Basic Stick Technique For Beginners
Welcome newbie drummers! This is the best place for you to start your journey into the world of drumming. It is an important lesson for every beginner to watch. Let’s have a talk about basic stick technique, that is, HOW you hold the drumsticks and HOW you actually play on a drum.
There’s a science to how we play on a drum with reasonably good stick technique and you need to know it. Those drumsticks aren’t baseball bats and for you to be a good drummer, you should learn how to use them. This is the key to playing accurately, fast and with good control.
I’ll show you how to hold the drumsticks correctly as well as how to strike a drum with good technique. After the lesson, we’ll try playing a steady rhythm on the Snare Drum together, so that you can practice good stick technique along with me.
Stick Technique and Synchronization
Another important aspect of drumming is synchronization. When we play music we have to be in sync with the other musicians in the band. When we play along to music with headphones, we need to be able to sync up and match with the music. Some people have a pretty good natural feel for rhythm but others may need to learn that.
Synchronization comes from splitting your listening attention. Half of your attention must be on you and your playing while the other half must be paying attention to whom you are playing with. In the 2nd half of the lesson, i’ll give you an exercise that you can play along with me to practice your stick technique, listening and synchronization skills.
Take this lesson to heart and it will get you started on the right track. You will gain a better understanding of HOW to practice all of the lessons and the included material that follows. Godspeed newbies!
** There is NO PDF worksheet associated with this lesson.
If you would rather watch my condensed lesson video on YouTube, please click here.
The notes you see written below are called 1/4 notes (quarter). Notice that these notes are written on the 2nd space (from the top) of the musical staff. Anytime you see notes written in this space, it is meant to be played on the Snare Drum. Above the staff you will see the corresponding sticking pattern. R, L, R, L and below the staff is the count of each note you play.
I never knew I was holding the sticks wrong this whole time but definitely a different feel and much eat here way to play the drums
Iām so glad to hear it Mick! You will find that little technique adjustment will continue to benefit you.
Keep up the great work!
Hi Keven, I saved my progress for this lesson. When I came back my progress did not up. I shoiw always 0% when I came back form the lesson overview. Regards, Peter
Hi Peter, Thanks for letting me know. I changed some settings and tested it and the progress seems to be working ok for me. Would you mind trying again to see if the issue has been resolved?
Thanks so much!
Do you have any lessons about setting up the kit? Sometimes I feel like my hands hit the top of my thighs, and I’m not sure if that’s correct.
Great question Robert. A full setup guide is currently in the works for my YouTube channel. Here’s an old setup video from the archive. https://vimeo.com/141950954/eb98bbce70
If you skip to 5:00 you will find answers to your questions.
If your hands hit the top of your thighs, that is not ideal. The Snare and Floor Tom should be approximately as high as your belt line when you’re sitting. If you still hit the top of your thighs, then you could be sitting too low. If you try raising your throne by half an inch and Snare/Floor Tom so that they are at your belt line, that should remedy the problem.
Hope that helps š
Thanks. This is helpful. There are so many variables (and opinions from others!) that it makes it hard to know what’s right.