Drum newbie stick technique problems?

[okiebass]

I'd be interested in any comments about these two things. I found an excellent teacher, but like any student have discovered during practice details where I struggle: Grip, and Avoiding Stick Interference.

Grip: The teacher explained the importance of holding sticks with palms mostly facing down to take advantage of natural wrist motion, avoid repetitive motion injury, etc. At first it didn't really work, until I realized that once palms were mostly flat, I needed to rotate the wrists slightly outward so the sticks were pointing away from me not a right angle to my wrist. That plus maintaining the pivot between thumb and fingers. Since it still feels a bit awkward, I've tried YouTube videos to really see what pro drummers do, but nobody zooms camera in on the wrists.

Stick Interference: Much more frustrating. Since I'm being taught to keep kick, snare and hi hat close for ease of access, and for right-hand stick to the hi hat to be above the left-hand stick to the snare, this has come about. To get a good whack/bounce on the snare, I need to have that stick at about 45 degree angle. That means pulling up on the right-hand stick to get it out of the way. The problem here is that when I come back down, they're both traveling about the same distance to impact, but I don't want to smack the hi hat as hard as the snare. Otherwise the hi hat is too loud, plus snare doesn't have that feel you get when hit it just right and stick bounces back up. Really drives me nuts. Suggestions?

[1001gear]

The good news is that proper technique requires complete development of the physique involved. Means palms flat/palms angled downwards/immense hand grip/light touch/full rangeof arm motion/hands motionless over the object being struck/ on and on.

I've found that new techniques are best tackled as physical moves. And slowly. Like a dancer. See with a dancer, the look is everything - smooth and glitch free ... It also happens to translate into the defacto best technique. Put some sticks at the end of that and there's your drumming. Yeah it takes time and you just wanna get some tracks down - I can't help you there.

Mechanically, good technique involves calibration of the ligaments and joints involved so expect the balkiness and awkward positions. This is mostly why the slow practice. You have to GROW the chops. The best foundation will take you the farthest.

[danrothmusic]

Try re-positioning the hi-hat and snare. Still keep things close together (or as much as is comfortable), but play with different arrangements. Also ask your teacher.