Bad Calluses. Ouch!!!

[bradmapex]

Hi wasnt sure what category this would go under so i just chose Drum teqnique. But basically i have been getting really bad calluses on my hands, to the point that they are turing black (EWW) I dont like wearing gloves but i was wondering if there is a way of avoiding this, like changing my grip, tape on sticks, stick wax etc. If you have any idea on how to fix thiis please let me know thanks.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

You must be squeezing the hell out of your sticks. I've never gotten a blsiter, much less a callous. relax your grip.

[druid]

you probably need to work on your grip. Use a lighter grip if you are getting calluses that badly.

[Chris Oyens]

A callus is a defense against a wound. Your hands are telling you that you are playing wrong, with unnecessary force and stiffness. This does not mean that you are a bad musician or anything like that, so don't get angry at me, ok? ;-) But your body is giving you signs that you are playing wrong, so the next step could be open wounds or tendinitis.

I'm always supposing here that people that have these kinds of problems with their technique cannot afford a fine drum teacher. However, if you can that's what I would do! Someone who understands even a little of drum technique will be able to help you relax. But if you can't...

I would recommend you get the Stick Control book and work on the first 3 pages at 1/2 note equals 80 on the metronome. Not a beat faster, ok? Make sure all the double strokes written are played as rebounds and play as close to the surface as possible, also don't play too loud. Do that as much as possible, you will see that playing rebounds that slowly will really loosen up your grip and eventually you'll be able to apply that to your drumset playing. Good luck.

[larryace]

You need to work smarter not harder. Without knowing what kind of music you play or what size sticks you use, I'd bet that you are playing into (or through) the head instead of pulling the sound out of the head, in other words it sounds like you are not using the natural bounce of the stick to your full advantage. You can get really loud with a total relaxed grip if you understand that it's not the brute force, it's the velocity that gives you power/volume. Your grip needs major work. Your (black? yikes!) callouses prove that.

[Chonson]

You're definitely grabbing too tight, and it's important that you work on your grip sooner rather than later. You could be causing damage to your wrists - do you go through sticks relatively frequently, or do you have heavily dimpled drumheads?

I've been seeing a teacher and am into my third week of doing nothing but retraining my grip and stroke. It's not the most exciting thing to practice when compared to things that make lots of noise or require intense coordination, but it's already paying dividends in tone, touch and feel.

A drumhead and drumstick will provide a startling amount of rebound; you can use that to your advantage for a consistent tone and less fatigue, or you can work against it and cause physical stress and damage.

There was something attributed to Gadd at one point, as I recall, where he said when he sat down behind a kit and started playing, he felt more relaxed than he did normally. I thought that was just because he's Steve Gadd and I'm not - but it turns out that if you let the sticks and the instrument do a lot of the work, your role is easier to maintain and you can pay more attention to the music. And it hurts less. :)

So, if you can: see a teacher soon.
If you can't - you should buy the Jojo Mayer video and try and incorporate some of that stuff into your playing. Practice seriously with a pad - my practice routine now includes an hour just working on grip and stroke in one hand. It'll eventually transfer, but you need to build positive muscle memory. So take your time and stay diligent and you'll be able to play for a long time.