Stick Tricks And Showmanship!

[flintii]

Stick Tricks - I know alot of people don't like drummers who are flash like this with their playing but personally i think it looks cool as hell when drummers throw some spins and throws in there! I also have to say that alot of people i know go to see bands and love it when drummers are flash because they dont play themselves they find it abit boring to watch a drummer just playing a groove.

Does anybody have more good videos of cool stick tricks and fancy playing?

Thomas Lang - Stick Tricks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Lwp2oeV9yo

Chip Ritter - Juggling Drummer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLtCkhJI3G8

[Cakco Drums]

whaaaat...
man oh man I'm depressed. haha.
I can't even do a basic stick twirl, not that I've practiced very much, but I'm motivated now!

[dairyairman]

i can do some stick tricks but i generally don't do them while performing because i kind of think it's silly and has nothing to do with the music. but then some of our fans (mostly girls) noticed that some of the bands we play with have drummers who can really twirl their sticks. they love it! now everyone is telling me i need to start twirling my sticks like "that cool drummer from band x does". suddenly i feel put on the spot! maybe i'll start working on it, but i don't know. doesn't anyone care about the music?

[flintii]

hopefully in the near future i'll record some videos and post them of how to spin sticks and some while playing, but as you can see in both the videos i have already posted, Dont Run Before You Can Walk, eg. Dont go throughing in the fancy spills and throws unless you can do it without dropping beats and also make sure you keep the playing up to scratch!

Takes alot of practise but looks pretty cool!

[larryace]

Spinning sticks always looks cool, as long as it's not overdone, and yea, it's part of being entertaining. I don't do it at all, but I might start, just to try to incorporate it.

[SabeTudo]

Stick Technique by Jim McCarthy is an ebook that teaches you a sticking technique that comes from a biological point of view! So, everything it teaches you makes absolute sense, meaning you will be learning a technique that may be SUPERIOR to any other on the Matched grip. holding the drumsticks, utilizing the natural rebound, learning rudiments at blazing speeds, it covers "everything you need to be FANTASTIC at playing drums"

Also, it teaches some stick tricks, for showmanship! I personally don't care to learn tricks, but Check it out at www.sticktechnique.com.

I have bought the book, and it has many many pictures which make learning the technique very easy. It teaches stick tricks like:

twirling
spinning
backsticking
the twirl-over
butting
the "windscreen wiper"
the "flip over" and "toss over"
the "flip" and "toss"
the "flip across" and "toss across"

also buying this ebook gives you access to a snaredrum solo known as Brushfire! which is a rudimental solo that incorporates every stick trick covered in the book, i believe.

[JoeLackey]

Never let your playing suffer because you are trying to entertain. Tricks come later.

[Swiss Matthias]

There's a guy who obviously released a DVD on sticktricks:

http://www.myspace.com/markusderschlagwerker

[fusssion]

RANT

Do you see Colaiuta, Weckl, Gadd, etc, etc, etc, doing stick tricks? Answer: No. This should the THE LAST thing a drummer should concern themselves with.

Does it LOOK COOL......yes, it does, ....but .....is it functional? Hardly!

Sorry guys....just one of my peeves! ;)

ymmv

/RANT

[dxdrummer]

I focus more on polyrhythms and off-beat fills... they add a lot more variety to my playing, and they're a lot more impressive to people who actually know music and drumming :-P

The one trick I WOULD like to learn, however, is when drummers (ex: steve gadd and jojo mayer) do a roll on the sticks. It's kind of hard to explain, so I'll just post a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_V1bVxdle4


(side note: I'd actually also like to learn how to do what Steve Smith does in this video at 1:04
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-_V0pcQLlk)

[Naigewron]

I focus more on polyrhythms and off-beat fills... they add a lot more variety to my playing, and they're a lot more impressive to people who actually know music and drumming :-P

I don't know about your general audiences, but I'm willing to bet that 95-99% of the people who see me play live are non-drummers. I'd rather impress them than that one drummer at the back of the room ;-)

I love twirling and showmanship; it's all part of putting on a good show. Like any aspect of drumming, it can be overdone and become old, but if done right (and as long as it doesn't mean sacrificing the actual playing) it can be a great tool to get the audience to notice you.

[Jeff Gordon #24]

At the risk of repeating some others, the "trick" is to NOT let your playing suffer for showmanship. Playing is always more important. And should always be the 1st on your mind behind the kit.

Thomas & Chip are great examples of that very concept. Well Done, guys!

