Never see a lot of info. out there on traditional grip/finger control, so this is a great starting point for those looking to get better at it. Good job!
This is gold brotha! I'm glad you took the time to share these tips! I'm a middle aged drummer working on playing with proper technique these days. I'm an old school player who learned, the best I could, just by listening. Didn't have much of an idea about technique and it's importance. Social media has it's percs! Great stuff! I'm subscribed, peace!
dude. finally found this video. this exercise expanded my traditional grip capabilities in 2 mins. . I noticed that though I play traditional, I play with almost an exclusively open grip. I've gotten quite strong with that for its the only way I played. but I found that I topped out with speed and control, so you may have really helped me bud. I can't wait to check out the other parts of this video series
Great looking at this video every now and again.. such great tuition from a core drumming guru, i check in to refresh on the sheer diligence and great advice! Still a stand alone trad grip video for me.
... I've been watching traditional grip tutorial videos for ages.... never clicked that the thumb can be the driver. A lot of videos will assume you know something basic and not mention it. Gonna watch the rest of the series! thanks so much
I'm 57 yrs old, been drumming 45yrs. was in a auto accident lost 45% of my elbow that limits my range of motion. ive always wanted too learn traditional grip and too this day still trying. this vid really helps mannn thanks a lot. i like to ad also. i had a instructor that is a United Army Field Band Drummer and he told me if you cant play traditional don't try because matched grip is the normal range of motion. Of course he doesn't play matched he play traditional lol. all the same, thanks mann
I'm glad I could help. Honestly I think it's made out to be more complicated than it really is. What's funny is my instructor from 1st grade all the way through high school was a percussionist in the US Army Band "Pershing's Own" and he started me on traditional grip. He definitely favored it over matched as far as the snare drum goes. Anyways I don't agree with the notion that matched is a more normal range of motion. It really depends. I've had plenty of students who found matched in the left hand to feel incredibly odd. But keep at it and let me know if you have any additional questions and I will be glad to help.
I know I'm a bit late here but I was always trying to figure out how people had such fast single stroke rolls without even moving their wrist. When I first saw this technique I thought I wouldn't get it and it would be something I'd have to work around. When I saw this video it felt like I had unearthed some secret lol. Thank you for the tutorial!
If going for a strong backbeat, you should definitely use the arm and go for a whipping motion as if you were flicking water off your fingers. Thanks for the comment. All the best to you as well my friend. Be blessed.
Hey Nicolai. Thanks for the comment. I play both ways but primarily use tradition which is also more comfortable to me as well. I started that way also so it's the grip I'm the most efficient with. But my matched isn't too shabby either. :)
Great video Chuck .... so superb !!! I will definitely check out your other videos. A question I would like to ask you would be how do you decide your pad and snare height and angle. I like to have my snare or pad angled a little down and to the right. Sightly south east ... so to speak. Also, when practicing how does all the work on the pad translate to the snare with reference to the bounce, the feel. Does one have to work less on the drum ? Do adjustments have to be made so that the drum isn't played so loudly ... therefore defeating the whole purpose ? Great stuff !!! Thanks again.
Hi John! Concerning snare/pad angle I usually have it angled slightly from left down to the right. Height-wise I just make sure when my left hand comes down the stick and playing surface are parallel to each other. Good question on the rebounding. The pad typically has more bounce than the snare drum though not always. Depends on how tight you have it tuned. The toms have even less rebound as you go from high to low. Best thing to do is practice on a variety of surfaces. I wouldn't go as far as the playing on a pillow though. Practicing on your main snare drum is a good idea. Practicing rudiments around the drums helps so your hands get use to having to adjust quickly to the various playing surfaces. Practicing rudiments and such as low dynamic levels is encourage also since you don't want to get in the habit of only being able to play at one volume. Hope that helps. Great questions by the way. :)
Just starting off using traditional grip and damn it's difficult and hurts your hands trying to go faster when you're not used to it. Hopefully it will get easier and my hands will get used to it.
Keep at it Michael. It does take some time. It's similar to working out where you need to build up the various muscles being used. So repetition is key. You don't want to play at a speed where you have a tension and/or pain though. Your goal is just to get it going and find a speed where you can sustain the dribble while being relaxed. From there you can gradually push the speed. Good luck and let me know if I can help you further. God Bless.
I remember my first year marching snare have my cuticle bleed all over my drum from the pressure on it playing 10 hours a day. Keep at it my man it gets easier once you get used to it.
