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Traditional grip - Why?


Professor

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Just curious …

Why are snares still using traditional grip?

Background: As many of you know, traditional grip was intended for slanted side drums of decades (and centuries) ago. Back in the early 80’s, a “discovery” went the rounds of drum corps that implied that you only use about 3 muscles in your left arm when you drum with traditional grip and considerably more when you use match grip. Consequently, many drum corps switched their snare lines to match grip. This also made sense because snares were now carried flat.

However, it didn’t last. I’ve always wondered why not. Does anyone know?

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Traditional grip is still very popular in drum corps, maybe due more to

tradition than anything else. Matched grip is being used more and more

in school band programs. In doing some research on this topic, I found

that the great majority of beginning percussionists are now taught to use

matched grip.

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You see … That just reinforces how perplexing this is. Many drum corps, including Blue Devils, went to matched grip in the early 80’s. So you have a bunch of talented snare drummers (potential instructors) who are familiar with the style.

And, yes, it is considered appropriate now for beginners to start off learning matched grip, because it’s much easier, especially in high schools as mentioned. So, considering the complexity of percussion music and the amount of control needed to march and play at the same time, why would a drumline choose to switch back to a more difficult way of drumming – especially when a major aspect of drum corps is to grab every advantage that you can? Surely, appearance of traditional grip does not outweigh practicality.

I can sort-of understand that – NOW - everyone is pretty well back to doing traditional grip, so that’s what they are accustomed to. But why did they all switch back in the first place?

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You see … That just reinforces how perplexing this is. Many drum corps, including Blue Devils, went to matched grip in the early 80’s.

:ph34r: What? where do you get your information? Blue Devils have Never used match grip!

you must be thinking SCV.

personally I think match grip although has it's merits just plain looks stupid on a snare line.

plus you cant do the cool backsticking.

If you go and watch SCV or 27th Lancers you can tell which drummers used to be Tenors and which ones used to be trad. players.

(The ex Traditional players always have an akward twist to their playing)

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You see … That just reinforces how perplexing this is. Many drum corps, including Blue Devils, went to matched grip in the early 80’s.

:huh: What? where do you get your information? Blue Devils have Never used match grip!

you must be thinking SCV.

My bad ... I went and double-checked the video from BD's percussion DVD back in the early 80's. The quality of the video is pretty crappy (and no close-ups), so it looked to me like they were using match grip. They actually were for at least a portion of a show one year because of the added drums on the sides of the snares (but that doesn't really apply).

Still, snare lines were doing this around that time.

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traditonal grip is alot easier to play when you have tilted sanre, like scv. The egronomic for the grip is easier to use than the normal way

Right … That’s what I was saying at the start. Which, again, reinforces this “habit”. SCV realized that drumming traditional grip on a flat surface was not as practical as the original intention of drumming on an angled surface.

I just find it interesting that, in an activity that seeks perfection, people go out of their way to do something the hard way … just for the occasional flash, or because it “appears” to look good because we are used to seeing it that way.

Still, back sticking and such, although infrequent, is cool. And I know snare drummers who would not play as well match grip because they were raised on traditional.

Anyway, it all makes for an interesting discussion :ph34r:

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I was trained in traditional grip and played this way as a snare in the 60's and 70's.

(I'm the knucklehead on the right in my avatar using traditional grip - don't I look good in a kilt?)

We had slings and angled snares so it made sense.

BUT - single tenors played matched grip in the 60's and to me, it seemed awkward since you had to raise your left elbow to get the right angle on the drum (if you were trained in traditional grip)!

Now that snares are flat, it shouldn't matter which grip is used, since the head is level and both hands can lay down the same way, so if corps are using traditional more and more, it must be more of a "tradition" thing and whichever the instructor prefers!

Both have their place!

Edited by RobH
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From an educational perspective. Unless the student or percussionist started learnin traditional early enough from a private instructor. I would not teach it. Since playing Trad on a flat snare is harder and takes alot more practice and skill. And as far as cleaning a program. Since the snare line having been playing matched since early grades, generally, they know that they best. I personally would have them play in matched. In essence "to heck with tradition" i'd go with what makes sense. "Tradition grip is to Slant snares : Matched grip is to flat snares." its that simple for me. But to be honest I do like the look of watchin a line in traditional grip. It just gives an extra something to look of the playing, and of course there are a couple more tricks you can do that way too.

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