also, Virgil Donati (who is the one modern drummer that plays traditional that comes to mind) said, that if he would start learning drums all over, he would play matched.
Virgil never says that , he said that people try to discourage him at playing traditionnal when he was younger , but he perfect his technique and now he shut up all of you
i can't even figure out how to properly strike a drum with left hand traditional lmao, feels like i'm trying to use chopsticks for the first time, every time.
learn blast beats, specifically inverted traditional (RL hand unison on downbeats, kick on upbeats, Blake Richardson does this a lot) & hammer/bomb blasts (RL unison with 16th or 32nd kicks). you can develop your left hand to feel like it's the leading hand. Also worth switching between R and L hand on the snare while you play different cymbal accents (think Alex Rudinger)... Then open handed playing can follow more naturally. At least that's my idea lol.
Open handed in the practice room it's great for building ambidextrosity, performance is fine if you're a lefty and as long as you can deliver the results on stage
i originally played it that way - then some1 came along and told me 2 stop.. i did but after 3 years i picked it up again and soon returned - it was awkward but i was happy anyways lol
I learned match grip in the sixties. Now, at 74, I am very serious about learning traditional grip. Practice an hour or two daily and have seen good progress over the last four months. I am pretty sure I will use both styles with traditional being my preferred. I think I like the subtle nuances I achieve with traditional, especially when playing jazz. At my age, I enjoy my drumming immensely.
I whole heartedly agree with this man, traditional is definitely fun for jazz and is something I still try occasionally but the reality is that trad grip isn't ideal in almost all musical settings. Matched grip allows for much more mobility on the kit like you mentioned. Definitely make more vids like this my guy!
Definitely handy in certain specific situations. I pretty much only use it for brushes (the left hand swish just doesn't feel right to me otherwise) and for playing a concert bass drum with two mallets (usually arranged in a position tailor-made for traditional grip). It still has irreplaceable visual applications, but my playing's usually for ears first.
@@joshbuddha6112 Virgil is a bit like Holdsworth on guitar. In a league of his own when it comes to vocabulary/technique. Lang uses mainly matched nowadays too.
This is funny when related to what todd suchermam plays in traditional grip. That guy plays a whole lot of rock and roll / funk / fusion and different other drum solos through traditional grip ! Yes I agree that traditional grip is initially meant for jazz music and it's outputs and background is mostly related with jazz but you can always play it various musical configurations!
I started playing traditional when I was 9 years old after watching Stewart Copeland back in 1980... I used it as my standard playing style until I was in my 40s then tried match grip. It took a while to get used to but now I can mix the two grips up when I play depending on how I feel. I like both grips , it just depends on what I'm playing to.
Started out with traditional, only started working on matched about 4 years ago. I definitely play different things with traditional, but it's probably caused by the fact that I spent so many years using it that the muscle memory is just different. Matched is fresh to me, so I get fresher ideas. So, for a drummer who has already spent a lot of years using only one style, I think that learning the other style will definitely be beneficial and help you get back that extremely inspired "I'm a newbie and I need to practice a lot" feeling.
@@WilmersondaSilva yeah totally. Don’t forget Eric Harland. I went to music school with many matched grip jazz guys. Let’s perhaps forgive Matt for generalising 😛
Buddy Rich actually talked me out of it. I watched an interview with him where he said “you really can’t move around the kit with matched grip” or something like that and then proceeded to do a drum solo that I was able to do (much slower, but that’s just because he’s Buddy Rich) with matched grip. There may be some ergonomic sense in learning traditional grip, but it’s like learning how to drive stick, you’ll never really need it.
I got an answer, probably the best one yet.. Play however you're most comfortable with, then play more so whichever option you're the worst at.. I can play traditional and matched in every single situation, I just play however I feel so in the moment and so should you. Only rule I got is follow proper posture.
So that's just flat out wrong. The exact point of the video was to discuss why it, in fact, does matter. As long as you play a regular backbeat traditionally (literally everything whatever other than OG jazz comping), you're simply putting your hand/shoulder at a mechanical disadvantage and sacrifice posture. Has to do with the angle the drum demands, just like matt said. As soon as you need to "adapt" settings and stuff to your traditional grip, it only shows that the grip has severe disadvantages. There is no single situation where matched requires anything like that, or has any "downsides" for that matter. The fact that a kid would pick up sticks matches also proves that's the natural logical way to go. So as objectively speaking as we can here, it's really not about what you feel comfortable with. This has nothing do with experience, musical prowess whatsoever, just a plain and simple anatomical mishap. It is a technique that evokes a certain sound, nothing more or less, and should be used as such.
