

  • Personally my feeling is... just stick with matched grip if that's where you're at, but make sure you invest some time developing your left hand dexterity on ghost notes and subtleties. Practice your ghost note control. That's really the thing. – Cameron Bartholomew Sep 20 at 13:21

12 Answers 12


Traditional Grip Pros:

  • Very common in Marching Percussion
  • Looks 'cooler' (subjective)

Traditional Grip Cons:

  • Harder to move around and play different drums.




It ultimately comes down to what works for you. :D


I am a band director with a degree in percussion performance and played and taught Drum and Bugle corp a long time. I am an expert on drumming rudiments. I first learned traditional grip and later switched to matched grip. I now use both grips, because each has its own advantages.









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There are some techniques that can only really be done in matched (freehand), other things that can only be done in traditional (lots of brush stuff, certain finger control techniques).

The greatest benefit of traditional grip is that you can vary the angle of attack between the drumstick and whatever surface you're playing on (therefore changing the sound) in a way that would be entirely impractical in a Germanic style grip and all but impossible in a French style grip. The biggest thing going for matched grip is the accuracy to which you can mirror what each hand is doing so that both are consistent.

You could literally write a book about all the intricate little differences. What it comes down to though, is that traditional grip gives a totally different feel versus matched grip. Neither method is the "correct" way to play drums, and each has their place. When you get to the point where you are proficient at both styles you'll begin to see where and when to use each one.


one thing that every body is over looking though is... "does it inspire me to play Traditional Grip?" I am a traditional grip player and i have been playing Matched grip for a while (because every body is saying that it is easier/better/healthier and so on). Im quite proficient with matched grip but it doesn't inspire me. it seems that when i play a solo, no idea will come up. i find that really strange. so when i play traditional grip + kit set up for traditional playing the ideas just pop in. Charlie watts also plays traditional grip but im pretty sure his left hand is not equally developed like Vinnie Colaiutas left hand and look at his career. i believe that we should not forget to include the musical part of playing a certain grip in to the equation. best to you all


look - here's the real deal. Matched grip is used for: 1) timpani; 2) mallets (xylo, marimba, bells, chimes, etc.); 3) concert snare drum; 4) sus cym; 5) concert bass drum; 5) woodblock.....literally EVERYTHING in a percussion section. The problem with traditional is that it takes YEARS to develop (NOT master) the technique into a usable grip. It takes DECADES to master the technical and subtle parts of traditional grip.

That's why you don't see too many 13 and 14 year olds killing it with traditional grip. You see the grip a lot in DCI but remember those performers practice the same thing 4-8 hours a day like it's their JOB. I can't tell you how many times I've seen kids with terrible traditional grip and a ridiculously weak left hand still trying to play effectively. It only serves to make the section very sloppy.

Many drumlines sound very clean, but only because they practice the same things for hours upon hours. If you put those same performers on a concert snare drum on a stage in an auditorium the flaws in technique would become blatantly obvious when they tried to play anything piano or pianissimo. It. Takes. Decades to master.

You are doing a severe disservice to your section and ensemble if you are trying to play traditional during your high school years. This is also why you do not see many high schools playing traditional using 5 or 6 or 11 marching snares: it is VERY difficult to play cleanly without HOURS of ensemble practice. (Witness a Chicago football team's drumline, for one).

Stick to matched grip for a clean sound. Don't force your kids to learn something which has taken professionals decades to master.


For this subject, please allow me to be direct and to the point. I've played for over 35 years. I don't care if you're playing a snare or a 10 pc. kit. Call yourself a drummer or percussionist. Whatever! You learn traditional and you learn matched. That is the answer. No ifs. Ands. Buts. Nothin. We don't play strings. We don't blow into anything. This is a discipline. That Does Require Practice! You learn them both because your range then becomes exponential. Because, as mentioned before, traditional will unlock creativity. It will bring you finess. And the power that you can wield will blow you away. THAT is why you learn traditional grip. And just so we're clear, I'm a metal head thru and thru. Peace!




If you are gonna try for marching band, I think that if you are trying to get a snare part you ahould try to learn trad. But becasue everything else is played matched, if you want tenor or bass learn matched.

I was able to pick up trad better than most people say its possible. I was playing as fast as matched in a few weeks with just short day to day practice.

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