Delta Charter Music

← Drums · Start here · about 15 min

Holding the sticks

Grip, rebound, and your first strokes.

The grip

Most drummers use matched grip: both hands hold the sticks the same way.

  1. Find the balance point

    Hold the stick about a third of the way up from the thick end. That's where it balances.

  2. Pinch

    Pinch the stick between your thumb and the side of your first finger. That pinch is called the fulcrum. It is the pivot.

  3. Wrap loosely

    Wrap your other fingers around the stick without squeezing. Your grip should be relaxed, like holding a bird.

  4. Angle

    Your palms face down. Your sticks form a V shape over the drum.

The stroke

  1. Lift

    Lift the stick using your wrist, tip pointing up. This is the “up” position.

  2. Drop

    Let the stick fall and hit the drum. Do not push down. Gravity does the work.

  3. Rebound

    Let the stick bounce back up by itself. A free bounce is the secret to a relaxed sound.

Alternate hands

Play right, left, right, left. Keep your hands in the same pattern. Start at a slow tempo and move up only when it is relaxed.

RLRLRLRL

R = right hand, L = left hand. Lowercase small letters are soft “grace” notes. You'll hear left in your left ear and right in your right ear with headphones.

Can you…