[Moldy]

To be fair, stick twirling/tricks are just a facet of something else, which is showmanship. If you have a good personality on stage, you can figure out ways to project it. Drum solos, using gimmicks/props (like the Jumbo sticks), incredible fills, engaging the audience, *NOT* always being the silent guy behind the other egos, etc. For the not-so-dextrous or butterfingery among us, it's probably a better idea to have solid playing and good stage presence.

[Naigewron]

RANT

Do you see Colaiuta, Weckl, Gadd, etc, etc, etc, doing stick tricks? Answer: No. This should the THE LAST thing a drummer should concern themselves with.

Does it LOOK COOL......yes, it does, ....but .....is it functional? Hardly!

Sorry guys....just one of my peeves! ;)

ymmv

/RANT

Since when did "Colaiuta, Weckl, Gadd, etc, etc, etc" become the templates for what to do and not to do in drumming? I've certainly never heard any of them claim that if there's something they choose not to do, noone else should do it either.

Come to think of it, there are loads of things I've never seen "Colaiuta, Weckl, Gadd, etc, etc, etc" do... Should I stop concerning myself with those things as well?

You're up on stage to entertain a crowd! Looking cool is a huge part of that. If everyone on stage did nothing else than simply play their instruments, the show would be pretty damn boring, and you might as well have stayed home and listened to the CD. Now, whether or not stick twirls are the right tool for looking cool is another issue entirely, and will mostly depend on the genre, style and image of the band performing. However, it's definitely an effective tool to make the crowd notice the drummer, even as he's tucked away all the way back there on stage, with minimal lighting and covered up by the smoke from the badly positioned smoke machine.

[dxdrummer]

I don't know about your general audiences, but I'm willing to bet that 95-99% of the people who see me play live are non-drummers. I'd rather impress them than that one drummer at the back of the room ;-)

I love twirling and showmanship; it's all part of putting on a good show. Like any aspect of drumming, it can be overdone and become old, but if done right (and as long as it doesn't mean sacrificing the actual playing) it can be a great tool to get the audience to notice you.

I agree, the girls are more important then the drummers ;-) However, if you can do something fancy or flashy, that will impress EVERYONE. For example, I played tenors in high school, so I incorporate some flashy moves with really fast cross-over patterns. That impresses both the ladies and the musicians.

What upsets me isn't that drummers do stick tricks, it's when I hear things like "if you can't do a stick twirl you aren't a real drummer" and things like that

[Moldy]

Stick Technique by Jim McCarthy is an ebook that teaches you a sticking technique that comes from a biological point of view! So, everything it teaches you makes absolute sense, meaning you will be learning a technique that may be SUPERIOR to any other on the Matched grip. holding the drumsticks, utilizing the natural rebound, learning rudiments at blazing speeds, it covers "everything you need to be FANTASTIC at playing drums"

Also, it teaches some stick tricks, for showmanship! I personally don't care to learn tricks, but Check it out at www.sticktechnique.com.

I have bought the book, and it has many many pictures which make learning the technique very easy. It teaches stick tricks like:

twirling
spinning
backsticking
the twirl-over
butting
the "windscreen wiper"
the "flip over" and "toss over"
the "flip" and "toss"
the "flip across" and "toss across"

also buying this ebook gives you access to a snaredrum solo known as Brushfire! which is a rudimental solo that incorporates every stick trick covered in the book, i believe.

Hmm, this looks quite promising. I'm taking lessons now mostly for technique because that's the one thing no book/video has ever really covered comprehensively. I think I'll grab this before I have to move!

[DrumEatDrum]

RANT

Do you see Colaiuta, Weckl, Gadd, etc, etc, etc, doing stick tricks? Answer: No. This should the THE LAST thing a drummer should concern themselves with.

Does it LOOK COOL......yes, it does, ....but .....is it functional? Hardly!

Sorry guys....just one of my peeves! ;)

ymmv

/RANT

And yet, if you look at who influenced them:

Gene Krupa,
Papa Jo Jones
Sonny Payne
and many other jazz legends twirled and/or flipped their sticks.

And while Buddy Rich didn't twirl per se, he still knew it a SHOW, and often threw in visual tricks into his solos. And he wasn't above occasionally doing something flashy, like the one time he did play a double bass solo, the one time he performed upside down, and the time he hosted his own TV show.

So I see your pet peeve and raise you one:
people who blinding rant against twirling without bothering to look at some of the greatest drumming legends and realizing they were often twirling showmen too. :-P

[Swiss Matthias]

Drumming had much of a show in it back then, because of the way music was played and conceived. All the showmanship is also quite important in military drumming, drum line, drum corps, and that's where many of those drummers learned it. Still today, John Blackwell Jr. also got it from there. I suppose Keith Carlock could do it too :).

