Stick Grip Techniques

[Kansmacker]

Pardon this Thread from a new guy (but old drummer) if it has been exhausted already, but here goes.

I have always played "traditional" style and find it easier to maintain speed, flams and snare control. I was trained by Charles Perry and he was very strict about how to hold the sticks.

It seems almost all younger drummers now play "matched" style.

Looking for feedback on this one.

Kansmacker

[Northern Redneck]

Whatever you feel comfy with is the best grip.

[PearlDrummer18]

I agree with N.Redneck. Whatever works best for you is what you need to do. I play matched grip but i have tried traditional and i just can't seem to get it. I practiced it for a while and finally just gave up and stayed with matched.

[drummer]

A lot of older teachers were very opinionated about "their" type of grip. I believe it is much more common nowadays for teachers to give students the option.

Welcome to Drum Chat Kan!

[pastor_bob]

Welcome to Drum Chat Kan!

Traditional grip came about to accomodate the tilted position of the marching drum. On a set, the matched grip is equally effective, so it really is a matter taste.

[nio]

When I started, I played in junior high concert band. We were taught the matched grip...I guess it was more versatile as we moved from snare to mallets (marimba/timpany). So, this is the grip that I kept as I moved into the trap set. Also, since I grew up in the 70s and 80s, Rock was my major influence, so there you go...matched grip.

However, as most right-handed drummers, my left is not as flexible (or coordinated) as my right. So, I often wonder how I would have done if I had learned to play with traditional grip. Would my left hand been able to compensate better? Hmmm...

[livewire80]

I have been playing around with traditional and has been coming along nicely. I also find that when switching back to matched, my left hand feels very comfortable.

[gonefishin]

I was taught to play traditional ( over 30 years ago ) and find myself playing matched more and more .

My son is in the Jr HS band and his teacher ( a few years ago ) told him to play matched . When I questioned why matched it was explained to me that it is easier for the kids to learn.

[topdog63]

The next question would be what kind of matched grip do you all prefer. German, American or French?

[Catfish]

The next question would be what kind of matched grip do you all prefer. German, American or French?

German.

[DLDante]

The next question would be what kind of matched grip do you all prefer. German, American or French?

Maybe I'm weird, but I use a mix of all three. Hitting the snare I'm usually in German grip with that hand while the hi-hat hand tends to want to be in American grip. When I cross over to hit my ride, my hand goes French grip. The only time I find myself truly having a matched grip is when I'm playing both hands on snare (German) or travelling around the kit with both hands (American).

I suck at traditional.

[Ruz4life]

Maybe I'm weird, but I use a mix of all three. Hitting the snare I'm usually in German grip with that hand while the hi-hat hand tends to want to be in American grip. When I cross over to hit my ride, my hand goes French grip. The only time I find myself truly having a matched grip is when I'm playing both hands on snare (German) or travelling around the kit with both hands (American).

I suck at traditional.

I don't think you need to get caught up and worried so much about the names of these individual techniques and you may be looking into it to much. If it is comfortable for you and you are progressing in your playing and fulfilling your own musical desires then I think you are fine with whatever method you use to achieve that. Just like bass drum playing, everyone uses different techniques and probably mixes them up too but as long as you are getting the job done.

[topdog63]

Yeah theres definately a transition between all 3 matched grips depending on what your playing, I have more speed with french grip but less control than I do with german or american grip. I'm trying to get speed and control with the german grip and its tough because double strokes with the german grip are less of a tap bounce and more of a tap tap or tap squeeze, if that makes sense.

[xweasel]

I use matched. Why? Because it's comfortable.

[Tin Toad]

there is only one grip .. its the one all drummer should use(except for one that I know of) there is one stick .. it goes in your right hand .. there is another stick .. it goes in your left...

realy traditional seems to be for snare work with a marching style. matched from what I see and now I guess practice works a little better for most people on a trap-kit(see im still using it)

[Greenmonster206]

I could never get a good cymbal hit or hi-hat hits with traditional grip. I used to play that way but now its matched grip for me. Go with what is comfortable for you. There is no right or wrong answers.

[Exotic Matter]

My left hand feels most natural using traditional grip when playing on a practice pad or doing rudiments but I can't move it around a kit very well. I mostly use matched grip on a drum set. My matched grip tends to be very French biased. What is American grip? I've never heard of that before.

[DLDante]

What is American grip? I've never heard of that before.

American grip is halfway between French and German. So with German grip your palms are facing downward, with French grip your palms are facing inward, and with American your palms are kind of angled in between the two.

[Exotic Matter]

I play matched this way. Pretend you are shaking someones hand, now close the hand and put a drum stick in there. The thumb is pretty much facing straight up towards you. Would that be considered American, or french? I always thought of that as French.

[DLDante]

I play matched this way. Pretend you are shaking someones hand, now close the hand and put a drum stick in there. The thumb is pretty much facing straight up towards you. Would that be considered American, or french? I always thought of that as French.

That would be considered a French grip. American grip would have the thumb slightly angled toward you, but not all the way to the side (that'd be German).

Now, one thing about French grip is that to use it properly you're really supposed to play with mostly your fingers and not so much your wrists. So basically your thumb and index finger keep a loose grip on the stick while the other fingers push the butt of the stick, creating a see-saw motion and bringing down the tip of the stick. Then the rebound of the drum head pushes the stick back up. Does that make sense?

If you're using French grip but holding the stick stiff and making all the motion with your wrists then you may be putting yourself at serious risk for tendonitis further down the road.

[Exotic Matter]

I use the three different finger techniques for french. I play way out on the outer edge of my index fingers when playing light, fast jazz. Then there is the middle finger technique for normal playing. Your index finger shouldn't even be touching the stick. Then there is the back finger technique for heavy playing. You just use your two back fingers and get a ton of power without using any more force then you would playing lightly. I also use drop strokes for power, speed, and feel. My drum teacher when I was younger was a huge technique jazz drummer. I thought it was kinda of taxing at the time but I use it all the time in my playing and works very well.

[Russ]

if i try to do traditional i wont be able to move my left hand much like if i use matched, although left hand can do faster rolls independently of the right hand