Hello Students,
Your first lesson assignment is how to hold drum sticks properly. I gave you a materials “Stick Grips” and “5 Tips of how to hold drum sticks properly. We learned “Matching Grip” and I explained to you how Matching grip (German Grip) is powerful and importance of producing clean sounds. Here are 5 steps you MUST learn to play properly:
- Angle of sticks: You must create triangle shape when you hold the sticks.
- Hands: Make sure that hands position looks a parallel. In addition, sit straight and open your chest and arm that a fist would fit between your arm and chest.
- Fingers: Make sure thumb and second fingers are parallel while holding sticks and need hold tightly. If you don’t grab tightly, the stick won’t bouncing and losing control.
- Wrists: Relax your wrists and think whether you are padding a puppy or playing a bouncing ball. I want you play strong and would like to more see your wrists motion.
- Stick bouncing: Check steps 1-4 before do number 5. All the steps have a connection to each other. Look carefully and fix it if anything is incorrect. After check 1-4 steps, playing drum just like a padding puppy or playing bouncing ball. Do not press with your fingers or wrists because it causes wrists injury as time goes by.
Make sure do not lose your grip (tightness of thumb and second finger) because there would be no core of clean sounds. As I mentioned to you, producing clean sounds is just like speaking clearly to people.
As you master these basics, you’ll start to see different homework for each of you.
Happy Practice!