Learning the Matched Grip- Part 1-The Basics

[@Beelzebop2U]

Yep , thanks again Rick, I've played traditional grip for 30 years... but when I look at great players like yourself - Ari Hoenig - Bill stewart - etc and even my son who now shows me things using matched grip that I can't do as well, I see the advantages of using both techniques ( albeit a bit late ) and wish that I'd incorporated both techniques into my playing a lot earlier. On the upside I'm enjoying the different feel and freedom of the matched grip...

[@will9523]

Having watched every lesson I could find on matched grip I think this is the best set. Thank you for taking the time to break it down!

[@m.vonhollen6673]

One of the most interesting teachers on YT!

[@Anton_Nikolaus_Mangweth]

It’s again me: I always come back to your advices..I tried so much different fulcrums …but yours is at the least the way to go too! Thanks Rick for everything you do!!! Toni from austria

[@TIMG128]

Another great video Rick thank you. I am about the same age as you and have been playing for about 50 years too. I have never had any problems with hands or anything so I guess you are spot on! Keep it up!!

[@lastmilieu]

Ask and ye shall receive!! Thank you for this Rick, I can't wait to dig in.

[@paparingo5163]

Great video, thanks!

[@mambodaddy6042]

Great video nice teaching..!

[@markielinhart]

Thank you so much Rick, great video especially for a beginner drummer like myself… 👏🇦🇺✌️

[@saulmighty]

You're lucky, I wish I had seen this as a beginner drummer. Spent so much time being angry that my hands hurt all the time. This happened despite having a drum teacher when I started playing... Proper technique allows you to concentrate on the music!

[@beverlynelson6431]

Your lesson is full of a lot of good advice, especially for beginners like me. You convinced me that learning the match grip (left hand) from the very beginning, along with the left hand traditional grip, is a very good idea and will speed up the learning process in creating an efficient mastery of both hands. What I was disappointed about your lesson is that you did not spend enough time on the positioning of the fingers for the match grip along with slow practice in the gradual training of the finger movement mastering of the matched grip. I can see that this will require hours of repetitive practice which I am willing to do. What would help is a few examples at a very slow pace....building over time to develop the left hand matched grip, starting with simple rudiments. Much appreciation.

[@rickdior]

Hi Beverly What I would suggest would be for you to take a lesson from a experienced teacher/pro drummer who lives near you. That way they could make corrections to your hand position in real time. This would insure that you would not develop any bad habits.

[@radokostadinov4890]

You explain soo good . Thank you so much for your time and effort 😘

[@Six3rdy]

I have a couple questions. 1) So the full stroke is not good form? I'm asking because that full stroke is a favorite of mine, and it's gonna be hard to part with it. Plus, what should be my replacement technique for that?😅 2) What's your opinion on Moeller technique? The whipping motion made technique so much simpler for me. I'd like to know your thoughts.

[@andrebanini]

As always, excellent teaching and performance and very inspiring 🤩🥁

[@Freddy-Da-Freeloadah]

@5:26 I work with my hands. I have learned that when my hands are sore, the "squirrel grip" (I call it "Thumbs Up") makes it likely my wrists will get injured. So I avoid the "Thumbs Up" grip, even to the point of using my pinky as a fulcrum!!! The Pinky Grip works great for shuffle rhythms! But sometimes I enjoy the feel of Thumbs Up. It's just different. IMHO

[@davidfriedlaender4130]

Another great video, thank you I personally need the technique improvement

[@jojothetasmaniansassmonkey8866]

nice and crispy

[@robertiezzi1329]

hi i love your videos , i wanted to ask you , were did you get the practice pad ? did you make it ? i love it , any other pad just never feels like a real head ...

[@offbeat74]

Hello Rick thanks for this video. I was wondering... I hear drummers talk about the balance of a drumstick.. what your opinion about this?? greetings from Amsterdam!

[@jaakkot9661]

Hi Rick. I'm curious about your take on open handed playing for balancing hands.

