Trad Help

[Clintuplet]

I know there have been several posts about trad. grip but I don't recall any about stick slippage. I'm starting to experiment with the grip but get a little frustrated hitting the rewind button on Weckl's technique vid when he talks about the slippage issue. I'm still not "getting it" on how he keeps the stick from slipping. What am I missing? Steve, did he touch on this when you took lessons with him?
Thanks for any advice.

Clint

[Nikk]

No, I'm not Steve but I will try to help...

The grip center in the left hand is in the crook between the thumb and index finger. You must hold the stick tight enough so that it does not slip, yet loose enough to avoid muscular tension. Also, make sure that your middle finger remains straight and alongside the length of the stick. I notice that I have the slippage problem generally more in the morning when I practice than at night. It's a strange phenomenon. Maybe the coffee has not hit me yet or something. Who knows? When this happens in the morning, I rub the lower half of the sticks really hard, trying to create friction and a sort of sticky surface from sweat. Strange as this sounds, it actually does help. One other thing, make sure the stick travels absolutely straight up and down (I refer you to Buddy's left hand for example.) This also helps anti-slippage. Man, Tool rules. I'm listening to them right now. Sorry. Random. Hope this helps!

[jonthibault]

I've been playing trad exclusively for about a year and a half, and I'm really happy with the technique itself. I'm pretty comfortable with it (I can do the Weckl finger control thing, at least), though my right hand is still stronger. That's a problem for most of us, I imagine.

Nikk says he gets some sweat on the stick to make it sticky, and that really does work. I actually lick the space between the thumb and the index finger, and that really does the trick. Also, the new Weckl sticks, with their varnish, are innately sticky-feeling, which I prefer over a smooth non-varnished stick.

That would be a great question to ask Weckl himself. If anyone sees him in clinic, maybe they can ask and relay you the answer.

[Steve Holmes]

No he didn;t discuss that with me. I'm afraid I'm not of much use, I don't really have that problem. I vaugely remember it being an issue years ago but I think it just went away over time, as the muscles got more used to controling the stick but not choking it.