T1B

Do you prefer "traditional grip" or "matched grip" for your playing style?

Good question...

I always played matched grip...my drum instructor was pretty fluid at both and he usually played traditional...I find I have more power and control with matched...of course if I worked on Trad it might be different...but at this stage and age with not a bevy of practice time I make matched work fine...

plus given the style of music (rock, metal) that I play...matched works much better.

If I ever do actually get around to buying a kit someday, I will work on my traditional grip. Matched is easier and feels better, but, look at the greatest drummers in the world, mostly jazz drummers. Seems like just about all the greats play traditional.

As for having more power with matched, I guess buddy rich never got the memo. He had huge power and other fukking worldly speed. And from what I have read, he said there are things you can do with the left hand playing traditional that are impossible playing matched. I don't think it is possible to play as smoove a one handed roll with matched grip.

Whatever this guy uses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pah4roiQ ... re=related

War Wagon wrote:Whatever this guy uses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pah4roiQ ... re=related

Correction.

Whatever this guy uses...

Bonham is the man.....when it comes to heavy metal rock drumming, but, he can't hold a candle to Rich, Morello or Papa Jo Jones. Each of those guys played traditional. Also check out the gadd, weckl, colaiutua 3 way drumfest. These guys pwn any modern rock drummer, imo. All traditional style.

smackaholic wrote: As for having more power with matched, I guess buddy rich never got the memo.

Ages ago I talked with a drummer from the Glen Miller Orchestra (Paul Robson?) He opened up a fairly successful drum school and took his pupils to see Buddy Rich and lived to regret it.
Said it took a month getting them to start holding their sticks properly again. 'you're not Buddy f*cking Rich'!!

Dr_Phibes wrote:

smackaholic wrote: As for having more power with matched, I guess buddy rich never got the memo.

Ages ago I talked with a drummer from the Glen Miller Orchestra (Paul Robson?) He opened up a fairly successful drum school and took his pupils to see Buddy Rich and lived to regret it.
Said it took a month getting them to start holding their sticks properly again. 'you're not Buddy f*cking Rich'!!

Did they hunch over real bad too?

BR was clearly from a different species. Didn't sit up straight, held his sticks funny, but, day'um, who the fukk can argue with the results? He really was a freak of nature.

Probably was instilled with his otherworldly talent by one of his fellow zioashkenazi homeboys.

I know many of the great Session, studio, and other drummer that have been mentioned...Weckl, etc play traditional...as did Buddy, Gene K, etc...I just prefer matched and I get more power out of matched...

wish I had the time to switch to traditional and work on it...but practice time is limited...


so does anyone give Neil credit for playing both rather well? His burning for Buddy tribute was spectacular...I highly recommend Anatomy of a drum Solo...

Peart has spent a lot of time working on his traditional grip and uses it when he does his BR tribute during his solos.

As for getting power, I think part of it is spending a lot of time working at it. Another factor is hand size. (Save your penis resets, vapid fukkstiks). I think that you have to have some decent sized paws to get good power with a traditional grip.

Odd -- I was talking with a drummer buddy ober (many) beers the other night about similar subjects...

He thinks traditional is the shiz... if you're in a drum and bugle corps and are bouncing a snare off one knee.

Dinsdale wrote:Odd -- I was talking with a drummer buddy ober (many) beers the other night about similar subjects...

He thinks traditional is the shiz... if you're in a drum and bugle corps and are bouncing a snare off one knee.

It's pretty much mandatory if you are marching with a snare/field drum. If he is implying that it is inferior to playing matched on a kit, well, he's got a lot to learn about drumming. There are awesome matched grip drummers, but, most of the straight up fucking drum gawds play traditional.