Traditional Grip

Traditional grip is commonly referred to as the 'jazz' style of grip, but although it has been used massively in the jazz style, in comparison to other styles, it's origins actually go further back to the marching traditions. Traditional grip was developed many years ago to accommodate the steep angles that parade drums sit at, when being played, because they are connected to straps, which go over the player's shoulder, to support the drum. By using traditional grip, many drummers found it more comfortable to play.

In drumming, there are specific methods for how to hold the drumsticks, or other playing tools (like brushes, mallets, etc) which is the basis of your hand technique. Generally, these different methods fall into two kinds of hand grip. These are matched grip and traditional grip. In matched grip, both hands hold the stick in the same way, using the same motions and mechanics, but in traditional grip, each hand holds the stick in a different way, with one hand holding the stick in the same style of the grips used in matched grip (either German, French, or American), and the other hand holding the stick in a completely different way, which is used only in traditional grip. Generally, when using traditional grip, for a right-handed player, the right hand holds the stick in the same way as is used in matched grip, and it is the left hand which uses the traditional grip. The same usually applies to left-handed players, who normally hold the stick in the left hand, in the same ways used in matched grip, and hold the stick in the right hand, using traditional grip.

The first aspect to focus on, to create the traditional grip, is the fulcrum, which is also known as the balance point. As described in the dictionary, the fulcrum is ''the point or support about which a lever turns''. You could think of this in terms of the drumstick, as in the drumstick doing a see-saw-type motion. The point in the middle, where it tilts back and forth, is where the fulcrum goes. This is how the stick should move in your hand. To create a fulcrum in your hand, you have to first find the balance point of the stick. To do this, place the stick on the end of one of your fingers, moving your finger tip up and down the stick until you find a point where the stick balances. This is the centre of gravity on the stick. Now, move your finger tip down the stick, in the direction of the butt, so that the tip of the stick moves further away from you. This unbalances the centre of gravity slightly, so that there is more weight towards the tip end of the stick. You should move your finger tip down about 3-4 inches. The exact amount will vary, as different sticks have different sizes and weights, and also as everyone's hands will be slightly different. The extra weight you are adding to the tip end will help to give the stick more bounce. You will have to experiment with the exact spot, until it feels most natural for you.

Place the stick in your hand, so that this fulcrum (balance) point, sits on the webbed skin, in between your thumb and index finger. Then you should gently grip the stick with your thumb, just to keep your fulcrum point from falling out of place, trying to avoid the contact the thumb and webbed skin next to it have, from sliding either up or down the stick.

Next, curl your ring finger around and put it under the stick, so that the stick sits on the top of the ring finger, in between the second and third joints (the joints past the joint of your knuckle). This finger is used as a 'stop'. This is where the stick stops moving, in the direction towards the top of your ring finger, as it impacts your finger, whilst you play, as it is in the confinement of your fingers. The ring finger is also used to lift the stick, to move the tip end upwards, by stretching the arch of the finger further outwards, whilst keeping the stick resting on the top of the finger, in between the second and third joints.

The next aspect to focus on, are the 'control' fingers. These are the fingers we haven't discussed the uses of yet, the index and middle fingers, although the thumb and ring finger share this role as well. The 'control' that I'm talking about, is how your fingers either pull the stick closer into the confinement of your hand, moving the tip end downwards, to be able to hit the various components of the drum kit, whilst you play, or to release more and open up the hold the fingers have on the stick, pushing the fingers further outwards, letting the stick bounce more and moving the tip end further upwards. So, from the position the stick is in at the moment, with the fulcrum point and the stop, you should now wrap your index and middle fingers around and over the top of the stick, so that they have physical contact with the stick. In this position, they will now be useful for finger control on the stick. Just remember not to wrap them around too tightly, try to keep them loose and relaxed without loosing your grip on the stick, otherwise this will restrict the movement of the stick, and over time, possibly even cause tension issues that could lead to injury. Your index and middle fingers should not touch the palm of your hand, and they should sit on top of the stick, in between where the thumb is placed and where the stick sits in top of the ring finger. The stick should now cross through your hand at a diagonal angle.

The pinky finger basically has no role at all in moving/controlling the stick. It's not used as a 'stop' or as a 'control' finger, because it has no physical contact with the stick. If you try to use the pinky finger for these roles, whilst playing in traditional grip, then you will find this very uncomfortable and unnatural, which is why it is not used in these ways. The pinky finger sits curled around, under the stick, next to the ring finger. Although the pinky finger has no physical contact with the stick and no role in moving it, you will probably find that the finger moves in the same ways that the other fingers move, particularly the ring finger, whilst you play, simply because it feels natural to do so, and therefore, this is acceptable.

Now, we need to discuss the angle of rotation of the wrist. In traditional grip, you can use whatever angle of rotation that you prefer, and find most natural and effective, all the way from the hand being flat and horizontal, with the palm facing upwards towards you, and the back of your hand facing downwards, where it is out of sight, around to where the hand is vertical, the palm and back of your hand both facing sideways, in opposite directions to each other, the palm facing inwards and the back of your hand facing outwards. Just remember not to bend your hand up and down or side to side. The hand should remain straight, in line with the arm. Now, you are holding the drumstick, using traditional grip.

         

Both wrist motion and finger motion are important when using the traditional grip, although many drummers chose to focus on primarily using just one type of technique when using this grip. Generally, if a drummer's traditional grip means the drummer's hand is flatter and more horizontal, then these players tend to focus on using wrist technique more, through wrist rotation, which is the only wrist motion used when playing in traditional grip, compared to drummers who play in traditional grip with the hand more vertical, who tend to focus on using finger technique more to manipulate the stick.