Matched vs Traditional Grip Which is Better on Drums? 

Yup! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

@@stevejenkins6919 thanks for tuning in! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

Me too! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

Thank you! It took me years to figure it out. 🙌🏼😂👊🏼

Thanks so much. We’ve been working on the new record. Can’t wait for everyone to hear it! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

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Thanks for tuning in🙌🏼

Agreed! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

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By definition, you are correct, but I am trying to describe the climax of the stroke. Maybe there is a better word for it…

Thank you for turning in!🙌🏼

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Thanks for tuning in! Check out Steve Smith’s “Pathways of Motion” for a more in depth dive into Tony Williams grip. 🙌🏼🥁🙏🏼

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Thanks for the positive feedback Larry! 🙌🏼🥁🙏🏼

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Thank you! 🙌🏼

Thank you! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

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Well said!🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

If you really want to learn traditional, I would suggest getting with a private teacher.🙌🏼

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Some snare drummers in New Orleans are right, handed and hold the stick traditionally in the right hand. But when you try to move your right hand up to the ride cymbal, your right elbow will be way up in the air and you could tire out easily. traditional grip works best when it remains on or close to the snare drum.🙌🏼

Keep in mind that with matched grip, the weight of your hand is on top of the stick so gravity is in your favor if you want to play with more power. Conversely, if you want to play lighter it helps to not have the weight of your hand on top the stick. In my opinion matched just makes for a heavier and more powerful stroke. So with traditional, the palm of your hand is on the side or underneath the stick so it’s easier to play lighter. Again, this is just what works for me. I am able to play with more finesse and softer traditional grip and that’s what feels natural for me…But everybody needs to figure out what works for them.🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

Perfectly said by Gene! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

Thanks! And to your point, when your hand is on top of the stick with matched grip, you have gravity working in your favor. In my experience, it’s easier to play powerfully when I have the weight of my hand on top of the stick while playing matched grip.🙌🏼

@@stantonmooremusic absolutely my brother big big ups! Have you ever wondered what it would feel like playing drums in space belted down to a kit of drums? Improvisations in space….do you think aliens would say “wow he plays so down to earth!” Haha, earthy playing, yet he plays with such space!

@@Tristanrgreene11that would be interesting! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

Thanks and great question! The forward angle is an old school approach that allows the left hand traditional grip to more comfortably play rim shots. 🙌🏼

Traditional grip was invented out of necessity. Snare drums used to be carried on one hip, which put them at an angle that made matched grip in the left hand impossible to use comfortably. When the drum set was invented, all drummers knew how to play snare drum using traditional grip, and they tilted the snare to simulate the angle of the marching snare. As for why some traditional grip users don't tilt their snares, there could be a variety of possible reasons. Maybe they learned to play in a modern marching band, where snares are mounted in their harnesses flat. Maybe they started with matched and/or learned traditional on an un-tilted snare, and don't want to mess with that, etc.

Jc3drums nailed it! Trad grip was required in Civil War days when the drum was off the left hip. I came up with trad as many of us did but it ergonomically never made sense to me starting with concert snare and proceeding to drum kit. But I still flip to it 'when I do', and Stanton pretty much nailed the 'splainin of what my primal brain was trying to resolve. Yes, indeed!

@@jc3drums916 very well said. This is my understanding as well. Thank you for articulating this so clearly.🙏🏼🥁🙌🏼

@@larrylister9313 well put my man. 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

Great question! In general, I use my signature stick from Vic Firth, which is a slightly thinner, but slightly longer 5A with a pinpointed tip for clearer articulation. That being said when I am swinging out or playing in a lighter context, I use the AJ6 which has a similar body to my sig stick, but has a drastically tapered shoulder with a tiny tip. When I play the AJ6, I almost exclusively play traditional grip. I hope that helps!🙌🏼

@@stantonmooremusic Thanks! And thank you for giving back to the drum community. It is greatly appreciated and valuable. 🙏

Everything you do when drumming counts and makes a difference. Stick size, length, round head test drop shape or regal tip all make subtle changes. But there is no standard bearer just like traditional or match grip. It’s important to experiment with it all till you get what works for you. We are all individuals. When I taught I taught everything I learned from drumming for 60 years of my personal experience and the student decided what was right, comfortable and what works for them. Same with kit set up angle of drums location of pedals seat height etc. we learn through the sound the effect the articulation and make it muscle and brain memory. I taught traditional grip first simply cause it’s what I learned. When playing I use both but mostly traditional simply because of my muscle memory. I can get faster single stroke rolls with matched but better articulation and doubles with trad. I can play timpani with matched or trad as well but if there are doubles I prefer trad. As you evolve as a drummer and play different genres of music with different size bands you alter your playing to serve the music and to serve your own needs. There is no right or wrong. There are drummers who are left handed playing right hand set up. And vice versa and then those gifted players that are ambidextrous like Cobham and Lenny White. Some drummers prefer flanged rims or die cast rims some vented heads some overtones etc. tommy Igoe once told my son his snare wasn’t tuned right. He was playing a Dunnet stainless that sounded best at lower tune and I tuned it perfectly so his comment was moot, it wasn’t his “feeling” of right tuning. It was mine and it sounded perfect for the big band he was playing with. (Weather report bird land). Just keep playing and learning. Learning never ends.

@@larrymarcus3176 good points! Everyone should find what works for them! 🙌🏼

@@larrymarcus3176 Good feedback Larry! I've been practicing traditional grip for a while now and find that single stroke rolls are the hardest. Other rudiments seem to come easier.

I feel traditional grip works best when it remains on or close to the snare drum. 🙌🏼

Not yet, but good idea! 🙌🏼

And that’s what’s great about drumming! What works for Virgile works for him. I’m sharing what works for me, but everyone should do what works for them! 🙌🏼🥁👊🏼

@@stantonmooremusic Yes, thanks Stanton.

Good points! Posture is important. Snare height and a forward angle might help with the left shoulder issue if playing traditional most of the time.🙌🏼

Agreed! 🙌🏼

I dunno know, Steve Jordan looks pretty cool when playing traditional, just saying! 🙌🏼😃👊🏼

Sometimes…especially if I’m going for a Charlie Watts or Steve Jordan vibe, but if I’m playing loud back beats for a long time… in general, I like to play matched grip.🙌🏼

@@stantonmooremusic That’s a good interpretation. I like that sometimes I play traditional grip and it hurts my hand plus I think it has to do with the sticks themselves

If your body won’t allow you to do it you need to find what works for you. In this video, I’m discussing what works for me. Everybody needs to figure out what works for them individually.🙌🏼

When you try to move your right hand up to the ride cymbal, your right elbow will be way up in the air and you could tire out easily. I feel traditional grip works best when it remains on or close to the snare drum.🙌🏼🥁👊🏼