How To Hold Drumsticks

Faster Hands & Feet (in 10 days)

Getting Started On The Drums

In this quick video, you’ll learn how to hold your drumsticks using matched grip.

Why hold drumsticks properly?
It’s important to hold your sticks in a way that feels natural. If you grip too tightly or force your hands into an odd position, you might cause an injury, or develop bad habits that can lead to injury. Good stick grip will give you more freedom and fluidity around the drum set – and will help your drumming sound even better.

Is there a right or wrong way to hold drumsticks?
Every drummer has their own technique that works best for them. Every drummer on Drumeo uses their own grip, and will teach you how to hold drumsticks in slightly different ways. In this video, you’ll learn how Jared Falk does it.

Find your natural hand position
Drop your hands down by your side. Let them completely relax. Then bring up your hands in front of you so they dangle (like a T-Rex). Now put a drumstick in your hand.

Find the fulcrum of the drumstick
The fulcrum will be the point at which the stick will receive the most natural rebound. While holding it, let the end drop down onto the snare drum. Count how many bounces you get. To find the fulcrum, you want to find the spot on the stick where you’ll get the most bounces.

If you hold it further forward or backward, you’ll get fewer bounces. Use rebound to your advantage – it’ll make playing drums much easier.

Position your fingers around the fulcrum
You can adjust your grip slightly based on how much power or control you want to get. You can have a middle finger fulcrum and use your index finger as a guide, have both the middle and index finger (for a little less finesse) distributing the pressure equally, or use the first joint of your index finger and thumb at the fulcrum, wrapping your the other fingers gently around the stick. Make sure your hand and fingers are still relaxed when you hold it.

The end of the stick should line up with the soft, fleshy part of your palm.

Now, repeat all of this with your other hand. ‘Match’ it, so to speak. You’re now ready to play with matched grip!

Try moving around the kit now. It’s okay if there’s a bit of a gap at the top of your hand (between your thumb and index finger), and it might open or close depending on what you’re trying to accomplish. The main thing to note is avoid the ‘death grip’ where your stick is unable to move in your hand while you’re holding it.

The three positions of matched grip
You should be aware of your body’s position. As you move around the kit, you might naturally turn your hand(s) a bit. Make adjustments if you need to.

German grip: Palms down, useful when you want a lot of power in each hit.

American grip: Hands turned up slightly, a good ‘base’ position for most styles of playing.

French grip: Thumbs up, good for intricate, controlled playing, or a softer stroke.

Playing drums means a lot of repetition. The sooner you can develop good technique, the lower your risk of injury. Holding drumsticks is easier than it looks, and it’s different for each drummer, so give this a try and see what’s most comfortable for you.

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[GarrySKs]

YES.. Bought the drum kit yesterday. Today I'm here. This was my very first drum lesson, so thanks a lot. I'll be 'stick'ing' around this channel for sure!

[fincajabali]

I am 51...just got my first Drum set after starting with my Mom's kitchen pans aged 3! Loving your educational videos..thank you for taking the time and effort to share!😁

[yakfishutah]

Turned 48 last month and decided I want to learn drums, and so I bought a practice pad and I searched out a video like this to make sure I'm getting a good start. This was exactly what I was looking for...now on to more basics. Thanks!

[arianarivadeneira]

A drummer friend taught me first how to hold the sticks properly, that happened 18 years ago; then I continued improving my guitar skills, no drums. Now that I own a drum kit, I was able to identify with Drumeo that I was holding them correctly; so it was (and is) a highly valuable lesson that lasted in my muscle memory to this day :)

[leecook]

I've not really had any lessons I'm 95% self taught so nobody told me that. Very helpful. I'll be trying it later 😁

[rhondablake]

I've seen a few short videos about how to hold them, but you are the only one who really took time to explain and demonstrate the different basic ways. You didn't rush through and I appreciate that!