[@rickdior]

Hi I have a video all about that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGnCY5mOaLWki8k

[@rondeangelis7384]

Nice rick reinforcing the idea that matched grip is indeed important also As far as isolation of the wrist. Would you hold the wrist with other hand or do you have a particular method for isolating the wrist? 👌

[@rickdior]

Hi Ron I don't hold the wrist with my other hand but I just try to isolate as best as I can. The wrist will move a bit at first until the fingers get stronger.

[@chrisgoodchild2204]

Many thanks for this video! I am struggling a little with my fulcrum when employing finger strokes. Starting with my thumb on the side and the stick between the first and second forefinger joint, I find that after a couple of strokes the stick travels quite a bit, even above the second joint. My natural inclination is to apply more pressure at the fulcrum when it occurs but this increases tension. I do find that with my thumb on top of the stick things are more stable, but the trade-off seems to be control as there is more lateral movement of the stick. This is all much more apparent in my left (weak) hand but present in both. I suppose I just need to practice more and perhaps slower?

[@rickdior]

Hi Chris Yes, you need to practice slowly and as relaxed as possible. The reason that the stick is slipping is most likely because of lack of development in the hand muscle between your first finger and thumb. When you try to play faster you are losing control of the stick and your brain is telling your hand to grip higher up so you don't lose the stick. It takes a while to develop this strength because there are not a lot of other activities that use this type of grip, and it is not instinctual. Be patient and try to use as much rebound as possible. you can experiment with applying a little more pressure between the gripping fingers. Try doing a variety of different stickings. Stick Control is good for this as are the Morello books.

[@chrisgoodchild2204]

@@rickdior thanks so much for the advice!

[@ReffyRef]

Rick, it seems that towards the end of the closed roll, your ring and pinky finger do indeed come off the stick. Can you explain exactly what "Team B" is doing during closed rolls? Thank you for this great video!

[@rickdior]

Hi Matthew With my closed rolls I slightly lift my pinky and ring finger to get a light tap at the end. No such movement with open rolls.

[@Six3rdy]

Aye aye aye aye, check this out........ Matched grip is unmatched. 😎😎😎 Ok, y'all gotta admit, this wasn't a bad pun. Normally I walk away. 🚶🏾‍♂️ But I stand by this pun! 🧍🏾‍♂️ Also, incredible video.

[@daveturner2913]

Interesting that using matched grip with left hand strengthens different muscles than the traditional grip. Have you ever warmed up your right hand with traditional grip as well? (Not that you need any improvement on either hand!).

[@LukeTang-t8l]

That’s actually a good idea

[@alansmith7857]

Hey Rick,do you think there could be a little right brain-left brain thing going on with traditional grip due to the different muscles involved?I seem to feel this sometimes playing straight ahead and bop grooves even though I'm primarily a matched grip player.Sort of a yin -yang effect.

[@rickdior]

Hi Alan There could be but I think it really depends on how you play during the formative years that molds how your body reacts to a particular grip. There are certainly plenty of Jazz drummers who play great with the matched grip. I do think the traditional grip looks right for me since I grew up watching all the great Jazz drummers using it.

[@kenberg4272]

What kind of sticks are those you're using in that video

[@rickdior]

Hi These are Leopardwood sticks that I make. You can see all of my sticks at www.rickdior.com/sticks

[@ACLOCKWORKDRUMMER]

Rick,did you study with my teacher Henry Adler?

[@rickdior]

Hi No, I did not.

[@xenprovence6126]

Rick, please help! I have for many years worked on a matched grip much like yours. Now, I feel at an impasse. Most drummers I admire play with what some call with the “back of the hand” using almost all wrist. After a few brush up lessons with a noted drummer describes the doubles rebound I use as sloppy and prone to timing issues. He recommends doubles up to 120 using only wrist strokes. After working on his program I do feel my time is more accurate, settled and much more controlled, as he says, “it’s all me” not relying on rebound. I’m torn, on the drums I always admired the beauty of rebound but when I listen back the wrist work approach just sounds better. Any advice? Thanks!

[@rickdior]

If you don't use your fingers on the rebound, you will not be able to play perfectly clean doubles at all tempos. Also, if you want to play clean doubles at all dynamic levels, especially softly, you must use your fingers with the rebound.