How to Hold a Drumstick

Before you walk you've got to crawl, and before you play drums you've got to hold the drumsticks properly. The grip you choose will affect how much power or control you'll have while performing, and a sloppy grip will get you a sloppy sound (not to mention wrist pain). Here's an overview of various grips so you can find the one that fits your playing style.






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Steps


1. Start with no sticks in your hand. Take your right hand and make a "gun" shape with it. When making the "gun", take your hand, make a fist and then extend your index finger and your thumb only. The rest of your digits stay curled into your palm. Take this "gun" and point it to the left. (Reverse these directions for the left hand.)








2. Bend your wrist so the palm of your hand is facing down and your index finger is pointed out straight ahead of you, parallel with the floor, about an inch (2.5cm) or so above the snare drum head








3. Bend the joint closest to the tip of your index finger to make a pocket for the drum stick to sit in.




4. Place your drumstick on this pocket.

5. Find the balance point. Experiment for a little bit to find the stick placement that gets the most rebounds off the snare drum. Normally it's about 2 thirds of the way back from the stick tip. You should receive about 6-8 bounces when you find the correct balance point

6.Place your thumb on the side of the drum stick (your thumb should never be on top of the stick). You don't need to apply much pressure with your thumb, as its job is to simply hold the stick in place

7. Place the last three fingers onto the drumstick. These three fingers should come into contact with the drumstick before the first joint. This will set you up better for when you go on to learn finger control.

8. Repeat all of the above steps in reverse to hold the drum stick in your left hand. This results in a "matched grip" in which both hands use the same grip, as opposed to the traditional grip, described next

9. Hold the palms of your hands at a 45 degree angle. Flex your wrist to move the drumstick up and down. Ensure that your wrist is moving with your palm down, so that the largest part of your wrist is bending. The movement should not come from your elbow. Use both of your fingers and wrists to move the stick.

10. Decide whether you want to use the traditional grip. If you do, follow these steps:
-Use the underhand grip in your left hand.

-Open your hand, palm side up.
-Place the stick in the space between the thumb and index finger.
-Wrap your thumb and index finger around the stick, with the pad of your thumb resting on the first knuckle of the index finger.
-Rest the side of your middle fingertip on the top side of the stick.
-Rest the stick on the cuticle of the ring finger; the little finger can support the ring finger.
-Use the overhand grip described above in your right hand