@@arminheydari425 So you're telling me it's flat out wrong that I can play both styles in proper position and that a musician should play the way they want as long as they follow proper posture so they don't gain health risks? Yeah, don't tell me what I can and cannot play and how I can play it when you have never seen my drumming. Also, don't tell people how to play drums or any instrument if that's your attitude in music. There is nothing wrong with traditional or matched, hell.. even French or American style. As long as posture is correct than everything's fine.. I legit play all four styles very comfortably in any genre and I'm sure other drummers can comfortably as well. Technique is the only thing that invokes a certain sound? You're not a musician plain and simple and have never heard of multiple types of snares, multiple type of drums, sticks, etc etc... You don't play music no less listen to it.. Again, musicians should be as comfortable as possible when playing, and posture and technique should be proper. In fact, I see nothing objectively wrong with what I said haha, I actually encouraged you learn all techniques, play more which one you're worse at, then play which one you're more comfortable with.
Even though I agree with this, something that’s overlooked - I do think that traditional has a very creative function. It’s certainly worth having it in the arsenal. I will play traditional grip on recordings with certain artists or bands that require a more sloppy/creative style and sound. It completely changes the choices I make, the fills I play and the sound is sometimes preferred by people for some tracks. Matched is king but trad still has purpose. Taking that consistent rim shot away can really help a drum sound if you’re going through some nice vintage gear!
Everything Matt say's makes total sense. I recently started learning traditional just to challenge myself and because I had alot of free time during the covid summer, matched probably makes most sense at the end of the day, but there are anomalies in the matrix, Vinnie, Weckl, Todd... but they are far and few between.
Even though I am an advocate of matched grip, one positive remark about traditional grip is, that it actually helped with my weak left hand stability. I incorporated some light rudiment workout, switching randomly between singles, doubles and paradiddles at around a 100 bpm into my daily warmup routine, playing both hands in traditional grip for about 2-3 minutes no pause. It actually helped with some imbalance in my left hand, and a slight lack of control stemming from that, as my left hand always made a odd twist-motion outwards, like turning a key in the doorlock. My theory is, that the rotary motion of the traditional grip aided in getting this motion under control. After that little workout session though, I do all other excercises in matched american grip, cause that still is the proper grip and the way to go.
Couldn’t agree more, more of a preference thing. You can master each through years of practice both have pros and cons but totally agree with this video.
I met Bob Gullotti a few years back in France. I told him you were one of my favorite drummers and he responded that you were his student, I couldn't believe it! he was a great person, may he rest in peace.
Even with jazz, I’d still say matched grip. A lot of drummers have done pretty well playing jazz with matched. Learn independence, and you’ll get great stick control with either hand. In my opinion, learning traditional these days is just for looks. As a self taught guy, the best technique is the one that makes the intended sound without hurting yourself
Benefits of traditional: - It can make you look like a better drummer than you actually are. - Jazz players will respect you for using it. Basically nothing else.
Peter Erskine mentioned in an interview that the instrument and it's vocabulary was created around traditional grip. It works and your posture is much more relaxed and natural 🤗 of course, the movement is more difficult to learn but it's asymmetrical division can be helpful to execute strokes much cleaner and smoother. And if you actually love drumming, i think it's not a bad idea to make you familiar with all it's perspectives 🤗
First - Matt is a ludicrously great drummer! And he’s got a valid point, in most scenarios a matched grip is the way to go. But there’s one scenario where I find traditional to have an advantage. It’s in small combo scenarios where I need to get LH comping patterns to be quick / quiet. It just feels a fit easier to drop the stick and pick it up, using the thumb as the lever to get rebound. You can really get fast, consistent, quiet notes with little effort when you dial that in. Moving the thumb is a small motion, and that smaller motion can be an advantage. But is it a huge advantage? No, but it has a few merits. I met Bill Stewart once and asked him if there’s any reason I should keep playing trad grip, and he said the only thing it’s got is a certain low volume advantage and it looks cool, haha. He said if he had Morello’s hands, he’d play trad, but anyone else should play matched.
My drum mentor for 10+ years before his passing was a big jazz player. He played with Dizzy Gillespie for many years. He would always try and deter me from using traditional even though that is how he played his whole life.
