Sticks slipping around in my hands

Super Glue... I started using this and now have no problems dropping sticks... It makes it hard getting dressed and brushing my teeth and stuff...

@:)

Seriously,though... I did the same thing as TFITTING942. I too used 747's (way before Neal started using them!) and switched to 5b's. I loathed using a bigger stick because I have smaller hands. However, I found a lot of things going on. It not only fixed this problem, but, I also found my entire technique getting better... I find the sticks are actually easier for me to control!


One question I have is are you using a stick that is too thin for the size of your hand? I used to use Promark 747's and they would do the same thing but I stayed with them. I recently switched to a larger 5b size stick and it totally eleiminated that problem. I can actually hold them with less pressure and they don't move in my hand at all. I thought they would add too much volume to my playing but that didn't happen at all. I have large hands and I realize I need a large stick to hold them correctly....it only too 20 years to figure out but...
 
also, theres a lot of talk about the fulcrum and someone mentioned keeping the other fingers on the stick. I truly believe that the pinky and ring finger are just as important as the fulcrum. its so important to keep them on the stick at all times. the stick has to be balanced throughout the whole hand. when the back fingers arent doing their job...the thumb and index have to do the work for them...this adds too much tension to your fulcrum grip.
I agree, back fingers are really important. It's the back fingers that are made for gripping and squeezing, the thumb in combination with the forefinger is used for dexterity work, not strength. I always hold my sticks as loose as possible, but when it's really hot and they get too slippery, I grip a bit harder with my pinky and ring fingers only, never squeezing with the front fingers. This keeps everything relaxed enough and injury-free.
 
For someone to say that stick slipping problems are exclusively because of incorrect stick grip or technique, in my opinion, is not correct. I practice a lot...and after a lot of practice, I can match grips with most concrete workers. But there are still times when there's something different in my metabolism or body chemicals that make it impossible to get a good hold on the sticks. Then most times when I'm not experiencing the problem, even I begin to doubt that it was real...until it happens again. And it's happened so many times intermittently that I have no doubt at all it's real. It's a big enough issue to be addressed definitely, because what happens is that a player is using muscles in a weird way to hold on to the stick when it's trying to fly out of your hand. Not only does it compromise your playing and any benefits of practice, I believe it could be a major contributor to hand problems that a player wouldn't have to be having. Sticky stuff is good and can create a whole new level of control and precision, but I've only messed around on my own so far and appreciate any suggestions. Tried to get the sexwax- is it discontinued? Maybe I wasn't looking in the right place...Is anyone feelin me on the body chemical thing- like your hands are just too dry or something? Bless the drumming brotherhood.
 
When I was playing snare in marching band at a tiny high school 30 years ago I had no problem with gripping my sticks and never dropped one. The music teacher was a trumpet player so I never learned proper technique and held the sticks too tight.

A couple of years ago I started taking lessons and learned to relax my grip and started dropping my sticks all of the time. This went on for a month or so and is much better now.

I seem to have the opposite experience of most, I find that the longer I play in a particular practice or rehearsal session the less the sticks want to slip. A little moisture from a little sweat seems to make them a bit tackier. When starting to play I'll actually breathe on them like fogging glasses to get this effect.

I'm using Vic Firth 5As I think, I've worn off all of the ink. I play quiet jazz and loud rock and don't really have the slippage problem any more when the sticks are a little moist.
 
...i will not make immature comments...
...i will not make immature comments...
...i will not make immature comments...

....i will NOT make immature comments...
 
After watching Jojo Mayer's DVD a couple of years ago I went on a serious left hand strengthening bender and was committing at least 6-8 hours a week on the practice pad outside of my regular practice routine and any band work. If I was in front of the TV with my wife, I was on the pad, Sitting shotgun in the car? on the practice pad. This drove her batty by the way.

