My idea on proper way to hold a stick

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10-12-2006, 10:47 AM
LucidDrummer212

My idea on proper way to hold a stick

This is going to be the basic main idea that you want to have- so I will problably make more references to Snare drumming not so much as set.

1. you need to be mellow- quit grippin your stick like your going to lose it -if your that worried by a stick band that goes around the back of the stick and around your wrist
- If you are doing 8th notes in FF form- when you bring your stick back up from a hit i should be able to knock thes stick out of your hand by putting my stick in the middle of your return- you need to be very tender to the sticks

2. use the natural form of your hand to hold the stick..if you lay your hand in a 100% relaxed position you will notice that your hand bends slightly - so your stick should be on the crease of your hand thats closest to your fingernail not the middle of your finger- i see alot of people make this mistake

3. theres alot of hubub about the "swedish" stick position "military" position the "German" position...dude...your a drummer..hold the stick at the position that it feels comforable--not too high and not too low

4. be mellow when you play- practice alot to get comfortable with what you are playing so that you sound better

last but not least... 5. use even sticks- if you tap 1 stick (with your fingernail) and then tap another they should both sound VERY CLOSE to identical if not identical- this comes out in the sound of your drumming...I would sugest Vic Firth...ive had alot of luck with them

Hope this helped
feel free to critisize (technique or ...Speeling..)

Good Luck!
10-12-2006, 04:57 PM
drummer

And be sure you're tongue is hanging to the left. :icon_mrgreen:
10-12-2006, 05:14 PM
amputechture

i find its best to hold the stick between the fulcrum of your index finger and the fingertip of ur thumb (or the thumbpad if u will) it gives good looseness to ur grip as lucid mentioned and it gives u good flexibility for the stick to move.
10-12-2006, 08:04 PM
LucidDrummer212

Quote:

Originally Posted by amputechture

i find its best to hold the stick between the fulcrum of your index finger and the fingertip of ur thumb (or the thumbpad if u will) it gives good looseness to ur grip as lucid mentioned and it gives u good flexibility for the stick to move.

righto chap... Just make sure you arent doing a "fake hit" where your rist doesnt go all the way up and down and your stick does

(btw..idk where that righto chap thing came from i just felt like saying it)
10-19-2006, 12:41 AM
MeditativeDrumming

I believe finding the point on the the stick where it offers the most rebound is important. That way you do less "work". The way you hold the stick is important because it affects the way you sound...
10-19-2006, 08:58 AM
LucidDrummer212

well..yes thats very true..but just be more concerned about how it sounds first then how u can perfect it with technique so its easier on your hands

if you had perfect technique you could play 15 gigs in 3 nights without your hands starting to hurt
11-22-2006, 09:01 PM
bongobro

My idea on proper way to hold the stick

Hey, lucid, were you watching a British movie, mate? :icon_lol:

Your suggestions were absolutely smashing!

The only grips I've heard of are the "traditional" and "matched" grips, but one of my drumming buddies used to hold his sticks between his middle and ring fingers; he said it was more comfortable, but it looked weird...

I agree on the "mellow" part when holding your sticks, no matter how you do it...if you lock your hands into a death grip on the sticks, you end up chokin' them (so they can't move freely) and it sounds stiff and mechanical...