There's the next video idea, playing sax solos on the drums 🙏 I'm not too musically sound (ba-dum tss!) but it'd be cool to see how you play it with the sax tab up on the screen
Agreed. I think it's a lot of fun to use for jazz, funk and some lighter styles but it can a bit limited in terms of the setup styles (though some do make it work in multiple setups). I prefer to play matched for rock and harder styles because of rim shots and stuff, and it's useful in classical styles as well. No need to learn it if you don't want to, I personally use matched grip in jazz sometimes because it's easier to switch to leading with my left hand when I use multiple rides, one of which is on the left. However I will say this- I don't like using a stick thicker than a 5A in traditional grip because it can feel a bit weird, but Matt's signature stick which is similar to a 55A feels AMAZING to use in any style of music using either matched or traditional grip because of the balance.
@@stephanmarcouxdrums4877 the whole point of Matt’s video is that matched grip is superior to traditional. Traditional is a bad grip and it needs to die. The pros who use it are exception to the rule. It’s not practical for the average player. It’s literally just a hipster style thing at this point.
Played traditional for jazz but also marching snare in drum corps. So much so that I’m much better and more comfortable playing traditional on anything with a lot of double stroke rolls. I’ll switch back and forth during songs.
Match grip is the way to go, even for jazz. Look at Bill Stewart. It can be done by twisting your wrist outwards which changes the angle the tip of the stick makes contact with the head.
The best reasoning for trad that I’ve heard is that it emphasizes the idea of having two separate hands. More of a mental thing. Besides that and looking cool there are no other reasons.
Greetings Matt from SSI...... I had my wife watch this with me and she said, "'That's Matthew, he looks like his Dad!" We are glad to see that you're taking care of yourself and I can see that you've been hitting the gym! For me and my old body, traditional works best probably 90% of the time, but it's good to have many tools in the tool box! Take care Matt!
I love punk and metal and grindcore music at heart. I took a music class in middle school and it was fife and drum. So this is how I started to learn playing traditional. 20years later and I Cannot play other grips as well surprisingly but have been able to play grind and blast beast w traditional. A UA-cam video out there has taught me the technique. This same technique can be used for rim shot. It’s about being versatile. Just like skateboarding, you can learn goofy or regular. It is almost like starting all over again when doing so
Several good points. For straight ahead jazz that’s not super loud, there’s just something about traditional that’s hard to translate into matched without a concerted effort. Bill Stewart is one who very successfully plays straight ahead with matched (French?) grip. It’s IMPOSSIBLE to get a consistent controlled rimshot though with traditional grip.
I tried going to matched grip after many years of traditional grip and to be honest, I just couldn't get it to feel right so I am sticking with traditional. If you are starting from scratch, then yeah, go matched. I would go matched but it's been so long that I've been doing traditional that my hands are just used to it
Well reasoned Matt. I generally agree with you on every point. I usually will play trad for fun when playing swing and rock and roll grooves - but more so in a way that it feels ‘genre appropriate’ - not because it is ‘better’ It’s still an arrow to have in your quiver. But in all fairness it’s like vinyl - there are purists who just love it because of of the history and tradition - not because it is a superior way to listen to music... Thomas Lang has said he can play just as powerfully in Trad grip. And Todd Suchermann has made comments about setting up your gear so that you can play trad and still hit rim shots
What's up. You've been my favorite drummer for the last 6 years Matt. I would like to see what you'd sound like with a cow bell it's like the only drum sound I've almost never heard you produce. By the way you're the best drummer in the world in my opinion your drum lessons are some Jedi shit and I would recommend them to everyone on the planet looking to be next next level
Also in traditional grip you never have carpal tunnel syndrome because you don’t use wrist at all you play from rotation or moeller or straight forearm throw as Joe morello said
I think it's definitely a useful tool to have available, but it's just that and should be used as such. Guys like Kenny Grohowski are able to fluidly switch between grips to suit the purpose of the music
You can argue that having both hands equal (matched grip) is better because it’s more easily consistent but you can easily argue that having one of each (traditional grip) is better because it gives you “two different paintbrushes” to work with instead of “two of the same paintbrushes”. Hope that makes sense.
The only reason I’ll ever momentarily switch to trad grip is because it makes me feel differently in my approach. It separates the right and left emotional sides of your body more than matched and can open you up to different musical ideas that you wouldn’t necessarily think of playing matched all the time. Also due to its technical inferiority to matched it can make you play more conservatively which can be useful in some settings. So for me it’s not something to completely disregard as “wrong” but as a different tool to use at certain times when you might need more creativity than technical excellence.
traditional is still widely used in the drum corps and marching arts realm. As you said mostly as a tradition thing that has stuck around for no real particular reason, except for maybe it looks more badass
Good point about rimshots, I could even bring up Steward Copeland as counter argument, but man his left hand was a mess during the police tours, now he even uses gloves!
