Positioning the snare drum for both grips

Sutor

Sutor

Member
After a recent drum assessment at my new college, one of my only problems with technique was when I went over to traditional grip. I kept facing my palms up to be able to get a good rim shot and in turn getting a bit of a Steve Gadd hunch.
My teacher assured me my technique is fine but it's the positioning of my snare and hi-hats that make me get a bit of a limp left hand because with traditional grip your palms should be facing inward with the stick at a diagonal angle.

This is where the problem strikes, I've tried to have my snare on an angle which helps more with traditional but I switch between both grips quite often and it becomes an issue with matched grip. I've tried to find the sweet spot but no matter what I do, one grip suffers.

Does anyone have a similar problem? Is it maybe that my snare stand isn't very good?

Help me out guys.

Cheers, Andy.
 
Hey Sutor,

I started playing with Traditional grip and then moved to Matched grip. I use both grips 50/50 now. I have no problems playing with either grip with the snare angle you see in the photos.

SnareAngle.jpg


SnareAngleDirect.jpg


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I find a perfectly level snare to be the most comfortable. I can use any grip and get a good rimshot with a flat snare.
 
I like to play or enjoy a level snare with Matched, Traditional, French grips.
 
I personally keep it flat because I change grips all the time. Tilting slightly works too. I can't play on the traditional 45 degree angle slant either.
 
what i found was best was leaving the snare slightly tilted with a memory lock securing the height you like. when you change to trad simply spin the snare a little to turn it away and turn it back for match. the trick is to loosen the height wingnut a little and turn the memory lock where a flat side rests on the wingnut part.

do you get it?
 
I have mine tilted away alittle. I never have a problem with matched though. I just lift my elbow higher and it all seems to work out fine. Flat is a good idea it just never gave me the angle i wanted for traditional.
 
I don't have to change anything to switch grips, which I do all the time. I keep my snare tilted very slightly towards me. Very slightly. I don't have a protractor or whatever, but I would guess it's maybe a 10 degree angle, probably no more than 15 degrees.
 
There are a few physics considerations to consider. Since you are loading the head with tension downward--that is, the lugs run vertical on the drum--the natural "unloading" of whatever may strike the surface will tend to want to go the exact opposite direction of the loading of the head.

Even though you will see a slight upward deflection of the stick when you tilt it, your stick still "wants" to go straight upward relative to the direction of the lugs.

There is no escaping--physically--that perfectly flat snare will tend to require less adjustment of your hand position and the stick will more naturally deflect straight upward, relative to the position of the lugs.

I've tried it all, and none really give you a natural advantage, since you have to adjust your body to deal with the angles.
 
Thanks for the comments guys, sorry for the late reply. I have been experimenting with it and it seems that tilted away from me seems to work the best and I've also lowered the snare aswell so that I don't have to lift my right arm at all.
I think it's something that's going to progress with time, thanks again.

Andy
 
Hey I got a useful tip.
I play matched grip but it goes for both grips. I possition my snair drum so that the snair wires run parralel and right under the direction my stick is pointed when im playing on the hats or ride. This way rim shots sound explosive and it also makes each beat sound fuller.
 
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