Hey, your instruction is Excellent and I’ve been working on this for a few weeks now,, My question is this- I understand the practicality of practicing long series of notes like this to build strength and dexterity but more likely in practical application I’m more interested in producing fast short bursts of notes with the left hand- say 4- 10 notes worth-- any additional tips to meet that Goal??
Hey Again! Most of what I said in my last response applies to you question. I will still practice playing longer series of notes. If you can do more then you will be able to do less.
Hey Chuck great video, I need help though! I feel like my pocket may be too small, the stick will not stay stable when trying the initial hits. Is the only solution a thinner stick or can I work around a small web-pocket? (for reference using buddy rich vic firths 5a wood)
Hey Shaw, when you say the stick won't stay stable what do you mean by that? Do you mean the stick is sliding? The size of one's hands and fingers does play a role in how this will feel. So you may have to make some adjustments accordingly. Just remember with this technique, the thumb is constantly touching the stick. The trick being to move your thumb up and down in sync with the stick just like bouncing a basketball. That will take a little bit of time and patience till you get the strength and coordination down.
Hey Chuck wow you're fast! What I mean is when trying your first open hand exercise in the video I can't seem to lock the stick in place with only my thumb. I'm getting a weird cramp in my wring finger and the stick is sliding out. When doing those isolated thumb driver hits. Something is wrong with my basketball bounce/door opening that the stick is all floppy. (BTW I'm new to this grip completely your videos are a God send!) I think my problem is my thumb angle, I'm not really sure how tight to squeeze and where to apply the pressure on the stick in relation to my thumb. Sorry if that's confusing
Okay so you're talking about the initial wrist stroke I did at the very beginning? If you get a chance check out my 'get a grip' video which addresses the basic components of the traditional grip starting with the basic wrist rebound stroke which is what I'm briefly demonstrating in the beginning. That being said, your goal is to be completely relaxed in your hand and fingers. I do mean completely relaxed. The wrist motion is just like turning a door knob. Also your thumb does 'slightly' squeeze the stick to keep it in place. The thumb essentially creates friction which holds the stick in place. So it's a slight squeeze. Make sure you're not squeezing too hard. The floppyness of your thumb stroke is common in the beginning since your control isn't established yet. Try your best to keep the stick only moving up and down. It doesn't have to be fast. The initial goal is just to get the stick moving. Again make sure the thumb isn't squeezing the stick too tight or you'll essentially be putting on the breaks on when using your thumb or wrist for that matter. Hope that helps. It's tough describing all this with words. If you continue to struggle I'll put up another video to clarify your issues on Friday if needed. Just let me know.
Chuck that was it! Thank you thank you. I was squeezing way too tight because I was scared of the stick flying away. It feels a lot better now and I feel a callus is going to form properly in the pocket of my thumb, just need to work on that floppyness. Doesn't feel like I'm going to break my bones! I'm definitely going to watch that video now. I was thinking this was your first video in the series on traditional grip so I messed up there! I'm just a big blob of drum jello waiting to be molded. Trying not to form any bad habits right from the get go! And you did great describing everything, thanks for the motivation to continue practicing control!
Hey man, no problem. I'm here for you guys. Yea this series only address finger control when using traditional grip since there doesn't seem to be a lot out there explaining it. Look at the first video of the beginner series. That one talks about the basics of the grip. Maybe I should redo the video only focusing on traditional grip and put in that playlist. Maybe I'll do that this week. I shoot all my videos on Fridays. I do take requests so just let me know. Keep me posted Shaw. Peace brotha.
Hey Benny, look under my technique series playlist for a video called Matched Grip Finger Control. That should have what you're looking for. If you need some lessons for basic grip look under my beginner series playlist and check out the video Get a Grip! Hope that helps bud.
Hi Chuck! Love those videos on trad. Grip! I’m starting off with single bounce and, gosh my stick tends to slide forward. Anything you can tell me about how I hold my drum stick? Even with the rubber coating, the stick tends to travel forward. Thank you kindly.
Hey my friend! Check to make sure that the angle of the stick, when in the down position, is parallel to the playing surface. The traditional grip hand naturally slants down to the right. You need to make sure the snare drum or pad is seated high enough or slanted enough to compensate for that. Also make sure your thumb is holding on to the stick at the fulcrum. You don't want to squeeze too hard though but just enough where friction is created. Hope that helps. Blessings to you.
Thanks for your advice Chuck! I was using an old inclined rubber/wood pad from the 60's. I guess the stick was being pulled downward while practicing. But now, I got myself a Sabian practice snare which is level. What a difference!!