Many drummers have switched over from trad to matched simply because of the improved ergonomics. What Matt Gartska says here is all true, unless of course you have learned that way, play more comfortably and have better control - such as Virgil.
0:30 your right hand (or left hand, if you play on a left handed kit) isn’t playing with underhand grip because your kit is already oriented to the right. Your toms descend to the right, so your right hand is able to comfortably move around the kit with an overhand grip. I play matched grip too, I just thought I’d chime in on that one point. On an unrelated note, how large are your hi hats?
I played traditional for a few years and just getting back into it.. overall it takes way more work to maintain is my opinion. I like it cuz it's unique and not it seperates you from most other drummers
Hope you'll do a vid on proper strike technique. How to actually hit. The whole shpiel going all the way up rudiments and how to have great dexterity and stamina with fast rolls n such. If anyone knows these guys things it's you. I've been playing 20 years but never had a lesson and I never really learned how to bounce and rebound proper. Sure I can do it,but it's not proper. I cant do it wiithout fatigue.i know I'm not the only one
This is much different from that Buddy Rich video where he basically says "Use traditional grip, any other way to play is wrong!" I suppose he was a jazz player though, and a damn fine one at that (understatement). Nice video!
Most people using traditional grip (unless they’re absolute pros with it) will always end up having to make the decision “should I play this with matched and do it easily, or really impress the band with traditional, and maybe fuck it up”
I'll hold you with traditional grip
You would only hold a stick, the worst way :)))
😐
Underrated comment
😢
Lmaooo
also, Virgil Donati (who is the one modern drummer that plays traditional that comes to mind) said, that if he would start learning drums all over, he would play matched.
Virgil said that or Jojo Mayer? I heard it from Jojo...
Virgil never says that , he said that people try to discourage him at playing traditionnal when he was younger , but he perfect his technique and now he shut up all of you
Thomas lang stop using it
Virgil indeed said this, recently. If I recall correctly, he said it during an interview with Dom Farmularo.
@@AlexiefDelbes Virgil actually DID in fact say he would start over matched. It was said in the Mike Dolbert "On The Road Featurette".
Bro I’d pay top dollar if Matt started a podcast to talk drums.
i can't even figure out how to properly strike a drum with left hand traditional lmao, feels like i'm trying to use chopsticks for the first time, every time.
If I was starting over, I would learn open handed
Honestly
Never too late
learn blast beats, specifically inverted traditional (RL hand unison on downbeats, kick on upbeats, Blake Richardson does this a lot) & hammer/bomb blasts (RL unison with 16th or 32nd kicks). you can develop your left hand to feel like it's the leading hand. Also worth switching between R and L hand on the snare while you play different cymbal accents (think Alex Rudinger)... Then open handed playing can follow more naturally. At least that's my idea lol.
Open handed in the practice room it's great for building ambidextrosity, performance is fine if you're a lefty and as long as you can deliver the results on stage
i originally played it that way - then some1 came along and told me 2 stop.. i did but after 3 years i picked it up again and soon returned - it was awkward but i was happy anyways lol
I learned match grip in the sixties. Now, at 74, I am very serious about learning traditional grip. Practice an hour or two daily and have seen good progress over the last four months. I am pretty sure I will use both styles with traditional being my preferred. I think I like the subtle nuances I achieve with traditional, especially when playing jazz. At my age, I enjoy my drumming immensely.
I whole heartedly agree with this man, traditional is definitely fun for jazz and is something I still try occasionally but the reality is that trad grip isn't ideal in almost all musical settings. Matched grip allows for much more mobility on the kit like you mentioned. Definitely make more vids like this my guy!
Definitely handy in certain specific situations. I pretty much only use it for brushes (the left hand swish just doesn't feel right to me otherwise) and for playing a concert bass drum with two mallets (usually arranged in a position tailor-made for traditional grip). It still has irreplaceable visual applications, but my playing's usually for ears first.
@@ItsMrBozToYou yup I 100% agree I think about it the same way as you do!
I highly recomd you watch Virgil Virgil donati or thomas lang. Those guys play traditional and metal and are absolutley beasts
@@joshbuddha6112 Virgil is a bit like Holdsworth on guitar. In a league of his own when it comes to vocabulary/technique. Lang uses mainly matched nowadays too.
