You point out the real problem with learning one approach or grip and just playing a snare or pad. All the drums have different head tension and less rebound than the snare and their positions make them not as easy to reach as the snare is. So grip changes slightly around the kit until, in some cases, depending on your pref., you reach the FT and need to use your wrists and arms instead of just fingers and wrist to get up to speed. This is why many drummers tune the toms' heads really tight and then wonder why they sound so crappy! Some drummers even switch to a "tympani playing grip" when playing the FT.
I'm just guessing here but many parade/ marching band drummers have an adjustment when playing a kit for the first time, having come off those Kevlar snare heads.
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