Sweet! I also find brand new sticks to be quite slippery until I can break them in with palm sweat...lol. So lately I've been using the Keith Carlock model which has a lacquer finish which feel great with no slippage. :)
Thanks, I'll check the Keith Carlock for sure! I've bought a pair of Zildjian 5B Maple Dip thinking those does not slip but they still did on that wood block. I'm exited about the new pad and so, can't wait to see how quickly I'll get half decent chops after 45 years away from the drums. :-)
That's awesome to hear my friend. It won't take you any time at all to develop decent hands. It really doesn't. The secret is simply consistency and little bit of patience helps too. ;)
thanks for sharing so clearly! The issue I'm having is to stop the stick after lets say a " 1&an, 2&an, 3&an, 4&and exercise (the hold on the "an"). The index finger has a very important role on this. It isn't actually only the thumb. Is that correct? Here's my issue at the moment. When I use my index finger on the stick I loose my grip on the fulcrum just enough so the stick starts sliding. Very frustrating. Also the index finger is slowing down the rebounds when it stays by the stick... uhhhghhhh....
When I use the thumb the index doesn't do much honestly. Now I often use of combination of the two but in this video its all thumb. Remember traditional grip is basically all about the thumb. It's the thumb that holds the stick in the fulcrum. The other fingers are mainly there for support. So use them as much or as little as you think you need. Can you do it when the index finger is off the stick?
@@ChuckBarchuk thanks man! I,m working in the index. When I incorporate the index stills slows down the single stroke but I'm finding the position little by little. Another (Unfortunate) thing is that: when placing index and other fingers in the stick as instructed and play, there is a pain that happens in the other side of the hand (opposite side of the thumb) do you know what I'm talking about? Anyways, gratitude for you sharing your skills!!!
Another video person said thumb is basic start of grip, but you should also keep the wrist moving all the time so you don't get tired finger/hand. Do you agree?
Well finger control is about isolating the fingers to manipulate the sticks. The smaller the muscle the faster it goes. We have three gears which are the arms, the wrists, and the fingers. All are important. Now I would say most of the time you are using a combination of all three but If I was, for example, going for a single stroke roll at my top speed I would go all thumb with no wrist at all. That's my position on it but as they said there is more than one way to skin a cat. ;)
So should my first general practices focus on learning this grip with only finger and then later work on wrist. For first month should I focus on this finger technique. Thanks again
@@maxthecat1235 I would say the wrist is the most important and the one to get going first. But that being said most of the time you aren't use ONLY your fingers. In general playing you're using a combination of your arms, wrists, and fingers in tandem. But the wrist is the leader of the group. :)
Hey Chuck! I can't seem to activate my thumb like you do... My thumb can't push the stick to the drumhead, because of that... Is there a way to activate my thumb, so I can get used to the motion? Greetz, David Baak
Hey David, if you can't get this method to work for you then you can also try laying most of your thumb on top of the stick. From this position the top of half of your thumb would be pushing down. Try that.
So you just push your thumb up and down from the second joint of your thumb? So the second joint is on top of the stick? That method seems quite tense for me... Or did I do something wrong? Thanks for the help Chuck!!
Well whichever part of your thumb is on the stick you will be pivoting from the palm joint as I describe at 2:28. It will take some practice. It's just like dribbling a basketball in a sense. You have to move the thumb up and down in sync with the rebound of the stick. It may take some time to get in sync. Don't shoot for speed. Just try to keep the sticking going.
I am an older drummer/teacher I’ve had problem with my left side. I had want was called bracile plexopithy or as it called a heart attack of the nervous system… it took me a long time to rehabilitate 1 to 2 years to unfold my arm and hand much time of at all of trying to turn my wrist left hand …Have you ever come across something like this??
Are you talking about the whole pad itself or just the gum/rubber part? If it's the latter than it isn't even an inch. Maybe half an inch. Maybe a bit less than that. Very thin.
I can only move my left thumb back and fourth at 190bpm, where as my right thumb can oscillate at 340bpm. I've been playing traditional grip for 3 years, and this seems to be my limiting factor. Any suggestions?
@@smartaIec Well man I think you're doing great. If you can get up to 200bpm then that's plenty of speed to pretty much play anything out there. Beyond that is just gravy. My only advice is to keep working that thumb. It's a muscle. As drummers this is how we work out...lol. So the only secret is repetition just like lifting weights. If you're really practicing a lot I don't see why you wouldn't hit 200 in a few weeks easily.
I’ve watched multiple vids but I still cant develop speed with finger control, I have muscle in my hand, but all that technique sort of “chokes” all the speed and I end up not going fast, when I try to isolate my thumb from my hand, it hurts and I can’t physically do it. When I try to isolate my thumb, it gets so frustrating!