This is funny when related to what todd suchermam plays in traditional grip. That guy plays a whole lot of rock and roll / funk / fusion and different other drum solos through traditional grip ! Yes I agree that traditional grip is initially meant for jazz music and it's outputs and background is mostly related with jazz but you can always play it various musical configurations!
I started playing traditional when I was 9 years old after watching Stewart Copeland back in 1980... I used it as my standard playing style until I was in my 40s then tried match grip. It took a while to get used to but now I can mix the two grips up when I play depending on how I feel. I like both grips , it just depends on what I'm playing to.
Through Matt's sharing we can all experience Berklee or what he has learned from BC. Thanks for sharing! Love from the Philippines!
Started out with traditional, only started working on matched about 4 years ago. I definitely play different things with traditional, but it's probably caused by the fact that I spent so many years using it that the muscle memory is just different. Matched is fresh to me, so I get fresher ideas. So, for a drummer who has already spent a lot of years using only one style, I think that learning the other style will definitely be beneficial and help you get back that extremely inspired "I'm a newbie and I need to practice a lot" feeling.
1:07 that stack sounds beautiful even when he doesn’t mean to play it
Todd Sucherman is a great example of someone who uses both grips equally well. For myself, I've always played matched grip.
What I have been trying to put into words for so long. Thanks for this knowledge, Matt!
“Every jazz guy will tell you”
Ari Hoenig: Am I a joke to you?
Bill Stewart also uses matched grip
@@WilmersondaSilva yeah totally. Don’t forget Eric Harland. I went to music school with many matched grip jazz guys. Let’s perhaps forgive Matt for generalising 😛
Gary Novak as well.
@@MyRsHaCKSdUNWORK yeah but to be fair Novak’s more a fusion guy than a jazz guy
Dave King, Brian Blade, Mark Guiliana, Richard Spaven etc etc
Watching a Matt’s educational video without seeing him playing al least once is a sin. Agree with you my man🤘🏼
Straight up truth right here man! Well articulated points!!! Glad to hear from you like this!
Matt’s hot takes! I dig it, keep ‘em coming!
Buddy Rich actually talked me out of it. I watched an interview with him where he said “you really can’t move around the kit with matched grip” or something like that and then proceeded to do a drum solo that I was able to do (much slower, but that’s just because he’s Buddy Rich) with matched grip. There may be some ergonomic sense in learning traditional grip, but it’s like learning how to drive stick, you’ll never really need it.
I can't wait for the new animals as leaders 😍 album
Totally agree Matt.
On my heartbeat, me and Matt Bover were talking about this minutes before u dropped this.
Matt Bovers sick. He need's to post more vids.
@@ND-iz6dd he's a shy man
I got an answer, probably the best one yet..
Play however you're most comfortable with, then play more so whichever option you're the worst at..
I can play traditional and matched in every single situation, I just play however I feel so in the moment and so should you. Only rule I got is follow proper posture.
So that's just flat out wrong. The exact point of the video was to discuss why it, in fact, does matter. As long as you play a regular backbeat traditionally (literally everything whatever other than OG jazz comping), you're simply putting your hand/shoulder at a mechanical disadvantage and sacrifice posture. Has to do with the angle the drum demands, just like matt said. As soon as you need to "adapt" settings and stuff to your traditional grip, it only shows that the grip has severe disadvantages. There is no single situation where matched requires anything like that, or has any "downsides" for that matter. The fact that a kid would pick up sticks matches also proves that's the natural logical way to go.
So as objectively speaking as we can here, it's really not about what you feel comfortable with. This has nothing do with experience, musical prowess whatsoever, just a plain and simple anatomical mishap.
It is a technique that evokes a certain sound, nothing more or less, and should be used as such.
@@arminheydari425
So you're telling me it's flat out wrong that I can play both styles in proper position and that a musician should play the way they want as long as they follow proper posture so they don't gain health risks? Yeah, don't tell me what I can and cannot play and how I can play it when you have never seen my drumming. Also, don't tell people how to play drums or any instrument if that's your attitude in music. There is nothing wrong with traditional or matched, hell.. even French or American style. As long as posture is correct than everything's fine.. I legit play all four styles very comfortably in any genre and I'm sure other drummers can comfortably as well. Technique is the only thing that invokes a certain sound? You're not a musician plain and simple and have never heard of multiple types of snares, multiple type of drums, sticks, etc etc... You don't play music no less listen to it..
