Learn Drum Playing Techniques

If you used what you learned above, you should at least be hitting the drums with your hands, unless you have a drum set. Now you are going to learn the technique of how to hold the drum stick and other techniques.

 

·        Learn Drum Stick Balance: Before you do anything you have to learn how to handle a stick and balance it. You can’t be awkward when holding drumsticks or you won’t be able to play. The best spot to hold the drum stick is a little more than a third of the length up from the base of the stick. The best way to determine this is by holding the stick in your hand and striking the drum and see how the stick bounces back. Place the drum stick on your index finger, lift up and let it strike. 

·        How to Hold a Stick Using the Matched Grip: This is the most popular of all grips. Most rock bands have drummers who use this method. What you do is lay the drum stick in front of you, the tip pointing away, and then pick it up at the stick’s balance point using your index finger and thumb. You palm has to be facing down. Once you have done this, you simply bring the stick back and across the index finger so that it is resting between your first and second joints of the index finger. Next, curl the fingers around the stick. Keep the fingers loose though. Now, tilt your hand at a slight angle to the right if you are right-handed, or to the left if you are left-handed.

·        How to Play Drums Using Matched Grip: Take the drum stick in right hand as you did in the matched grip style you learned from above. Hit the drum by moving just your wrist in a quick motion; allow it to go down then back up. You should only bend your wrist about 30 degrees. Another thing to remember is when the stick hits let it bounce back to you. Take your curled fingers and release them a bit. This way, when you hit the drum, the stick will hit those fingers as you lift your wrist up and will strike your palm as you move the wrist down.