Drum Physics, Pt. 2: A Primer on the Two Grip-Styles

Besides the nature of the sticks, there is also the question of how to hold them. There are a few aspects to this I want to cover. This includes the type of grip, suppleness, posture and energy. The main principle, the thing to aim at, is this: reduce friction as much as possible. When we reduce friction, we increase speed, energy, precision and stamina. The reduction of friction is an idea I will return to again and again. First though, a basic primer on the two grip-styles.

When I first started out playing on my dad's kit as a four-year-old I gave no thought to how to hold the sticks. My natural choice was to hold them in matched-grip style; one hand mirroring the other. I still use this style, as I am very comfortable with it, and alternate between it and the classic traditional-grip. I have found that both styles have their own unique sets of advantages. Here are some general distinctions between the different styles.

Matched-grip is the most natural way to hold the sticks. It is the most common among drummers of all kinds. People don't need to be taught this approach; we tend toward bilateral symmetry from an early age. Within this style there are a few variations. Traditionally the two main approaches have been called the German and the French grip. The former is a palms' down, all finger grip that employs the flexion and extension movement of the wrist. The latter is a palms-facing lateral approach and uses the ulnar and radial deviation movement of the wrist. In the French grip the fingers are the primary drivers as the ulnar-radial deviation of the wrist is much more limited than the flexion-extension movements of the German grip.

The traditional-grip style introduces asymmetry into the mix. One hand, usually the left, grips the stick in palm-up fashion, and the pronation and supination movement of the wrist and forearm are employed when striking the surface of the drum or cymbal. The stick rests in the fleshy webbing between the thumb and index finger. The index and middle finger rest on top of the stick, while the ring and pinky are bent inward to the palm. This grip was introduced as a way of striking a drum hanging at the waist of a military or marching drummer. The slope of the drum away from the soldier required it. When the drum kit was created, early drummers still angled their snares away from their bodies, creating a parallelism between the shaft of the stick and the surface of the drum. Some players still do this.

What I find with the traditional-grip is that I am far more conscious when using it, perhaps because of my being less familiar with the dynamics it provides and creates. But the necessity of two very different motor skills and technical movements requires a level of calmness and relaxation that matched-grip does not. Consider this. The human body sinks to certain actions when stress levels increase. One of these is bilateral-symmetry which is a simplification of motor-skills under physical and psychological duress. Police officers experience this sort of reflex when confronted by a threat and train against it in order to maintain the independent use of both limbs. When the heart rate, under stress, reaches 115 bpm, there is a noticeable loss of fine motor skills. In certain performance situations, this loss can hinder the ability to use the traditional-grip in an effective manner. In other words, all that subtle playing you did in the rehearsal room is all but lost. Ever notice how loud some drummers get in front of an audience? Some of that has to do with their heart-rate and stress level, which translates into a lack of subtlety. I don't want to go into too much detail here (more on physiological aspects later), but suffice it to say that traditional-grip requires more complex motor skills than matched-grip, and so requires a level of calm and control that the matched-grip does not. Just something to consider.

All this may be some of the reason that drummers tend to think of the traditional grip as the realm of the expert, and there is an aura of professionalism that surrounds those who use this style exclusively. It is not altogether an unfounded perception. Like the martial arts, we move through the Halls of Craft, honing our skills. In this case using both styles is a vehicle to all-around improvement and confidence. My advice is to practice all the rudiments around the kit alternating between both styles. Using one or the other exclusively is a limitation that may be a hinderance to further growth in later years.

Yours in drums,
Chris