[JohnSanderson-dl]

I have never done any drumming in my life, except of course the steering wheel drumming and gear shifter hi-hat while in the car LOL. I spoke with a drummer friend who suggested to start with an Evans RealFeel snare practice pad and bass practice pad to first get down the sticking and kick drum technique. He tried to explain the drumstick techniques for holding and playing through text messaging and short video clips he made and sent to me, but with me being autistic it is incredibly difficult for me to learn a completely new thing when the instructions aren't fully explained in order and in great detail, including why something is done a certain way. This intro video clearly and completely explained everything I needed to know to pick up the drumsticks for my first time, at 43 years old, and by the end of the approximately 8 minute video already feeling comfortable with how I was holding the sticks and playing on the practice pad, including getting some excellent rebound playing! I was so excited with how well I was able to follow and understand this instructional video, I will definitely be continuing through the lessons from Drumeo.

[AidanMmusic]

Beautiful, I'm just thinking about starting teaching and this has lessened a lot of nerves! I wasn't properly taught how to hold sticks until I started orchestral percussion lessons 5 years after I started drum kit!

[louisphilippe]

When i started to play, i really learned everything by myself. No internet back then unfortunatly and no money!
Quite a few years after, got some private lessons. And now still getting lessons and using all the tools available on internet . Drumeo is absolutely great.

[gabrielgafui]

I really need this, never been taught how to hold the drum sticks before.

[philop]

Been playing for five years and never had a lesson. No one ever mentioned there was a proper way to hold the drum sticks. Found this channel here recently and will be going back to square 1 to help build a better foundation. Appreciate what all of you guys do!

[johnmercurio]

No matter how long we've been playing I truly believe there is always room for improvement and that's why I think these types of videos are very helpful .Take what works for you and if it does not feel natural then simply don't do it. I do suggest take a good look at all of it. Thanks guys!!

[wargod]

Haha, someone taught me but he was wrong! the way he taught me is like 'death grip' so it's hard, I also get alot of complaints from them (my team) if they see my grip and thinks that its bad, watching this video made me realize that if every drummer has different grips, then isn't it normal to experiment and find my own? I mean I dunno, doesn't matter cuz I now know french, german, and american grips and I will cherish that knowledge. Thank you so much!

[robinsartoretti]

I was never taught how to hold my sticks so it's french on the right and american on the left... Might have to fi that at some point but it's been 10 years and it works great!

[mikehasshaw]

I’m 62 years old it’s on my bucket list, so I bought a drum set. I set it up and I’m ready, I hit the drum 4 or 5 times and the wife went off, it’s to load lalala. So the next day I went a bought an electric set. Im going to learn, I have to. So a couple of hours ago I’m thinking how are you supposed to hold them. I would hit the sticks together. So thank you for the heads up and I look forward to more of your teachings.

[KowalMTB]

I was unlucky and nobody (even 1 of my 4 drum teachers) didn't pay atention for my technique and how I hold drumsticks. After 8 yrs of playing I reach THE WALL in my technical skills. I was 25-26. I felt something is really wrong with my grip but I couldn't found anybody to help me with that. This short material on drumeo tells me more than enybody earlier. After 13 years break from drums I decided go back and now I focus on background hand technique to play again on the drums (and with more fun and loose!). Thanks DRUMEO for helpful
materials like this.

[sallyhubert]

Yes, my teacher taught me the matched grip., but the French grip feels best. Great instruction thank you

[bjornage]

im in this exact process, im waiting for my first drumset, and im watching this video as i am waiting, to prepare myself for whats coming.
love your videos btw, find them easy to follow, easy instructions for people like me, who has no clue yet!
keep it up!
Love from norway!

[UncleBobC]

I started learning and taught to read at age 11. My teacher often became annoyed with the way I grip the sticks. He was so right. The bad habit has stuck and over 50 years later I am only now attempting to retrain my grip. Videos like this are of great assistance. Thanks.

[cynthiabehr]

I've only had one lesson and, no he didn't teach me how to hold the sticks but it was a fun session, and i learned names of things& how to beat to Billy Jean. I'm practicing and it was a great session!!!