Matched or Traditional?
Yes.
Either. Doesn't matter.
[B]As a newbie drummer who has been watching videos on youtube and seeing virtually everyone using the "matched grip" technique, I figured that was how I should proceed even tho my [Rubank/Paul Yoder book shows me to hold the sticks a different way in each hand. Old school I guess? So I am very curious how to learn the awesome riff played by Steve Gadd, "50 Ways" and I find a video on YouTube of him playing it about 40 years ago and he is using the Old fashioned style of holding the sticks. Why does everyone now use this newer matched grip method in favor of the older traditional style? How should I proceed? /B]
Enjoy the little things in life because one day you`ll look back and realize they were the big things.
-Karrie
Whatever feels comfortable to you try them both, when I started playing I had the same problem. I would watch old videos and see traditional grip drummers but my favorite drummers all played matched. I tried them both and prefer matched over traditional. Sometimes messing around I'll play traditional and other times to irritate my guitar player.
check this out for an explanation...
Also I've read why most people are right handed is because back in the day of swords and shields, soldiers were trained to hold the shield with their left hand to block the heart. Right hand sword.
Steve gadd played "50 ways" he came out of the drum corps marching playing (traditional grip).
Playing matched or traditional grip has different sensitivities in feel when playing, that comes down to comfort and the ability to control sticks. I play both ways and gives me two different types of feel, which means I sound different when I play depending on grip. Gene Krupa said the music will always determine the grip.
This video I play matched grip https://youtu.be/XraxjL0EUOU
This video I play traditional grip https://youtu.be/1pdzmfPYzRk
Last edited by Jackie; 04-02-2016 at 06:09 AM.
I prefer Traditional but I used what I needed at the time.
In music school, the instructors suggested we use whatever grip we prefer.
However, since we all had to study the mallet keyboards and tympani in addition to drum-set, almost every student-player would always use matched grip.
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i like both.
if its light and slow i like tradtional
if its more complicated and loud i like matched.
I would learn matched first then try traditional
Technique doesn't mean **** if you can't blast beat and spin sticks - Steve Gadd
I am extremely weak with Traditional grip................. a simple backbeat with simple fills is it..............anything more, and I am lost.
I've played match grip since I started and never really learned traditional properly.
I practice with the three main grips: Traditional, Matched German, and Matched French. I put most of my practice time in for Traditional and all of my playing is Traditional unless it must be Matched (like a groove that moves between rim clicks and toms hits, for example, which is impossible to do Traditional with any comfort or efficiency).
The only way for you to know what works best for you, is try it all, and to keep trying it all. As you develop, your preferences may change. I started out as a Matched Grip player and slowly evolved to Traditional as I realized it worked better for me.
Also, having given a good amount of time to these three grips, I can tell you that Traditional is harder to nail, especially when it comes to moving around the kit. It's no coincidence that as Matched Grip got more popular, the amount of Toms on the average kits stated to increase as well (because suddenly it was easier to get around them).
I play both ways but matchstick grip is my mostly used technique.
I'm a traditionalist - I don't like the DH in baseball, the Washington Redskins should stay the Redskins and I think the Olympics were better before the pros were allowed in. BUT, I can't play traditional grip. It's all matched grip all the time for me.
Trad mostly always, matched for heavier playing, trad for brushes always.
all the best...
I use both interchangeably. I can definitely play faster and lighter with left hand traditional but I can't move around the kit nearly as well as matched. I've always played heavy French with the right hand though.
There is so much good advice here. Thanks to everyone. Have to say though that the more I learn about the world of drumming the more I realise that I need to learn! French grip, german grip, american, traditional. Just learned a new rudiment today, ratamcues... As Charlie Brown would say, "Good grief"
Enjoy the little things in life because one day you`ll look back and realize they were the big things.
-Karrie
That was coined by Dom Famularo, I believe, and is really just a German Grip with a slightly different angle (although I could be wrong about that, not 100% sure). If my understanding is correct, for my brain, that's not different enough to warrant its own label. There are also versions of what some people call French Grip that are really just German Grip with thumbs pointing up. That's not what I call French Grip, and not different enough to be called anything but a variation of German Grip (for my brain). What I call French Grip is all fingers, the stick does not touch the palm of the hand.
You'll never reach the end. As long as you live, there will be more to learn! Enjoy the journey!
For me it depends on how complex the snare play should be: more= traditional; less= matched. But lots of hard cymbal hits= matched. Moving around the kit not a problem either way for me.
I'm still working on training my left to not"slice" my doubles and paradiddles. The same, slice movement does well with trad, tho, so it's a work in progress, for sure.
I suppose if you're young and have no developed, left hand use, either way, go with
matched. It should be easier, but never looks as cool.
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I use the matched grip most of the time but will revert to the traditional grip for a different type of dynamics such as a jazz music or some slow blues. As a righty, I play traditional grip like a lefty.
I'm surprised at how many Traditional Grip players there are here. Is that unique to this site, or are there more out there than it seems?
Been working on 50 Ways and for that I am using tradtional grip, only way to go really imho, but I like to play to pop radio and for that I am using matched American/German/French hybrid grip depending on what the drummers are doing. I am working very hard to learn and at this point still experimenting with what works for me and my hands.
Enjoy the little things in life because one day you`ll look back and realize they were the big things.
-Karrie
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