Thanks for the comment Braden. Finger control in general can be somewhat difficult to develop regardless of which version of it you're trying to master. Finger (or thumb) isolation is hard in the beginning if you're not use to it. My recommendation is try out all the methods I've shown on my page and see if there's one that seems a tiny bit easier than the others. If one does happen to stand out then go with that one. Also don't worry about speed. Your focus should just be to the get the stick going using only the fingers. So go as slow as necessary. It's just like dribbling a basketball. Your fingers need to move in sync with the rebound of the stick. That takes a bit of coordination so patience is key. Good luck.
Absolutely. A good benchmark goal to shoot for is being able to do a measure of 16ths on each hand at 100bpm. That's not a top end speed by any stretch but it's a good target to shoot for which is all the speed you'll ever need and then some.
Keep at it bud. Drumming is a lot like working out. You gotta do a lot of repetitions and as you do you're fingers and wrists will get stronger and faster.
THANK U 2 CHUCK , UR VIDEO HAS GIVEN ME GREAT WRIST CONTROL , IF REALLY LIKE 2 C MORE FROM U AND THOSE OTHER IDIOTS TEACHING MATCH GRIP R GOING 2 RUIN FUTURE DRUMMERS ANY PLANS IN DRUMMING THE RIGHT WAY AS BUDDY'S VIDEO TELLS IT ALL .
Thank you and I'm sorry about the audio. This was shot in the beginning of my channel so I was still figuring things out. Maybe I should re-shoot this one.
![Gunna - one of wun [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/w_JtBYqMgk8/mqdefault.jpg)
This is magic! I was ‘I am never going to be able to do this’
5 mins later I started getting and then BOOM!
I feel like I am Neo from the Matrix now.
Awesome man!
Never see a lot of info. out there on traditional grip/finger control, so this is a great starting point for those looking to get better at it. Good job!
I thought so as well. Thanks for the comment.
This is gold brotha!
I'm glad you took the time to share these tips!
I'm a middle aged drummer working on playing with proper technique these days.
I'm an old school player who learned, the best I could, just by listening. Didn't have much of an idea about technique and it's importance. Social media has it's percs!
Great stuff!
I'm subscribed, peace!
dude. finally found this video. this exercise expanded my traditional grip capabilities in 2 mins. . I noticed that though I play traditional, I play with almost an exclusively open grip. I've gotten quite strong with that for its the only way I played. but I found that I topped out with speed and control, so you may have really helped me bud. I can't wait to check out the other parts of this video series
Heynsenene, thanks for stopping by. Let me know after you watch the whole series if you have any questions. God Bless.
Great looking at this video every now and again.. such great tuition from a core drumming guru, i check in to refresh on the sheer diligence and great advice! Still a stand alone trad grip video for me.
Thanks Jem. :)
I’ve been struggling to use traditional grip - until now! Thank you for your excellent tuition video.
Very happy to know this video helped you Andrew.
Amazing video! I was always struggling with traditional grip, this is super helpful!
Glad to hear it bud. :)
Excellent video! Thank you so much for this! It had exactly the information I was looking for relayed clearly and concisely,
Thanks man. I really appreciate it.
Absolutely...many thanks!
I like this grip for drumline, thanks man ! :D
I don't know why my comments keep disappearing off of RUclips??
Great video and so helpful, again Thanks Chuck! Top man! 👏
Thanks, you’re right, no one really breaks down what each finger is doing. Great job!
Thank you! The grip is really just the thumb. The other fingers are really only there for support.
... I've been watching traditional grip tutorial videos for ages.... never clicked that the thumb can be the driver.
A lot of videos will assume you know something basic and not mention it. Gonna watch the rest of the series! thanks so much
Thanks for stopping by Kiop. Let me know if you have any other questions or critique. :)
Agreed Kio, Chuck really helped solidify how important the thumb is here.
kiopl2003 likewise, had no clue how to use that thumb except to hold the stick.
You make this look so FLUID and easy.... nice chops, excellent tutorial!!
Hey bud. Thanks for posting a comment. I appreciate it. Cheers.
@@ChuckBarchuk my daughter is learning the drums. She will enjoy this... Nice!
So useful for me - thanks!