Again, musicians should be as comfortable as possible when playing, and posture and technique should be proper. In fact, I see nothing objectively wrong with what I said haha, I actually encouraged you learn all techniques, play more which one you're worse at, then play which one you're more comfortable with.
Thanks Matt, makes perfect sens! Great video!
Literally a perfect explanation
Love this style of video! Hope you keep it up.
I really appreciate this video!
Even though I agree with this, something that’s overlooked - I do think that traditional has a very creative function. It’s certainly worth having it in the arsenal. I will play traditional grip on recordings with certain artists or bands that require a more sloppy/creative style and sound. It completely changes the choices I make, the fills I play and the sound is sometimes preferred by people for some tracks. Matched is king but trad still has purpose. Taking that consistent rim shot away can really help a drum sound if you’re going through some nice vintage gear!
I get that… it’s a different feel
kinda like pick vs pure fingerstyle on guitar yeah?
Perfect, thanks Matt!
I fucking love this dude.
Everything Matt say's makes total sense. I recently started learning traditional just to challenge myself and because I had alot of free time during the covid summer, matched probably makes most sense at the end of the day, but there are anomalies in the matrix, Vinnie, Weckl, Todd... but they are far and few between.
Even though I am an advocate of matched grip, one positive remark about traditional grip is, that it actually helped with my weak left hand stability. I incorporated some light rudiment workout, switching randomly between singles, doubles and paradiddles at around a 100 bpm into my daily warmup routine, playing both hands in traditional grip for about 2-3 minutes no pause.
It actually helped with some imbalance in my left hand, and a slight lack of control stemming from that, as my left hand always made a odd twist-motion outwards, like turning a key in the doorlock.
My theory is, that the rotary motion of the traditional grip aided in getting this motion under control. After that little workout session though, I do all other excercises in matched american grip, cause that still is the proper grip and the way to go.
Thank you for the wisdom, brotha🙏🏻interesting hearing about working out of the omnibook adapted for drumset
You should make a Q&A series at some point, a lot of people would love to hear your perspective on drumming and music.
I like this new style of videos. Keep it up.
Couldn’t agree more, more of a preference thing. You can master each through years of practice both have pros and cons but totally agree with this video.
Not to mention gravitationally speaking and less wear and tear on your wrist and fingers with push and pull technique.
It makes so much sense thanks for the history lesson! 😃
Good point.
3.02- 3.08 It explained so much to me about you
Great video, totally agree. Cheers 🍻🥁☝
I met Bob Gullotti a few years back in France. I told him you were one of my favorite drummers and he responded that you were his student, I couldn't believe it! he was a great person, may he rest in peace.
i had to learn traditional in highschool for drumline. 10 years later and i haven't used it since.
Good one Matt.
Agreed.
Also causes rotatorcuff strain.
Even with jazz, I’d still say matched grip. A lot of drummers have done pretty well playing jazz with matched. Learn independence, and you’ll get great stick control with either hand. In my opinion, learning traditional these days is just for looks.
As a self taught guy, the best technique is the one that makes the intended sound without hurting yourself
Benefits of traditional:
- It can make you look like a better drummer than you actually are.
- Jazz players will respect you for using it.
Basically nothing else.
Crying here
@@de-ja-vu *Hands you a handkerchief in matched grip* 💜
@@DavidMcmenemy Dude. I almost broke my fingers with this damn grip ... in general all grips do not really matter if there is no rebound
@@DavidMcmenemy 🍺this one's for you
Peter Erskine mentioned in an interview that the instrument and it's vocabulary was created around traditional grip. It works and your posture is much more relaxed and natural 🤗 of course, the movement is more difficult to learn but it's asymmetrical division can be helpful to execute strokes much cleaner and smoother. And if you actually love drumming, i think it's not a bad idea to make you familiar with all it's perspectives 🤗
Matt is super impressive and it's amazing how matured his drumming is at such a young age.
have you seen his old Two-Man Trio videos with Jo Sallins?
@@t3hgir I have not but I will check it out thank you.
First - Matt is a ludicrously great drummer! And he’s got a valid point, in most scenarios a matched grip is the way to go.
But there’s one scenario where I find traditional to have an advantage. It’s in small combo scenarios where I need to get LH comping patterns to be quick / quiet. It just feels a fit easier to drop the stick and pick it up, using the thumb as the lever to get rebound. You can really get fast, consistent, quiet notes with little effort when you dial that in. Moving the thumb is a small motion, and that smaller motion can be an advantage.
