Hello, I’ve been using the 8x8 pad technique where you use your thumbs for kick drum. I’ve been playing a lot and I notice that I’m getting pain in the last joint of my thumb. Has anyone else delt with this? Is it just that my technique is bad or maybe should I be taping up my thumbs? I increased the sensitivity so I don’t have to hit as hard but it’s taking a while for the pain the subside.
I Also use my thumbs on the kick drum on a 4x4 controller and the Yamaha FGDP. So this is not necessarily an 8x8 technique. However, when you experience pain the only right thing to do is to stop playing and letting a hand therapist look at the injury.
You might have to play less and take more rest during the week. For example, when I played 4 hours a day for 1 week without any rest days I injured my hand in two places.
I usually keep my playing under 1 hour a day and I have at least one day a week where I don’t play at all.
I also do fitness (cardio and weight lifting) to keep the rest of my body strong, that also seems to make me more resilient and less injury prone.
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All the tips I can give you on preventing injury can also be found in the free beginner course by the way. >> This lesson
Awesome, thank you Robert
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i have to admit having same problems withr thumbs pain in root joints caused of diffrent reasons but main having problems of kind of rheumatic things
to avoid i make one two days free of drumming and remember and comming back to play more soft with thumbs then
also make some warmups and easy light stretch tasks with hands and fingers like you would do also before doing gyms
What is very important is also to understand that you can play easylie with alot force with all fingers but not that hard with thumbs (cause of ergonomic reason)
A solution there is to raise the sensitivity on Bassdrum more then the rest drumkit and learn to play with thumbs with less force then that will help alot
another trick would be if thumbpain happens and we dont want to stop playing
to try to not use the thumbs anymore and change the fingerdrumming to play with index finger left right abit and try to succeed with reduced but still rhythmic groove twofinger system what also trains independence as i feel 
Yes it depends where the rheumatic joints are located how to switch up the technique. I’ve also had students who had this problem in one of their index fingers for example.
The solution in that case is always personal and custom. The one thing you can always train is proper timing and placements of notes.
And if you can at least use both hands you can also train rudiments and independence.
All of that combined will produce some killer beats.