I'm 57 yrs old, been drumming 45yrs. was in a auto accident lost 45% of my elbow that limits my range of motion. ive always wanted too learn traditional grip and too this day still trying. this vid really helps mannn thanks a lot. i like to ad also. i had a instructor that is a United Army Field Band Drummer and he told me if you cant play traditional don't try because matched grip is the normal range of motion. Of course he doesn't play matched he play traditional lol. all the same, thanks mann
I'm glad I could help. Honestly I think it's made out to be more complicated than it really is. What's funny is my instructor from 1st grade all the way through high school was a percussionist in the US Army Band "Pershing's Own" and he started me on traditional grip. He definitely favored it over matched as far as the snare drum goes. Anyways I don't agree with the notion that matched is a more normal range of motion. It really depends. I've had plenty of students who found matched in the left hand to feel incredibly odd. But keep at it and let me know if you have any additional questions and I will be glad to help.
thanks for video watching from the Philippines
Very informative and to the point! It definitely takes a while To get the thumb muscles To work
Glad it helped you bud.
I been waiting for this...... FOR WAY TOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LONG
Sweet!!! I'm glad it's helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions.
Very concise and clear explanation. Well done sir.
Thank you my friend. I'm glad it helped you.
Wonderful ! Thank you.
My pleasure. I'm glad you found it helpful.
Great Video man!
Thank you so much my friend!
Thank you so much.
Absolutely my friend.
Great vid. Thanks
No problem Thomas. Thanks for stopping by.
I know I'm a bit late here but I was always trying to figure out how people had such fast single stroke rolls without even moving their wrist. When I first saw this technique I thought I wouldn't get it and it would be something I'd have to work around. When I saw this video it felt like I had unearthed some secret lol. Thank you for the tutorial!
No problem. I'm glad it was helpful to you. :)
you're a legend bro
Well I don't know about that but I appreciate it. :)
Thank You! Chuck, really helpful :)
Thanks Brian, i'm glad you found it helpful.
This is excellent!! Like what Buddy Rich used to do.
Thanks for the comment Dylan though I'm not remotely as good as Buddy. :)
Hey chuck thanks for this vid!
You are welcome my friend. :)
Excellent!
Please do videos on "Stick Control" by George Stone.
Superb lesson and how to get there. thanks
Thank you very much Vincent. I really appreciate that.
Thank you!!!!
Your welcome my friend.
Hey Chuck. Fantastic Videos. Are there coming more fx using the forearm to play a backbeat with traditional grip? All the best for you. Hiram
If going for a strong backbeat, you should definitely use the arm and go for a whipping motion as if you were flicking water off your fingers. Thanks for the comment. All the best to you as well my friend. Be blessed.
When I startes to learn playing drums, I used matched grip. Now I’m trying to learn the traditional grip, because it feels much more comfortable
Hey Nicolai. Thanks for the comment. I play both ways but primarily use tradition which is also more comfortable to me as well. I started that way also so it's the grip I'm the most efficient with. But my matched isn't too shabby either. :)
Thanks for a very good answer! Subscribed!
Great video! Not enough information out there on traditional grip.
Hey Joseph, thanks so much for you comment. It's very much appreciated my friend. Be blessed.
These are definitely the best youtubes I've seen on how to use finger control, BUT I STILL CAN'T DO IT!! Do you give Skype lessons?
Of course my friend! When would you like to set something up?
Great video Chuck .... so superb !!! I will definitely check out your other videos. A question I would like to ask you would be how do you decide your pad and snare height and angle. I like to have my snare or pad angled a little down and to the right. Sightly south east ... so to speak. Also, when practicing how does all the work on the pad translate to the snare with reference to the bounce, the feel. Does one have to work less on the drum ? Do adjustments have to be made so that the drum isn't played so loudly ... therefore defeating the whole purpose ? Great stuff !!! Thanks again.
Hi John! Concerning snare/pad angle I usually have it angled slightly from left down to the right. Height-wise I just make sure when my left hand comes down the stick and playing surface are parallel to each other. Good question on the rebounding. The pad typically has more bounce than the snare drum though not always. Depends on how tight you have it tuned. The toms have even less rebound as you go from high to low. Best thing to do is practice on a variety of surfaces. I wouldn't go as far as the playing on a pillow though. Practicing on your main snare drum is a good idea. Practicing rudiments around the drums helps so your hands get use to having to adjust quickly to the various playing surfaces. Practicing rudiments and such as low dynamic levels is encourage also since you don't want to get in the habit of only being able to play at one volume. Hope that helps. Great questions by the way. :)
Thanks Chuck .... great information and feedback. Your videos are super !!! I've passed these along to friends.
I really appreciate it John.
Very good dud
hey, i've got a problem, when I try to use this thumb technique the stick will slip out of my hand. What should I do?
Just starting off using traditional grip and damn it's difficult and hurts your hands trying to go faster when you're not used to it. Hopefully it will get easier and my hands will get used to it.
