middle finger in trad grip

[CJM]

I read through the big Trad Grip thread and am not finding an answer: What exactly is the role of the middle finger in trad grip?

I've played trad grip for many years but started taking lessons this summer and my teacher right away noticed my fingers coming off the stick in my left hand - namely the ring and middle fingers. The ring finger problem I fixed in a couple weeks. But the middle finger still comes off, esp at the beginning of buzz rolls.

I think I'm trying to "let" the stick bounce. He keeps on me every lesson to get the finger back on the stick, but we don't work on buzz rolls much either.

Part of me still wants to bring it off the stick for multiple bounce rolls, but then I do tend to lose control of it too. I've seen videos of guys doing awesome rolls with their fingers off the stick, so I'm confused.

But what is the middle finger supposed to be doing?

[bobdadruma]

I frequently let my fingers come off the stick also. I get tired and lazy during a long session. It is a bad habit that some drummers develop. The middle and first fingers give extra control and increase the articulation of the stick. They make it possible for you to play faster with less effort. Its a Zen kinda thing! I bring my trad hand up higher and this seems to help. Watch vids of Buddy Rich. Those two fingers act like springs. His left hand leads the way to increased speed. If your fingers aren't on the stick, the left hand struggles to keep up with the right.

[CJM]

IThey make it possible for you to play faster with less effort. Its a Zen kinda thing! I bring my trad hand up higher and this seems to help. Watch vids of Buddy Rich. Those two fingers act like springs. His left hand leads the way to increased speed. If your fingers aren't on the stick, the left hand struggles to keep up with the right.

Yeah those vids are amazing though sometimes I have trouble seeing exactly what is going on during rolls. He worked the stick fantasically with the middle finger, which is what my teacher thought I was trying to do. Who me??? But maybe I was somewhat, after all these years, trying to work it.

Maybe for now all I can to is see if I can grip tight and hold on and still manage bounces.

[MCS]

Another thing to keep in mind is the function of forearm rotation on the left hand.

Since there's no way to get any wrist movement due to the nature of the grip, developing the ability to rotate the forearm also adds to the speed of the left hand, as well as taking some of the strain off the fingers.

[bobdadruma]

This is an excellent vid by Derrick Pope. He talks about the middle finger. He also talks about bringing your elbow in for more power. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tHSrovtJF0

[CJM]

This is an excellent vid by Derrick Pope. He talks about the middle finger. He also talks about bringing your elbow in for more power. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tHSrovtJF0

Man, and I searched YouTube on "traditional grip" several times, never found this.

Thanks I can't wait to watch it later.


[edit] So, Pope says the middle finger just lays there, unless you're really good and know how to use it.

Meanwhile this guy does like I do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw0xlQW4RRQ&feature=related

and so does this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8x8qFmaKRo

Is it just different when you're doing a roll?

[bromasi]

anybody know what happened to Derrick, I miss his lessons

[bobdadruma]

Man, and I searched YouTube on "traditional grip" several times, never found this.

Thanks I can't wait to watch it later.


[edit] So, Pope says the middle finger just lays there, unless you're really good and know how to use it.

Meanwhile this guy does like I do
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw0xlQW4RRQ&feature=related

and so does this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8x8qFmaKRo

Is it just different when you're doing a roll? Try working on playing your buzz rolls without moving your arms. Just use your wrists, and your fingers.

[CJM]

Try working on playing your buzz rolls without moving your arms. Just use your wrists, and your fingers.


Any teachers here who can answer my question? Are buzz rolls an exception to the rule that the middle finger should be kept on the stick?

[Fiery]

There is no rule that the middle finger should be kept on the stick, just different approaches and different ways to . Pipe drummers do almost all their left hand finger control using thumb only.
You might suggest to your teacher to find some Jojo Mayer video. He excels in both index-and-middle-finger approach and thumb-only approach.

[CJM]

There is no rule that the middle finger should be kept on the stick, just different approaches and different ways to . Pipe drummers do almost all their left hand finger control using thumb only.
You might suggest to your teacher to find some Jojo Mayer video. He excels in both index-and-middle-finger approach and thumb-only approach.


Cool, thanks. We don't work on rolls much, that's just my secret passion. I get the feeling it's something that's supposed to come much later, after I've perfected everything else.