Anyway when I first started, I noticed that when I would practice certain exercises from his DVD specifically the one that isolates each finger and the Fulcrum in the French grip position, the stick would spin around in my hand and I would constantly lose the balance point. My opinion is that this had everything to do with overall lack of strength in that hand which was leading to improper mechanics. Keep in mind that my right hand was fine. Over the last two years I have noticed dramatic improvement in my overall left hand strength. As far as overall control, my left is still behind my right by comparison, but once properly strengthened to a certain point the stick slippage has pretty much all together stopped. Once again a serious case for putting in the hours of practice necessary to correcting a mechanical flaw.
 
After watching Jojo Mayer's DVD a couple of years ago I went on a serious left hand strengthening bender and was committing at least 6-8 hours a week on the practice pad outside of my regular practice routine and any band work. If I was in front of the TV with my wife, I was on the pad, Sitting shotgun in the car? on the practice pad. This drove her batty by the way.

Anyway when I first started, I noticed that when I would practice certain exercises from his DVD specifically the one that isolates each finger and the Fulcrum in the French grip position, the stick would spin around in my hand and I would constantly lose the balance point. My opinion is that this had everything to do with overall lack of strength in that hand which was leading to improper mechanics. Keep in mind that my right hand was fine. Over the last two years I have noticed dramatic improvement in my overall left hand strength. As far as overall control, my left is still behind my right by comparison, but once properly strengthened to a certain point the stick slippage has pretty much all together stopped. Once again a serious case for putting in the hours of practice necessary to correcting a mechanical flaw.

Ditto Drums&Beer (same thing with Jo Jo's French grip finger exercises, they are great by the way...)- I have just started playing again and my right hand was doing it. I decided to switch to matched grip just recently since I am early in the process, and at that point noticed that my left hand is doing it, but, my right hand is not!
 
I'm still working on being able to keep a constant French grip bounce going with my left hand. I can really get the right hand going fast. With the left the stick would rotate and wander around until it would no longer bounce.

When I'm driving (by myself) I play on the center console with my left hand under my right arm opposite the way I used to play the kit. (I play open handed now) I also use a practice pad while we're watching TV at night to just keep both hands constantly bouncing and interleaved.

This is (slowly) helping! I'm able to guide rather than hold the sticks better now in both hands...well it's still ongoing... :)

My wife sure has more patience with all of this than I would!


After watching Jojo Mayer's DVD a couple of years ago I went on a serious left hand strengthening bender and was committing at least 6-8 hours a week on the practice pad outside of my regular practice routine and any band work. If I was in front of the TV with my wife, I was on the pad, Sitting shotgun in the car? on the practice pad. This drove her batty by the way.

Anyway when I first started, I noticed that when I would practice certain exercises from his DVD specifically the one that isolates each finger and the Fulcrum in the French grip position, the stick would spin around in my hand and I would constantly lose the balance point. My opinion is that this had everything to do with overall lack of strength in that hand which was leading to improper mechanics. Keep in mind that my right hand was fine. Over the last two years I have noticed dramatic improvement in my overall left hand strength. As far as overall control, my left is still behind my right by comparison, but once properly strengthened to a certain point the stick slippage has pretty much all together stopped. Once again a serious case for putting in the hours of practice necessary to correcting a mechanical flaw.
 
I'm still working on being able to keep a constant French grip bounce going with my left hand. I can really get the right hand going fast. With the left the stick would rotate and wander around until it would no longer bounce.

When I'm driving (by myself) I play on the center console with my left hand under my right arm opposite the way I used to play the kit. (I play open handed now) I also use a practice pad while we're watching TV at night to just keep both hands constantly bouncing and interleaved.

This is (slowly) helping! I'm able to guide rather than hold the sticks better now in both hands...well it's still ongoing... :)

My wife sure has more patience with all of this than I would!

Yeah it definitely takes a lot of time to develop. I wasn't going to say it but I too get a little left hand development in on the dash-board practice pad on my way to and from work. It can't be any worse than the people who text their buddies while driving. At least my eyes are on the road. Not only that, my commute is a straight shot with few turns. Guilty as charged, driving with 5A's.
 
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