In defense of traditional grip!.

If the trad grip is so superior, why don't you hold your RIGHT stick that way?

I think the fact that there happen to be a lot of great trad players makes people think the grip is better, or allows better flow.

But that neglects for the most part the AGE of these guys. Until the 70's (or in some cases later), most "legit" drummers in America were taught traditional grip. Vinnie, Weckl, Gadd, etc. all come from that era. So do I. I switched eventually, and primarily play matched now, but some things STILL feel better to me when I play traditional, simply because I've played that way longer.

To assume that the trad left-hand grip somehow enables you to play with a delicacy or flow that a matched grip won't provide is flawed logic. Your own right hand proves that drums can be played quite nicely with that grip.

I'm not anti-trad. I use it sometimes, and I happen to think it looks cool. But to suggest that matched grip somehow limits a drummer's ability to flow, or dictates the kind of strokes he uses, to me seems ludicrous. With Weckl, Vinnie, et al, all you have to do is look at their RIGHT hands, which seem to have no problem at all playing doubles or "flowing."

My two cents...


Mr. A.

I think these posts are basically opinions...Whatever happens to work for you...use it! I don't think that it's healthy to pontificate on the subject. Everyone is different and that is the way it should be.

True, true.

I inevitably agree with FT, Mr. A, & Sash on the subj, here....

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 18, 2003 05:12 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>

2-cents, and maybe some nonsense......

For the scientists in all of us:matched is suited 2 the natural movement of our wrists.Virgil recommends matched, as do many trad. players.

Ive posted b4 that Dom and i had a lengthy talk about the 2 grips with Tony being the centerpiece of the talk.

Tony was nearly 100% matched grip genius near his passing. He intimated to Dom that he wished he was taught that when he was a boy-genius.I said to Dom that i switched to give my playing a new feel.Dom said the same of his matched grip change.His playing is a bit different too now.But hes (to his own admission) still shedding it.

I always thought Dom played beautifully w. trad. grip.Then again(as i feel all drummers should be versed)he employees an array of grips.
(of course now dropping trad. all together.)

Personally i will never go back to matched.I feel comforted(ironically enuff) by some Tony quotes about leftside/rightside;matched grip= a neutered expression on the drums.

IT IS a very very difficult grip to learn and maintain.

Ive mentioned b4 too that that there are many variations of the grip.My theory about that is really that trad. grip players carve a personal version of trad. based soley on their physiology.Yet most have guides that are common.

I believe Vinnie has the most evolved left hand grip ive ever seen.

Watching Virgil closely(clinic review comin soon!!)reminds me of Tonys left hand.Very involved about the tuning and touch of the snare.

Jo-Jo has a fantastic take on the grip too.

Did u know Matt Cameron is a predominent Trad grip player??

The grip has served me well.If u saw a pic of me ,u could hypothosize, that it looks freaky that a 'dude' like me uses that grip.

Ryan from The Devin Townshend band gets a chuckle out of the power i can get.

Im happy(still not quite content) about my progress w. the grip.

Its the most technically challenging change in my studies.

Learning to lead w. my left,ive just discovered makes my linear studies come to life(ever wonder why Vinnie never cross sticks!!??)

................all my best .........beats

What is so interesting to me is the fact that there are many different grips within the titles "matched and traditional." I never have given much thought to'he's playing matched or he's playing traditional.' I'm listening first and foremost. Think about Stevie Wonder...he plays his ass off(Innervisions is one of my all time fav's)and he can't even see his hands. He doesn't care! He's making music and his hands are an extension of his soul matched or trad. I personally play trad. because that is what my hands do,instinctively. All grips are tangible means for expression...

Funny you should mention Stevie Wonder. At the Gregg Bissonette clinic, Gregg told a great story about how he auditioned to play with Stevie right after moving to LA.

Obviously he didn't get the gig. But he told a story about how Stevie came over to the kit, picked up the sticks, full fisted grip, no fulkrum (sp?) or balance/pivot point at all, and played the most incredible, funky, grooving beat, and said "drummer, could you play something like that?" And Gregg said "um, no.."

Gregg's point, grip REALLY doesn't matter that much. Stevie didn't care about his grip and he could groove like crazy.

Danny

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 18, 2003 08:47 PM: Message edited by: ladanny ]</font>

there goes the "why can't you use trad with the right hand?" argument again.

not to say it's better but just in "defense" of it, the drum set is historically a trad grip instrument. trad grip players invented the set and the way it's set up. that's why a lot of trad players today feel like it's so comfortable and natural. the hihat, snare, bass, cymbals were all first layout to the comforts of trad players, not matched. i'm sure if a matched player invented the set it would look a lot more symmetrical. this is why i think for the way a drumset is set up, trad grip is more natural and efficient. you tell me why mostly trad players are raising the bar even today. EVEN the newer guys like virgil and lang prefer trad. maybe setting up the drums more bilaterally can increase efficiency for matched guys. i dunno.

EXACTLY!!!! I remember that story from GB..

I understand what you're saying about the "traditonal set-up." I do,in fact,tilt my snare away from me...just enough to make it comfortable. Also,I set everything lower,ie toms,cymbals,etc. I use a 20 kick and shallow toms,so I'm able to do this. Once again,it works for me...

I think that my comments would use "flawed logic" if both hands played the same kind of strokes at all times.
This is not the case.
The style that most trad grip players play entails WAY more double strokes with the left hand then the right. Ghost notes alone dictate that. The right plays doubles as well, but nowhere near the amount of the left. Trad grip is better for playing doubles IMO, that's why it works so well.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 20, 2003 01:39 PM: Message edited by: Steve Holmes ]</font>