Keep at it Michael. It does take some time. It's similar to working out where you need to build up the various muscles being used. So repetition is key. You don't want to play at a speed where you have a tension and/or pain though. Your goal is just to get it going and find a speed where you can sustain the dribble while being relaxed. From there you can gradually push the speed. Good luck and let me know if I can help you further. God Bless.
I remember my first year marching snare have my cuticle bleed all over my drum from the pressure on it playing 10 hours a day. Keep at it my man it gets easier once you get used to it.
Hey, your instruction is Excellent and I’ve been working on this for a few weeks now,, My question is this- I understand the practicality of practicing long series of notes like this to build strength and dexterity but more likely in practical application I’m more interested in producing fast short bursts of notes with the left hand- say 4- 10 notes worth-- any additional tips to meet that Goal??
Hey Again! Most of what I said in my last response applies to you question. I will still practice playing longer series of notes. If you can do more then you will be able to do less.
thank u
Absolutely my friend. Thanks for your comment.
Very nice sir I
i am a traditional grip drummer and i am a rock drummer not jazz.i must prefer the trad grip than match.
Hey Chuck great video, I need help though!
I feel like my pocket may be too small, the stick will not stay stable when trying the initial hits. Is the only solution a thinner stick or can I work around a small web-pocket? (for reference using buddy rich vic firths 5a wood)
Hey Shaw, when you say the stick won't stay stable what do you mean by that? Do you mean the stick is sliding? The size of one's hands and fingers does play a role in how this will feel. So you may have to make some adjustments accordingly. Just remember with this technique, the thumb is constantly touching the stick. The trick being to move your thumb up and down in sync with the stick just like bouncing a basketball. That will take a little bit of time and patience till you get the strength and coordination down.
Hey Chuck wow you're fast!
What I mean is when trying your first open hand exercise in the video I can't seem to lock the stick in place with only my thumb. I'm getting a weird cramp in my wring finger and the stick is sliding out. When doing those isolated thumb driver hits. Something is wrong with my basketball bounce/door opening that the stick is all floppy. (BTW I'm new to this grip completely your videos are a God send!)
I think my problem is my thumb angle, I'm not really sure how tight to squeeze and where to apply the pressure on the stick in relation to my thumb. Sorry if that's confusing
Okay so you're talking about the initial wrist stroke I did at the very beginning? If you get a chance check out my 'get a grip' video which addresses the basic components of the traditional grip starting with the basic wrist rebound stroke which is what I'm briefly demonstrating in the beginning. That being said, your goal is to be completely relaxed in your hand and fingers. I do mean completely relaxed. The wrist motion is just like turning a door knob. Also your thumb does 'slightly' squeeze the stick to keep it in place. The thumb essentially creates friction which holds the stick in place. So it's a slight squeeze. Make sure you're not squeezing too hard.
The floppyness of your thumb stroke is common in the beginning since your control isn't established yet. Try your best to keep the stick only moving up and down. It doesn't have to be fast. The initial goal is just to get the stick moving. Again make sure the thumb isn't squeezing the stick too tight or you'll essentially be putting on the breaks on when using your thumb or wrist for that matter. Hope that helps. It's tough describing all this with words. If you continue to struggle I'll put up another video to clarify your issues on Friday if needed. Just let me know.
Chuck that was it! Thank you thank you. I was squeezing way too tight because I was scared of the stick flying away. It feels a lot better now and I feel a callus is going to form properly in the pocket of my thumb, just need to work on that floppyness. Doesn't feel like I'm going to break my bones!
I'm definitely going to watch that video now. I was thinking this was your first video in the series on traditional grip so I messed up there! I'm just a big blob of drum jello waiting to be molded. Trying not to form any bad habits right from the get go!
And you did great describing everything, thanks for the motivation to continue practicing control!
Hey man, no problem. I'm here for you guys. Yea this series only address finger control when using traditional grip since there doesn't seem to be a lot out there explaining it. Look at the first video of the beginner series. That one talks about the basics of the grip. Maybe I should redo the video only focusing on traditional grip and put in that playlist. Maybe I'll do that this week. I shoot all my videos on Fridays. I do take requests so just let me know. Keep me posted Shaw. Peace brotha.
Do you have a method for precussion drum using the hammer way instead of the way your doing the drum in this video?
Hey Benny, when you say hammer way what do you mean exactly?
Sorry I'm new to drums by the hammer it like you hold it like a hammer then hit the drum like a regular drum set instead of the precession drum
Hey Benny, look under my technique series playlist for a video called Matched Grip Finger Control. That should have what you're looking for. If you need some lessons for basic grip look under my beginner series playlist and check out the video Get a Grip! Hope that helps bud.
