Some general druming questions.

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capnkid

capnkid

Optimus Prime
1. At what height do YOU place YOUR snare? and does it have a tilt to it?
2. How far do you choke up on the drumsticks? and is your pinky off or on the stick when you play?
3. Are your thighs parallel to the floor at your throne height?

I made a little video on my camera, I could post it if you guys could give me some pointers.
 
Well obviously i cant speak for everyone but i have my snare just bit higher than my knees and tilted downwards towards me about 30 degrees. I have it like that so I wont accidentally hit the rim but i can do a rimshot easily if needed. But thats all about personal taste, no right or wrong. I dont choke up on the sticks much at I play with my hands basically all the way at the end of the stick, but with my pinky still on it. I have my seat adjusted so that my thighs are parallel to the floor when I have my feet on the pedals, heels up.
 
1) whatever is comfortable
2) whatever is comfortable
3) whatever is comfortable
 
Snare is a bit higher than my thighs with about a 2 degree tilt towards me. I like it pretty close to flat because just about every snare hit is a rimshot.

Pinky on the sticks, pretty close to the end of the stick.

Thighs are on a slight angle down when resting on the pedals.
 
Thighs parallel to the floor, snare angled slightly toward me (so I can play match grip or switch to traditional and still be able to hit rim shots either way). The low end of the angled batter head (the side closest to me) is about 2" higher than my leg.

I hold the sticks with my index finger just shy of the middle of the stick which places my pinky about 2"-2 1/2" from the end butt. In matched grip (which I mostly use) my right pinky is off the stick when playing the ride or the hi-hat but does make light contact with the stick when hiitting the drums. My left pinky is always in light contact with the stick in matched grip.

I had to go down to the studio and pick up a pair of sticks - I never really think about how I hold sticks I just grab the sticks, count to for and play :D
 
There's a way to figure out the best place to hold a stick for the most bounce. Though, like Supercreep said, it's about what's the most comfortable.

Take your stick in your hand in a matched (regular) grip position, with your thumb on top parallel with the floor. Now let go of the stick and let it just balance on your 1st finger. It should fall on the drum. You should have it so that it bounces off the drum a few times on it's own. If you're holding it too high or too low, you'll get little or no bounce.
I probably didn't explain it very well. There's a video that shows what I'm talking about that I'll try to find and post.
 
Get Dave Weckl´s "Back to Basics"... an amazing video that will help you to set (and most importantly, play) your drumset in a confortable way...

Seriously, just get it...

Cheers...
 
JuliánFernández said:
Get Dave Weckl´s "Back to Basics"... an amazing video that will help you to set (and most importantly, play) your drumset in a confortable way...

Seriously, just get it...

Cheers...
I second that. And it might even be in that video that he illustrates what I tried to explain about gripping the sticks.
 
I agree about Back To Basics - I think this is the best video in the Weckl series
 
capnkid said:
1. At what height do YOU place YOUR snare? and does it have a tilt to it?
2. How far do you choke up on the drumsticks? and is your pinky off or on the stick when you play?
3. Are your thighs parallel to the floor at your throne height?

I made a little video on my camera, I could post it if you guys could give me some pointers.

I'll fourth the "Back To Basics" reccomendation. Great video!

But since you asked...

1. I like my snare drum up high, it's on about a 20 to 30 degree tilt and the bottom of the high end comes up above my knees. I'm 6'2" though so it's a lot more comfortable up high. I switch between matched and trad. grip quite a bit too.

2. I don't choke up much on my sticks at all, my pinky is on the stick, right at the butt end.

3. Every so slightly at a downward angle when my feet are on the pedals
 
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