How To Hold Drumsticks
When you play the drums, the stick should become a part of you, and not an accessory. It is important to determine the correct grip style early on so you do not end up hurting yourself in the long run. Now don’t worry if you have not been following the “correct” technique at all. It’s not the end of the world. Any way you practice will improve your skill; however, holding your stick different ways will increase your drumming productivity by offering more bounce, movement, and control. Before you start, make sure you find the fulcrum point on your sticks. This is where your sticks’ weight balances evenly and where your hands should hold the sticks. Remember, there are many ways to hold your sticks. These are just examples of the two most common ones!
Matched Grip
The most popular style is the Matched Grip. With this, both hands hold the stick the same way. Matched grip can be applied in more than just the drum kit. Timpani, mallets, and other percussion instruments use the matched grip as well. It allows for fast movement around the kit, and offers maximum control.
This grip is played with your palms facing downward. Notice how every finger tip is lightly rested on the drumstick. Make sure you do not grip the stick too tightly or you will limit its’ rebound. It is debated which finger is used to grip the stick. Some will use their thumb and index finger; others will use their thumb and middle finger. Both are fine, as long as you chose one early and stick to it!
Traditional Grip
The next grip we will look at is called the traditional grip. You may see a lot of jazz drummers using it. With this style, you hold the stick with your palms facing up, gripping the stick from underneath. It allows for quick strokes and better dynamic control (perfect for brushes and brooms). Problems with this grip are that you may find it hard to move quickly around the toms and tricky to hit the cymbals.
To achieve this grip, start by sticking your first two fingers out, with your thumb sticking straight up. Then simply place your stick between your thumb and your other fingers (Figure 1): After the stick is in place, simply close your top two fingers gently on the top of the stick. The stick should be loose in your hand, (Figure 2):
(Figure 1) (Figure 2)
The 40 Essential Drum Rudiments
Single Stroke Rudiments
Single Stroke Roll
Single Stroke Four
Single Stroke Seven
Double Stroke Rudiments
Double Stroke Roll
Five Stroke Roll
Six Stroke Roll
Seven Stroke Roll
Nine Stroke Roll
Thirteen Stroke Roll
Fifteen Stroke Roll
Diddle Rudiments
Single Paradiddle
Double Paradiddle
Flam Rudiments
Flam Stroke
Other Rudiments
Buzz Roll
Triple Roll
1. The Single Stroke Roll
The single stroke roll is very easy to learn. You simply alternate your sticking: Right, Left, Right, Left… Try to get the same sound out of both your sticks, so they sound uniform. Here’s how a single stroke roll looks like:
For some more advanced practice, try adding accents in. Practicing the single stroke roll with accents will help develop stick independence. In these next examples, you will use accents on your right, and left hand!
