Correct placement of fingers on sticks?

[Fission]

Hey everybody, I just found out about the drummerworld forum and love everything on it so far. Seems like you guys have a great community and are helpful for a beginner like myself.

Now on to the issue at hand...

On an American matched grip style of play mostly everywhere that I have read of seen videos (and I've seen a lot) say to find the balance point of the stick by putting one finger on and having it perfectly balance. That is where you will grip the stick and pivot it from. But at the same time a lot of other videos and people have said that you want the butt of the stick to stick out about an inch to an inch and a half from the bottom of your hand.

I use Vic Firth American Classic 5As (love them) and I've been practicing for about 2 weeks holding it at the balance point (between the C&F). I tried a few rebound rolls and I notice that my bounce isn't as strong or fluid as when I hold it a little further down at between the H and the flag. It makes sense because you still keep the same range of motion and I still feel like I have good control but am able to throw more energy into the strokes.

And yes I know I'm holding and playing correctly (not trying to sound cocky), doing things like: sitting up with straight posture, relaxed shoulders, arms at waste, 45 degree tilted hands, using my wrists for the strokes, nice loose grip with 3 back fingers just gently resting and controlling the stick with them, make sure it's coming butt out at the fleshy part of your palm, etc. I'll paste a picture of the sticks I use for reference:

http://i.pbase.com/g6/38/745838/2/76021900.sfbgfHxr.jpg

Anybody have any input on what they use or believe is the correct way and why? Thanks in advance guys!

[Guz2]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HHludCR-cxY&feature=channel_page

About 1:36 into the video he explains how to balance Vic Firths

Hope that helped!

[Sardaukar]

Each stick has it's own place of balance and fulcrum point, you can't say you have to have the butt of the stick sticking exactly an inch from your hand. Don't practice buzz rolls at the beginning (or that's what I thought you were doing :D), you want to learn the double stroke technique instead. Try practicing on surfaces giving you less rebound than your snare, for example your floor tom or the drum throne. Then you'll find the best way to hold the sticks that suits you. It'll take a couple of years, even with a teacher, but it's rewarding.

[oops]

Good way to find the balance point (I think Jojo covers this in his DVD, I've heard it from other sources as well) is to take the stick, grip it how you've been doing (which sounds fine) and bounce the tip/shaft with your other hand on to the snare surface.

As you do it, adjust how far up the stick you're holding. You'll find different points respond differently (closer to the butt will make it hard to bounce the stick, it'll drop really quickly) and you'll find the balance point that makes the stick rebound the most.

It might be helpful to mark this point with a marker or pen for future reference, but as you gain experience your hands will jump to this point automatically.

Does this make sense?

[abe]

Hey everybody, I just found out about the drummerworld forum and love everything on it so far. Seems like you guys have a great community and are helpful for a beginner like myself.

Now on to the issue at hand...

On an American matched grip style of play mostly everywhere that I have read of seen videos (and I've seen a lot) say to find the balance point of the stick by putting one finger on and having it perfectly balance. That is where you will grip the stick and pivot it from. But at the same time a lot of other videos and people have said that you want the butt of the stick to stick out about an inch to an inch and a half from the bottom of your hand.

I use Vic Firth American Classic 5As (love them) and I've been practicing for about 2 weeks holding it at the balance point (between the C&F). I tried a few rebound rolls and I notice that my bounce isn't as strong or fluid as when I hold it a little further down at between the H and the flag. It makes sense because you still keep the same range of motion and I still feel like I have good control but am able to throw more energy into the strokes.

And yes I know I'm holding and playing correctly (not trying to sound cocky), doing things like: sitting up with straight posture, relaxed shoulders, arms at waste, 45 degree tilted hands, using my wrists for the strokes, nice loose grip with 3 back fingers just gently resting and controlling the stick with them, make sure it's coming butt out at the fleshy part of your palm, etc. I'll paste a picture of the sticks I use for reference:

http://i.pbase.com/g6/38/745838/2/76021900.sfbgfHxr.jpg

Anybody have any input on what they use or believe is the correct way and why? Thanks in advance guys!

I've been using VicFirth 5A for about 3 years. I think that fulcrum ''sweet spot'' for this drum stick is on the flag or little below. You don't need to play on balance point you need to play below it in the ''sweet spot'' which allows maximum rebound. In balance point stick doesn't have enough mass in front of fulcrum. Before you where playing already right.
To find ''sweet spot'', take the stick in left hand in traditional grip. Extend all fingers so that stick is only hold by thumb(no other fingers). Now with empty right hands palm try to dribble the left hands stick. Now experiment to hold stick in different places:further up or down. When you will be close to ''sweet spot'' dribbling will become very easy.
This often confused. Balance point is not optimal fulcrum point.

[Fission]

Thanks everybody who replied! From all the replies, I've gathered that the best fulcrom point isn't really that exact balancing point but a little further down like Guz's video or what abe said. Now holding and playing that way is giving me so much more control, bounce, and fluidity in my strokes.

Also, I haven't really tried buzz rolls yet but have been doing more of the basic rudiments: single stroke, double stroke, paradiddles, etc.

Now on to more practice :)