctor about antibiotics.