But is it a huge advantage? No, but it has a few merits. I met Bill Stewart once and asked him if there’s any reason I should keep playing trad grip, and he said the only thing it’s got is a certain low volume advantage and it looks cool, haha. He said if he had Morello’s hands, he’d play trad, but anyone else should play matched.
More videos like this, please!!
The actual answer: It doesn't matter.
thank you!
I recall my teacher growing up who was a jazz guy playing between tradition grip with one and both hands
My drum mentor for 10+ years before his passing was a big jazz player. He played with Dizzy Gillespie for many years. He would always try and deter me from using traditional even though that is how he played his whole life.
thanks for sharing, for me you can't play open handed and play trad grip at the same time... so open handed for me :)
I had to learn traditional after having my thumb almost severed, it saves me from having to stop due to cramps💯💓💓💓
Perfect 👏👏
There's the next video idea, playing sax solos on the drums 🙏 I'm not too musically sound (ba-dum tss!) but it'd be cool to see how you play it with the sax tab up on the screen
Agreed. I think it's a lot of fun to use for jazz, funk and some lighter styles but it can a bit limited in terms of the setup styles (though some do make it work in multiple setups). I prefer to play matched for rock and harder styles because of rim shots and stuff, and it's useful in classical styles as well. No need to learn it if you don't want to, I personally use matched grip in jazz sometimes because it's easier to switch to leading with my left hand when I use multiple rides, one of which is on the left.
However I will say this- I don't like using a stick thicker than a 5A in traditional grip because it can feel a bit weird, but Matt's signature stick which is similar to a 55A feels AMAZING to use in any style of music using either matched or traditional grip because of the balance.
I've seen someone use double traditional grip. It's cool to look at
100% agree. Why do people insist technique is subjective? Isn't technique the one thing that isn't?
@@stephanmarcouxdrums4877 the whole point of Matt’s video is that matched grip is superior to traditional.
Traditional is a bad grip and it needs to die. The pros who use it are exception to the rule. It’s not practical for the average player. It’s literally just a hipster style thing at this point.
It is beneficial, depends on when you start in my opinion. I learned traditional in concert band and 5 years of marching.
Played traditional for jazz but also marching snare in drum corps. So much so that I’m much better and more comfortable playing traditional on anything with a lot of double stroke rolls. I’ll switch back and forth during songs.
well this just saved me a few hours a day 😂 thanks matt 👍🏻
Agreed!
Match grip is the way to go, even for jazz. Look at Bill Stewart. It can be done by twisting your wrist outwards which changes the angle the tip of the stick makes contact with the head.
It's a matter of preference.
You should use whatever grip works best for you. That's just my humble opinion. 👍 🥁 😎
This is the correct answer here
The best reasoning for trad that I’ve heard is that it emphasizes the idea of having two separate hands. More of a mental thing.
Besides that and looking cool there are no other reasons.
Greetings Matt from SSI...... I had my wife watch this with me and she said, "'That's Matthew, he looks like his Dad!" We are glad to see that you're taking care of yourself and I can see that you've been hitting the gym! For me and my old body, traditional works best probably 90% of the time, but it's good to have many tools in the tool box! Take care Matt!
I love punk and metal and grindcore music at heart. I took a music class in middle school and it was fife and drum. So this is how I started to learn playing traditional. 20years later and I Cannot play other grips as well surprisingly but have been able to play grind and blast beast w traditional. A UA-cam video out there has taught me the technique. This same technique can be used for rim shot.
It’s about being versatile. Just like skateboarding, you can learn goofy or regular. It is almost like starting all over again when doing so
Several good points. For straight ahead jazz that’s not super loud, there’s just something about traditional that’s hard to translate into matched without a concerted effort. Bill Stewart is one who very successfully plays straight ahead with matched (French?) grip. It’s IMPOSSIBLE to get a consistent controlled rimshot though with traditional grip.
Matthew Garstka? From Animals as Leaders?
I love drummers who have the courage to tell it like it is. Even more respect to you for this!
I never really thought about it from a set point of view, as a marching percussionist I've never really thought about the ergonomics of it.
Imma learn it anyways cause it looks cool
open handed with crazy ambidextrous blast beats and 32nd double kicks look cooler IMO
I tried going to matched grip after many years of traditional grip and to be honest, I just couldn't get it to feel right so I am sticking with traditional. If you are starting from scratch, then yeah, go matched. I would go matched but it's been so long that I've been doing traditional that my hands are just used to it
Well reasoned Matt. I generally agree with you on every point. I usually will play trad for fun when playing swing and rock and roll grooves - but more so in a way that it feels ‘genre appropriate’ - not because it is ‘better’
It’s still an arrow to have in your quiver. But in all fairness it’s like vinyl - there are purists who just love it because of of the history and tradition - not because it is a superior way to listen to music...
