Why match?

[dedrummer]

Yes.

We all know that the traditional grip evolved from having the drum on a sling, which caused it to be at an angle. 

Once harnesses came into use (don't really know when... I'd say late 60's, early 70's, someone correct me if I'm wrong), the drum was then flat, there was no longer a need to hold the left stick differently than the right.

This "matched" grip is a lot more natural.  If someone asked you to pick up a stick or a branch, you wouldn't pick it up from the bottom with your palm up, and rest it on your ring finger while controlling it with your thumb and index.

The point is, drum corps saw no need to waste time teaching the kids an unnatural grip when there was no logical need for it.  This is why if you look at the 80's Legacy DVDs, you'll see a lot of lines playing matched.  I think even a bunch of the championship lines played matched.

I don't really know why, but traditional grip made a comeback in the 90's, and now everybody uses it.  Maybe it's because it's sexier.  It's interesting to look at these trends, and maybe in 10 years we'll see all lines playing matched.

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[dedrummer]

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Through the mid 70's we used straps and "levelers" on snares. Levelers were pieces of metal that followed the curve of the top rim. They had 6 or more holes and sat between two lugs on the rim. You'd connect your snap to the hole that made the snare relatively level to the ground. We also used to see homemade carriers for tymp's and tenors until about the mid 70's.

[oldtimedrummer]

If the concept of matched grip is so "organically correct", natural, etc..... why can't you throw a baseball equally well with each arm? Or write equally well with each hand? Or swing golf clubs equally well from each side? IMO, most people have a built-in, strongside/weakside make-up which applies to drumming just like the above mentioned sports. This makes using traditional grip very natural and balanced. Most of the greatest drummers in history used traditional grip as well, so how unnatural can it be? I'm not anti matched grip, it can work too. SCV and others proved that years ago.

Edited February 24, 2005 by oldtimedrummer

[charleschuchuta]

If nothing else, a trad snareline looks cooler than a matched.

I figure if you're playing matched, you might as well be playing tenors.

[Slow Adam]

If the concept of matched grip is so "organically correct", natural, etc..... why can't you throw a baseball equally well with each arm? Or write equally well with each hand? Or swing golf clubs equally well from each side?  IMO,  most people have a built-in, strongside/weakside make-up  which applies to drumming just like the above mentioned sports. This makes using traditional grip very natural and balanced.  Most of the greatest drummers in history used traditional grip as well, so how unnatural can it be? I'm not anti matched grip, it can work too. SCV and others proved that years ago.

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Left hand traditional is due to the tilt of snares on slings; Nothing to do with handedness. And if this argument were valid, wouldn't we be holding our right hands upside down instead, to compensate for the weaker left hand???

[zackiedude]

If the concept of matched grip is so "organically correct", natural, etc..... why can't you throw a baseball equally well with each arm? Or write equally well with each hand? Or swing golf clubs equally well from each side?  IMO,  most people have a built-in, strongside/weakside make-up  which applies to drumming just like the above mentioned sports. This makes using traditional grip very natural and balanced.  Most of the greatest drummers in history used traditional grip as well, so how unnatural can it be? I'm not anti matched grip, it can work too. SCV and others proved that years ago.

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Baseball doesn't teach symmetry.. you have one dominant hand and one catching hand. Percussion teaches symmetry.

The only place you learn traditional grip is for the marching activity and some set playing - if it was more natural and balanced than matched, wouldn't a majority of professional percussionists use it?

Edited February 24, 2005 by zackiedude

[Liam]

If the concept of matched grip is so "organically correct", natural, etc..... why can't you throw a baseball equally well with each arm? Or write equally well with each hand? Or swing golf clubs equally well from each side?   IMO,  most people have a built-in, strongside/weakside make-up  which applies to drumming just like the above mentioned sports. This makes using traditional grip very natural and balanced.  Most of the greatest drummers in history used traditional grip as well, so how unnatural can it be? I'm not anti matched grip, it can work too. SCV and others proved that years ago.

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Not to pile on, since a couple of other folks have responded to this one already ... but .... If the reason for traditional grip was simply a righty/lefty strong hand/weak hand thing, then wouldn't drum lines have a mix of "righty" traditional and "lefty" traditional? Instead, we all play right palm down/left palm up because that's the way the equipment used to fall. Interesting that you brought up golf as a point of reference. Many lefties for writing/throwing/etc play golf right handed. Why? Because it's harder to get left handed clubs (or used to be anyway). So they adapted to the equipment and play "righty". Same thing here.

Personally, I like the look of the traditional grip from a purely aesthetic standpoint. But ultimately, I appreciate the results most -- and am, as always, anticipating being amazed by the SCV line yet again !!!!

Edited February 24, 2005 by Liam

[tamadrummer04]

I think the matched looks pretty cool, to be honest....

[oldtimedrummer]

Baseball doesn't teach symmetry.. you have one dominant hand and one catching hand.  Percussion teaches symmetry. 

The only place you learn traditional grip is for the marching activity and some set playing - if it was more natural and balanced than matched, wouldn't a majority of professional percussionists use it?

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You and SlowAdam bring up many good points. You're correct that percussion teaches symentry, but what I'm saying is that the body has a natural, built-in, strong/weak makeup, and this weak/dominate physical makeup is what allows for the traditional grip to feel natural to many players. The skill, speed ,and ability of a player like a Buddy Rich, (and most DCI snare lines that play traditional for that matter), is pretty hard to deny. If traditional grip is that unnatural, how are so many players able to play with the skill and ability that they do?

Edited February 24, 2005 by oldtimedrummer

[oldtimedrummer]

Not to pile on, since a couple of other folks have responded to this one already ... but .... If the reason for traditional grip was simply a righty/lefty strong hand/weak hand thing, then wouldn't drum lines have a mix of "righty" traditional and "lefty" traditional? Instead, we all play right palm down/left palm up because that's the way the equipment used to fall. Interesting that you brought up golf as a point of reference. Many lefties for writing/throwing/etc play golf right handed. Why? Because it's harder to get left handed clubs (or used to be anyway). So they adapted to the equipment and play "righty". Same thing here.

Personally, I like the look of the traditional grip from a purely aesthetic standpoint. But ultimately, I appreciate the results most -- and am, as always, anticipating being amazed by the SCV line yet again !!!!

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I've seen many "lefty" set players play traditional backwards just as you describe, and , set their sets up "backwards" as well. It's an interesting topic, and you make some good points. When Im play set I use both grips, depending on the musical style. Sometimes matched feels more comfortable, but traditional feels the most natural for me on snare, concert or marching. Maybe I just too old and too set in my ways. :P

Edited February 24, 2005 by oldtimedrummer