Holding the Drum Sticks
There are two accepted ways of holding the sticks. They are:
- The Traditional Grip (Photo 1)
- The Matched Grip (Photo 2)
Traditional Grip
Matched Grip
The Traditional Grip
The left hand stick is held at the very base of the thumb, between the thumb and the knuckle of the first finger. This point becomes the fulcrum or pivoting point of the stick. The stick then rests between the second and third fingers, two on top of the stick and two underneath the stick.
The right hand fulcrum is between the thumb and the first joint of the first finger, with the remaining fingers wrapped lightly around the stick. It is important to keep the two fingers of the left hand on top of the stick and the remaining fingers of the right hand in light contact with the bottom of the stick, as the fingers will later be used to increase stick speed.
The Matched Grip
The right and left hand hold the sticks in exactly the same way as the right hand in the traditional grip method.
It is entirely up to you to use the grip that feels the most comfortable to you. However, I personally recommend the matched grip method because a greater reach and a greater volume level are achievable using this grip.
