Try And Answer This

[gumgum]

Hey, this question may seem weird, but a difficult one to answer

When you see players use brushes, they always use traditional grip, and when you hear a player using matched grip, it never sounds as good.

What I want to know is what is it about traditional grip that makes brush playing sound better?, or am I just being stupid or too critical?

Nobody I or my drum tutor(who has been teaching for over 25 years)know, has been able to answer this question.

Give it your best shot, and please give us an answer so we can stop thinking about it.

Cheers

[Drummer28]

No idea, maybe you 'll have a better angle of attack

[slybond]

i believe traditional grip gives you a lighter control of the stick, which gives ghost notes and brushes an almost sound of there own. just my 2 cents

[MWRushR40]

Again, why is this being posted here, it's not even relevant to this section

Try posting in General Discussion, it'll give you answers quicker, rather than posting it in different sections of the forum to try and get answers faster.

And good luck, I have no clue.

[StraightToTheWithdrawal]

It's is easier to play brushes with traditional grip to achieve the common figure 8 pattern that is used in jazz music. It is harder to achieve the pattern using matched grip because of the way the hands are positioned. I'm sure you can find some videos on YouTube that will show what I'm talking about. Search for people like Jeff Hamilton...hope this helps put your collective minds at ease....

[drummaman1]

Playing brushes with anything but traditional grip feels WEIRD, to me.

It can be done, and when brushes were first given to me, I played them like sticks. But as you gain experience with brushes, you get to a sort of "crossroads" where you say "Do I play them this way (matched), or this way (traditional)?"

As I hear it, I can tell more of the "comfort level" of the brush playing vs. the grip. I usually end up visualizing myself playing brushes when I hear brushes being played on a CD. The only factor that makes it SOUND inherently different, is the fact that the hand is underneath the brush. Then again, I challenge that also, as quite a few players (Clayton Cameron is who I saw play this way) play brushes traditional grip, but left hand facing palm down.

Another thing to consider is: playing brushes is more of a subtle art. It boils down to how you want your fingers, specifically your fulcrum fingers along with your middle finger, to manipulate the brush.

But to answer the question, if I didn't before, is that it doesn't necessarily sound BETTER matched vs. traditional (purely subjective). Case in point: does Bill Stewart play brushes matched, like he plays sticks? I can't remember. If he does play them matched, then it more or less renders the sound argument as moot.

[cicatriz_esp]

personally, i can play more complex sticking patterns with traditional....mainly from drumline and all that etc..
I can't imagine how your grip would drastically alter the sound, its more in the stroke and technique you use for whatever grip you like. and for the grip..its just personal preferance. do whatever feels comfortable to you. there is no set rules for drumming!

[byrneondrums]

you can play them both ways - with trad grip it's just easier to make the circular motions that are necessary to create a nice bed of sound and a good feeling, swinging groove. However - I have seen Bill Stewart, Eric Harland and others play brushes that sounded killin using matched - no big deal.

Check out the video now available that Steve Smith and AdamNussbaum put out that deals exclusively with brush playing.

Ciao,
Byrne

[MattKeaton]

It's is easier to play brushes with traditional grip to achieve the common figure 8 pattern that is used in jazz music. It is harder to achieve the pattern using matched grip because of the way the hands are positioned. I'm sure you can find some videos on YouTube that will show what I'm talking about. Search for people like Jeff Hamilton...hope this helps put your collective minds at ease....

That's what came to my mind as soon as I read the question... seems pretty straightforward...

[thunderdrummer]

If you want to learn more about brushes, hudson music's "drumcast" podcast has a four part series on it that they've just put out.