Piper Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Have you ever seen a snare line that has had any degree of success with match grip in Drum Corps? I never have. SCV probably had a good line in 05', but one of the first things that their perc staff announced for 06' auditions was that they would be returning to traditional grip. Having been on the recieving end (not SCV) I can attest to the fact that perc judges don't like snares playing match grip. You know why? Because their natural tendancy is to think that someone in that line can't play traditional and the line is trying to hide it, and that gets them twisted. But they're not always wrong. I've seen snare lines try to "cover up" that way - not many, but a few over the years (and no not SCV) in fact it was my own. We had a kid who went from tenor to snare and was a great drummer, but his left hand never developed the dexterity to play traditional, so the rest of us had to flick our wrists and play the season match grip (it was a lot harder than I thought it would be). We didn't mind though. He was a good kid and one of our brothers (not Madison). Anyway, the brass people seem to be having a good time here debating various issues, and good for them....as long as they don't forget who beats the drum. :P Go ahead you slammers.....chime in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGarrett Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Well, if you go waaaayy back to 1978, SCV was match grip and played (as usual) a really great book. I think they switched over once or twice in that show, maybe not... . The next year Guardsmen went match grip and played a very demanding show, but had little success in percussion. SkyRyders were match grip somewhere in there, as were Colts. And of course, Troopers were match grip for many years. I believe Madison played match grip in 1983 and again one year in the '90's. I remember just when it seemed like everyone was trying to do the SCV thing and see what it was all about, SCV went back to conventional grip! b**bs Nobody had the success with match grip that SCV did in '78, though... I never really cared for playing match grip myself. I had played conventional grip since grade school and the Haskell Harr method books, with the old Frank Arsenault style being taught when I was learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxVSoprano Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 bc men play trad grip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidfromthepit Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 matched grip is much more conventional and is easily applicable all around the percussion world...but traditional looks cooler...if lines would tilt their drums...it would be easily justified and more comfortable for the drummers...and look even cooler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OboeBrad Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Traditional is a thousand times better... Matched just looks unprofessional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TastyWaves Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Traditional is a thousand times better...This is already a tired argument thats already gotten old, but im a sucker! lol There is no "better" or worse. its a style prefference. Nothing more. Taking any snareline who plays traditional grip and changing them to matched will not "clean them up". Its not "easier" its just a different look. Either one requires practice. You can play with your toes if you practice enough. Matched just looks unprofessional. Unprofessional? I dont think so. If it is i guess i better start teaching my bass, tenor and pit ensembles to play traditional grip. Stick to the Oboe brother. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BozzlyB Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 SCV also played matched grip in 1994 and rocked the house with that line. As for switching a whole line from traditional to matched to cover up one person not being able to play traditional, well, thats about the most idiotic thing I've ever heard of. For one thing, most people that have considered snare their primary instrument and put the time into being proficient at traditional, would be no better at matched than the matched player who is uncomfortable with the traditional grip. It's not as though traditional players are by default as good at matched grip, unless of course they have spent an equal amount of time perfecting matched grip. Tyler Dempsy of SCV was a great example of this. He did a freakish snare solo in 95 or 96 if memory serves, where he switched from matched to traditional, to RIGHT hand traditional and then BOTH hands traditional and was equally proficient with all four grips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geluf Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Its really getting harder to justify traditional grip nowadays. But it still looks cooler. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyboy Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 What really gets me, and it is usually seen in alumni corps lines, is a few people with matched grip and the rest with traditional. The real problem with traditional on the high school level is that the kids never learn the right way to do it, and end up not being able to play with their claw grip. Begining lines play matched, once the kids get it play traditional. Yes, it looks cooler, especially with a tilted drum. Oh yea, that is how traditional developed, with a tilted drum. Look to the percussion forum for some thoughts on the tilt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 traditional all the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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