Holding The Drumsticks Options

[Jared Falk]

This is the *official* discussion thread for the drum lesson...

Holding The Drumsticks « click this link to view the lesson now.

Use the "Add Reply" button above to post your questions or comments.

[Tom]

Great example of how to hold drum sticks (helped me)

great work guys

[Jared Falk]

Great example of how to hold drum sticks (helped me)

great work guys

Yah Mike does a good job explaining it.

[shenron89]

Agreed, great work!

Have a simple question. I'm pretty much new to drumming and was wondering how to move the drum sticks once I hold them correctly. I think I'm doing too much wrist movement. I look at the videos and when yall drum pretty fast on the snare I hardly see any hand movement. I was wondering if yall could tell me or show me how do it without hurting my wrist. that would be pretty sweet thanks!

-Rolando

[Sabin]

Agreed, great work!

Have a simple question. I'm pretty much new to drumming and was wondering how to move the drum sticks once I hold them correctly. I think I'm doing too much wrist movement. I look at the videos and when yall drum pretty fast on the snare I hardly see any hand movement. I was wondering if yall could tell me or show me how do it without hurting my wrist. that would be pretty sweet thanks!

-Rolando

Ah yes, this was a major problem for me when I was learning to play the drums. I have lots of wrist problems, I do nothing but play drums, videogames, and guitar. I don't know how much advice I can give you. Check out the proper posture lesson, which helped my sticking greatly. You wanna keep your elbows tight to your side and it up straight and do not use your arms too much(unless your playing a show and you gotta look spiffy! ). Just keep the movement to your wrists and use the rebound when ya can. Everything just seems to fall together when you develop good grip and posture I seemed to find. Maybe Jared could elaborate a little more on this, or tell me I'm wrong. HA!

Anyways, keep at it, and make sure if you start getting sore, take a 15 min break. Don't want Carpal Tunnel too soon!

This post has been edited by Sabin: Jan 3 2008, 07:17 PM

[Jared Falk]

Agreed, great work!

Have a simple question. I'm pretty much new to drumming and was wondering how to move the drum sticks once I hold them correctly. I think I'm doing too much wrist movement. I look at the videos and when yall drum pretty fast on the snare I hardly see any hand movement. I was wondering if yall could tell me or show me how do it without hurting my wrist. that would be pretty sweet thanks!

-Rolando

Good question. When moving the sticks you want to make sure you are playing as naturally as possible. For example, your not going to turn your hands right upside down and start hitting the drums with that hand angle. Start from the rested position with your hands at your side, then bring them up so they sit naturally by your side. Then you can place the sticks in your hands. This is your natural hand angle so it should feel natural when your playing. In this position, if it does not feel natural or comfortable there may be other factors at hand.

Without actually seeing you play and knowing where the pain is coming from it is hard for me to give a focused assensment. I would rather not tell you to change something and then it get worse. If you are having pain, I always recommend you see a physician. Sometimes, it will just get worse and worse when it could've been avoided earlier.

Also, if you send me a video of your playing I would be more than happy to review it and discuss it with you. You can post it up on Youtube and then post the link in the forum. Sound good?

[Sabin]

Ya know, maybe I should do that. I figure my grip is okay but I get huge swelling on my wrist sometimes....I always figure it was from my computer though....

hhhhmmmmm.............

[shenron89]

Wow,

I can actually see the difference now. Using less wrist now. Yeah I don't want to develop anything so early into playing, nothing has happened but I just do not want anything to begin to develop heh. It also helps with drumming faster and faster. Thank You Jared and Sabin.

-Rolando

[Jared Falk]

Wow,

I can actually see the difference now. Using less wrist now. Yeah I don't want to develop anything so early into playing, nothing has happened but I just do not want anything to begin to develop heh. It also helps with drumming faster and faster. Thank You Jared and Sabin.

-Rolando

My pleasure...happy drumming man.

[Michael]

This video has helped me LOTS, when I started out playing, I had no idea how to hold the sticks, I thought you just hold it like you would hold a metal pipe(bad example), but this lesson has really taught me a lot! Thanks

[EmNBoA]

finally got to know how to hold the sticks properly.
Sometimes diffucult for me to hold it for long when playing a fast beat

[Beatbug2]

this is one of the most important lessons for any drummer. Dave weckl says that for jazz fusion to hold the stick with the middle finger. I find that it helps on rolls and grooving on the high hat

[Amarok]

I'm curious if it is okay to have the stick in the second joint of your index finger instead of the first. When I hold it in the first joint I seem to have a lot less control then when it's resting in the second.

[Dealas]

I hold it in the second joint as well. I guess that, as long as it works for you, and you're not hurting yourself or the drums, you're all set.

It's very important, though, that you always keep a proper technique.

[Chris]

Awesome tips guys, This helped me alot. I wish you guys increase the voice volume a little since i sometimes can't understand what you guys say.

[Johnathan H]

Great lesson always good to refresh.

[Bubnjar]

Can you post a video about traditional grip? I think that it is very important for every drummer to know how to play whit this grip also.
Some of the best drummers use it.

Thanks

[Dealas]

This isn't exactly, a video, but this might give you an idea of what to do:

http://www.freedrumlessons.com/drum-forums...dpost&p=651

[MindKaos]

Ok so a little background...I have been beating away on an electric kit for over a year and it was alright and i understand most of the basics however i have not been able to do a simple single roll. Not that i couldnt do it but rather i couldnt do it above 60 BPM. Well i just bought a Tama ImperialStar today and i thoguht maybe i should look into some lessons....Well due to expense i thought maybe something free...Until today i had found nothing worth looking at for free.....This site and this lesson has changed my drumming. No one ever mentioned to me that i need to let the sticks and drums do all the work. I have been working the crap out of my arms all this time just to do 60 BPM. Well after this lessons and learning the proper way to hold a stick i found out that you dont have to work out at all.....The drums and stick do every thing for you. really you just need to know time! Thank you guys so much...Honestly i almost gave up thinking i could never be fast but now i can do a great single roll and i never knew i had it in me....I will do everything i can to push your site.....

[Dealas]

Ok so a little background...I have been beating away on an electric kit for over a year and it was alright and i understand most of the basics however i have not been able to do a simple single roll. Not that i couldnt do it but rather i couldnt do it above 60 BPM. Well i just bought a Tama ImperialStar today and i thoguht maybe i should look into some lessons....Well due to expense i thought maybe something free...Until today i had found nothing worth looking at for free.....This site and this lesson has changed my drumming. No one ever mentioned to me that i need to let the sticks and drums do all the work. I have been working the crap out of my arms all this time just to do 60 BPM. Well after this lessons and learning the proper way to hold a stick i found out that you dont have to work out at all.....The drums and stick do every thing for you. really you just need to know time! Thank you guys so much...Honestly i almost gave up thinking i could never be fast but now i can do a great single roll and i never knew i had it in me....I will do everything i can to push your site.....

Man, that's awesome!

I know how it feels when you make a breakthrough in your technique, and you suddenly play so much better. It's good to have you around, and feel free to ask any questions that you might have.

Not only does improved technique make you faster, but it also makes you sound better, and strains your muscles much less.