Thomas Lang has said he can play just as powerfully in Trad grip. And Todd Suchermann has made comments about setting up your gear so that you can play trad and still hit rim shots
What's up. You've been my favorite drummer for the last 6 years Matt. I would like to see what you'd sound like with a cow bell it's like the only drum sound I've almost never heard you produce. By the way you're the best drummer in the world in my opinion your drum lessons are some Jedi shit and I would recommend them to everyone on the planet looking to be next next level
6:32 wow this is exactly why I wanna learn trad lol (but also I genuinely love jazz)
It’s fun on the pad and has advantages with very specific movements, but around the kit its uncomfortable for me
Yeah agreed, working on fills/tom movement needs a little more planning with trad.
Also in traditional grip you never have carpal tunnel syndrome because you don’t use wrist at all you play from rotation or moeller or straight forearm throw as Joe morello said
Thank you for this vid 🤟🤟
I think it's definitely a useful tool to have available, but it's just that and should be used as such. Guys like Kenny Grohowski are able to fluidly switch between grips to suit the purpose of the music
0:00: *starts a drum war*
7:01: "So.... Good luck folks"
You can argue that having both hands equal (matched grip) is better because it’s more easily consistent but you can easily argue that having one of each (traditional grip) is better because it gives you “two different paintbrushes” to work with instead of “two of the same paintbrushes”. Hope that makes sense.
Bill Stewart… that’s all I need to say! Steve Smith said it’s worn out some cartilage from over use. Vinnie is now playing more matched… interesting
Please please keep these up
The only reason I’ll ever momentarily switch to trad grip is because it makes me feel differently in my approach. It separates the right and left emotional sides of your body more than matched and can open you up to different musical ideas that you wouldn’t necessarily think of playing matched all the time. Also due to its technical inferiority to matched it can make you play more conservatively which can be useful in some settings. So for me it’s not something to completely disregard as “wrong” but as a different tool to use at certain times when you might need more creativity than technical excellence.
traditional is still widely used in the drum corps and marching arts realm. As you said mostly as a tradition thing that has stuck around for no real particular reason, except for maybe it looks more badass
Buddy Rich, Stewart Copeland and Cozy Powell had great rimshots with traditional grip
Exceptions my friend, not the rule. Rim shots with trad is an uphill battle
yeah, and buddy had awful back issues
Good point about rimshots, I could even bring up Steward Copeland as counter argument, but man his left hand was a mess during the police tours, now he even uses gloves!
Many drummers have switched over from trad to matched simply because of the improved ergonomics. What Matt Gartska says here is all true, unless of course you have learned that way, play more comfortably and have better control - such as Virgil.
I use both grips. It depends what I’m playing.
0:30 your right hand (or left hand, if you play on a left handed kit) isn’t playing with underhand grip because your kit is already oriented to the right. Your toms descend to the right, so your right hand is able to comfortably move around the kit with an overhand grip.
I play matched grip too, I just thought I’d chime in on that one point.
On an unrelated note, how large are your hi hats?
Jason Costa (Diecast) and Nick Pierce (Unearth) are absolute beasts at traditional grip metal drumming
So hearing that one of your drum teachers had you play sax solos on drums explains some of your fills where you follow a guitar riff.
I use progressive grip.
I played traditional for a few years and just getting back into it.. overall it takes way more work to maintain is my opinion. I like it cuz it's unique and not it seperates you from most other drummers
The logic doesn’t lie
Hope you'll do a vid on proper strike technique. How to actually hit. The whole shpiel going all the way up rudiments and how to have great dexterity and stamina with fast rolls n such. If anyone knows these guys things it's you. I've been playing 20 years but never had a lesson and I never really learned how to bounce and rebound proper. Sure I can do it,but it's not proper. I cant do it wiithout fatigue.i know I'm not the only one
This is much different from that Buddy Rich video where he basically says "Use traditional grip, any other way to play is wrong!" I suppose he was a jazz player though, and a damn fine one at that (understatement). Nice video!
Most people using traditional grip (unless they’re absolute pros with it) will always end up having to make the decision “should I play this with matched and do it easily, or really impress the band with traditional, and maybe fuck it up”
Bob was the best!!!
Thomas Lang used to play traditional but said he had a bunch of problems with different parts of his body, especially his wrists so he switched.