Hi Chuck! Love those videos on trad. Grip! I’m starting off with single bounce and, gosh my stick tends to slide forward. Anything you can tell me about how I hold my drum stick? Even with the rubber coating, the stick tends to travel forward. Thank you kindly.
Hey my friend! Check to make sure that the angle of the stick, when in the down position, is parallel to the playing surface. The traditional grip hand naturally slants down to the right. You need to make sure the snare drum or pad is seated high enough or slanted enough to compensate for that. Also make sure your thumb is holding on to the stick at the fulcrum. You don't want to squeeze too hard though but just enough where friction is created. Hope that helps. Blessings to you.
Thanks for your advice Chuck! I was using an old inclined rubber/wood pad from the 60's. I guess the stick was being pulled downward while practicing. But now, I got myself a Sabian practice snare which is level. What a difference!!
Sweet! I also find brand new sticks to be quite slippery until I can break them in with palm sweat...lol. So lately I've been using the Keith Carlock model which has a lacquer finish which feel great with no slippage. :)
Thanks, I'll check the Keith Carlock for sure! I've bought a pair of Zildjian 5B Maple Dip thinking those does not slip but they still did on that wood block. I'm exited about the new pad and so, can't wait to see how quickly I'll get half decent chops after 45 years away from the drums. :-)
That's awesome to hear my friend. It won't take you any time at all to develop decent hands. It really doesn't. The secret is simply consistency and little bit of patience helps too. ;)
thanks for sharing so clearly! The issue I'm having is to stop the stick after lets say a " 1&an, 2&an, 3&an, 4&and exercise (the hold on the "an"). The index finger has a very important role on this. It isn't actually only the thumb. Is that correct?
Here's my issue at the moment. When I use my index finger on the stick I loose my grip on the fulcrum just enough so the stick starts sliding. Very frustrating. Also the index finger is slowing down the rebounds when it stays by the stick... uhhhghhhh....
When I use the thumb the index doesn't do much honestly. Now I often use of combination of the two but in this video its all thumb. Remember traditional grip is basically all about the thumb. It's the thumb that holds the stick in the fulcrum. The other fingers are mainly there for support. So use them as much or as little as you think you need. Can you do it when the index finger is off the stick?
@@ChuckBarchuk thanks man! I,m working in the index. When I incorporate the index stills slows down the single stroke but I'm finding the position little by little. Another (Unfortunate) thing is that: when placing index and other fingers in the stick as instructed and play, there is a pain that happens in the other side of the hand (opposite side of the thumb) do you know what I'm talking about? Anyways, gratitude for you sharing your skills!!!
Actually the pain is in about 1 inch down the wrist...
Another video person said thumb is basic start of grip, but you should also keep the wrist moving all the time so you don't get tired finger/hand. Do you agree?
Well finger control is about isolating the fingers to manipulate the sticks. The smaller the muscle the faster it goes. We have three gears which are the arms, the wrists, and the fingers. All are important. Now I would say most of the time you are using a combination of all three but If I was, for example, going for a single stroke roll at my top speed I would go all thumb with no wrist at all. That's my position on it but as they said there is more than one way to skin a cat. ;)
@@ChuckBarchuk Thanks I will give it a try and post my video
So should my first general practices focus on learning this grip with only finger and then later work on wrist. For first month should I focus on this finger technique. Thanks again
@@maxthecat1235 I would say the wrist is the most important and the one to get going first. But that being said most of the time you aren't use ONLY your fingers. In general playing you're using a combination of your arms, wrists, and fingers in tandem. But the wrist is the leader of the group. :)
Roz and I tried this again to night..... this is witch craft
lol
Hey Chuck! I can't seem to activate my thumb like you do... My thumb can't push the stick to the drumhead, because of that... Is there a way to activate my thumb, so I can get used to the motion?
Greetz,
David Baak
Hey David, if you can't get this method to work for you then you can also try laying most of your thumb on top of the stick. From this position the top of half of your thumb would be pushing down. Try that.
I don’t know how to explain it, but pls reply, maybe I can explain it better then
Did you try what I just mentioned? How did that work?
So you just push your thumb up and down from the second joint of your thumb? So the second joint is on top of the stick?
That method seems quite tense for me... Or did I do something wrong?
Thanks for the help Chuck!!
Well whichever part of your thumb is on the stick you will be pivoting from the palm joint as I describe at 2:28. It will take some practice. It's just like dribbling a basketball in a sense. You have to move the thumb up and down in sync with the rebound of the stick. It may take some time to get in sync. Don't shoot for speed. Just try to keep the sticking going.