[fusssion]

Since when did "Colaiuta, Weckl, Gadd, etc, etc, etc" become the templates for what to do and not to do in drumming? I've certainly never heard any of them claim that if there's something they choose not to do, noone else should do it either.

You've missed the point drastically. So, for clarification purposes:
MOST of the greatest drummers on earth do such "tricks" .....that in and of itself was the only point I was trying to make.

Come to think of it, there are loads of things I've never seen "Colaiuta, Weckl, Gadd, etc, etc, etc" do... Should I stop concerning myself with those things as well?
See above......

You're up on stage to entertain a crowd!

You are? If I'm on stage, I'm playing music to the best of my ability,...first, and foremost.....

Are you entertaining? YES, ....with your music. "Showmanship is secondary. And this is my opinion. Yours may differ, and that's ok ;)


Looking cool is a huge part of that. If everyone on stage did nothing else than simply play their instruments, the show would be pretty damn boring, and you might as well have stayed home and listened to the CD. Now, whether or not stick twirls are the right tool for looking cool is another issue entirely, and will mostly depend on the genre, style and image of the band performing. However, it's definitely an effective tool to make the crowd notice the drummer, even as he's tucked away all the way back there on stage, with minimal lighting and covered up by the smoke from the badly positioned smoke machine.

Point well taken, ...but I'll stick with my original point ...it's secondary to "look cool" .......

[fusssion]

And yet, if you look at who influenced them:

Gene Krupa,
Papa Jo Jones
Sonny Payne
and many other jazz legends twirled and/or flipped their sticks.

And while Buddy Rich didn't twirl per se, he still knew it a SHOW, and often threw in visual tricks into his solos. And he wasn't above occasionally doing something flashy, like the one time he did play a double bass solo, the one time he performed upside down, and the time he hosted his own TV show.

So I see your pet peeve and raise you one:
people who blinding rant against twirling without bothering to look at some of the greatest drumming legends and realizing they were often twirling showmen too. :-P

My peeve with this is: CONCENTRATING on it, rather than doing your job FIRST.

Hell, if I played like the above mentioned,...I'd learn a trick or two also! BUT,...that's an ETERNITY away! :)

[bonzolead]

The way I look at it is this, as other mentioned tricks are cool as long as you're playing doesn't. suffer and being in a gigging band you have too put on a show people don't. go & see a jukebox on stage LOL

but not only showmanship people want too see you have a good time on stage, attitudes portray a lot on stage & you're playing will suffer if you're pissed off.

attitudes should be dealt with at practice or on break not the stage.....very unprofessional.

remember we are entertainers not librarians LOL

Bonzolead

[Jeff Gordon #24]

Guys, guys, guys...different strokes for different folks. Snare drum - Cymbal crash! Thank You!

[larryace]

Everytime I see a drummer twirl sticks, I think it's pretty darn cool.
It makes me want to be able to do it.
It never bothered me, I'm envious of it.
It does look cool. Who doesn't enjoy watching that?
To the general population, the "show" factor is probably the most fun FOR THEM.
They don't look at you and say "Oh man he just played a double paradiddle"...they want you to GIVE them something that they don't have to work too hard to understand.
As long as you don't audibly SUCK, the funner band will be preferred over the serious band by the majority of people, so the "show" aspect is pretty important.
Kind of like......
No! I must stop analogizing!

[Naigewron]

Point well taken, ...but I'll stick with my original point ...it's secondary to "look cool" .......

I'm not disagreeing with you on that; the music can never suffer because a musician is trying to look cool or be visually entertaining. However, as long as that's the case, I'm all for going for the big movements, theatrics, stick twirls, running around on stage (not for the drummer, obviously), high-fiving the audience, leaning on the monitors, etc (note: this all comes from a rock point of view; this would probably not sit quite as well with a jazz club audience ;-)


You are? If I'm on stage, I'm playing music to the best of my ability,...first, and foremost.....

Are you entertaining? YES, ....with your music. "Showmanship is secondary. And this is my opinion. Yours may differ, and that's ok ;)


Nope, we're in agreement on that again; the music comes first, and I will always play that to the best of my ability. However, whatever ability and energy I have left over will go towards entertaining the audience in whatever way I feel suits the energy and style of the music :-)

Anyway, I think we're basically in agreement on the "music comes first" part, which really is the most important point overall :-)

[drumafia]

sometimes during a quick break in a song i'll throw a stick to my bass player,and he throws it back to me,just in time to go back into the song
PRETTY FUN!!