I am an older drummer/teacher I’ve had problem with my left side. I had want was called bracile plexopithy or as it called a heart attack of the nervous system… it took me a long time to rehabilitate 1 to 2 years to unfold my arm and hand much time of at all of trying to turn my wrist left hand …Have you ever come across something like this??
Wow. I can't say that I've ever experienced anything remotely like that. I've been playing close to 40 years now and I've had almost no issues.
Good night. I'm from Brazil. How many inches does this pad have? Thanks
Are you talking about the whole pad itself or just the gum/rubber part? If it's the latter than it isn't even an inch. Maybe half an inch. Maybe a bit less than that. Very thin.
Speak friend, from the whole block.
Probably 1 1/2 - 2 inches would be my guess.
I can only move my left thumb back and fourth at 190bpm, where as my right thumb can oscillate at 340bpm. I've been playing traditional grip for 3 years, and this seems to be my limiting factor. Any suggestions?
Are you saying you can do 8th notes at 190bpm with your left thumb?
@@ChuckBarchuk nope, quarter notes. I sat down with a metronome and tried to figure out exactly how fast I could move my left thumb without a stick
@@smartaIec How fast can you go with a stick?
@@ChuckBarchuk 8th notes at 150. Right hand is at about 250.
@@smartaIec Well man I think you're doing great. If you can get up to 200bpm then that's plenty of speed to pretty much play anything out there. Beyond that is just gravy. My only advice is to keep working that thumb. It's a muscle. As drummers this is how we work out...lol. So the only secret is repetition just like lifting weights. If you're really practicing a lot I don't see why you wouldn't hit 200 in a few weeks easily.
Please help me I cannot get this. It just feels like I'm turning a doorknob. I can't get the bounce
ruclips.net/video/1ewi1u2hlro/видео.html
Dude looks easy to do but, with small hands ✋ it's harder to do ! Does it mean I have to grow my hands ✋
Bigger ??
I’ve watched multiple vids but I still cant develop speed with finger control, I have muscle in my hand, but all that technique sort of “chokes” all the speed and I end up not going fast, when I try to isolate my thumb from my hand, it hurts and I can’t physically do it. When I try to isolate my thumb, it gets so frustrating!
Thanks for the comment Braden. Finger control in general can be somewhat difficult to develop regardless of which version of it you're trying to master. Finger (or thumb) isolation is hard in the beginning if you're not use to it. My recommendation is try out all the methods I've shown on my page and see if there's one that seems a tiny bit easier than the others. If one does happen to stand out then go with that one. Also don't worry about speed. Your focus should just be to the get the stick going using only the fingers. So go as slow as necessary. It's just like dribbling a basketball. Your fingers need to move in sync with the rebound of the stick. That takes a bit of coordination so patience is key. Good luck.
Chuck Barchuk Thank you!
Absolutely. A good benchmark goal to shoot for is being able to do a measure of 16ths on each hand at 100bpm. That's not a top end speed by any stretch but it's a good target to shoot for which is all the speed you'll ever need and then some.
Chuck Barchuk I have been following the technique (moving your finger in sync with the rebound of the stick) can you make a video on that?
I'm doing just that at the 2:00 marker. Is that what you mean?
Matched is much more comfortable
For some reason I can't get it up to speed. Much slower than you
Keep at it bud. Drumming is a lot like working out. You gotta do a lot of repetitions and as you do you're fingers and wrists will get stronger and faster.
i wish i could me u an congratulate u
so have I been playing traditional wrong?
Depends, how you been playing it?
FINALLY A TEACHER SHOWING THE CORRECT WAY !!!!!!! THANK U SIR 4 NOT TEACHING THE MATCH GRIP THAT ANY IDIOT CAN DO !!
Lol, thanks for the comment Martin. You made my day bud.
THANK U 2 CHUCK , UR VIDEO HAS GIVEN ME GREAT WRIST CONTROL , IF REALLY LIKE 2 C MORE FROM U AND THOSE OTHER IDIOTS TEACHING MATCH GRIP R GOING 2 RUIN FUTURE DRUMMERS ANY PLANS IN DRUMMING THE RIGHT WAY AS BUDDY'S VIDEO TELLS IT ALL .
Do not try doing that really fast with a marching drumstick
great lesson, but have trouble hearing you..
Thank you and I'm sorry about the audio. This was shot in the beginning of my channel so I was still figuring things out. Maybe I should re-shoot this one.
Yes. it is a great lesson. ..!
Us older drummers' ears are not as good as they used to be ..
Explain : Long time talking ,but no exercises !!!