Members Andy315 Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 Okay so I've noticed that after going a few weeks without playing that when I pick up the sticks again and start playing faster beats I'm fine at first but after about 10 minutes I get a weird cramp in my fingers causing me to not be able to grip the stick with my index finger anymore. The end result is I end up death gripping the stick to keep it in my hand. Anyone else experience this or have some tips for me? I mean am I hold the stick wrong from being out of practice or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members marko46 Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 Drink TONS of water. Take potassium, don't over do it. eat Bananas, broccoli. Stretch. I get cramping if I don't, but usually doesn't kick in if it does until after 3 hours into a show.Oh, caffeine and alcohol can dehydrate you also. If you try this stuff and get no relief, see your Doctor. If you don't mind me askin', how old are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 I hold my sticks long and across my palms like one might a hammer or a screwdriver. This takes the load off your index fingers and spreads it throughout your hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxofrocks Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 I get cramps in the thumb area if I use too small of sticks. Gotta be 5B or larger. Maybe try thicker sticks with more meat on them to grab hold of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FitchFY Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 A few things: 1.) Warm-up and stretch your fingers before really getting into it. 2.) Drink a ton of water any day you play. Hydration goes a long way.3.) As mentioned, got some potassium in you (a banana a day is great for you!)4.) Watch your volume - are you playing really hard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 I get cramps in the thumb area if I use too small of sticks. Gotta be 5B or larger. Maybe try thicker sticks with more meat on them to grab hold of? Good point. Given that most players prefer a loosey finger grip, stick diameter plays a significant role in fatigue and control issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carminemw Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 A few things: 1.) Warm-up and stretch your fingers before really getting into it. 2.) Drink a ton of water any day you play. Hydration goes a long way. 3.) As mentioned, got some potassium in you (a banana a day is great for you!) 4.) Watch your volume - are you playing really hard? +1 Also try some Omega3 and Omega6. It's good for your heart and colesterol and Mickey told me that it has some analgesic properties in it as well and helps you move better. I don't know all the particulars but it has helped me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Andy315 Posted February 10, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 Thanks for all the tips! Now for a couple answers/comments: I'm 22, I play stick comparable to most 2B size sticks, and I don't tend to play hard most of the time but, I'm playing in a metal band and light hits don't get you to far at practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jenksdrummer Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 Thanks for all the tips!Now for a couple answers/comments:I'm 22, I play stick comparable to most 2B size sticks, and I don't tend to play hard most of the time but, I'm playing in a metal band and light hits don't get you to far at practice. Get drum mics if they're playing that loud, or get them to play at a lower level. I've been there. You end up in a sitation where you practice so damn loud it's hard to pull back for the smaller venues, and most venues won't allow a band to play as loud as some do during practices...you get used to how things sound at a given level, and when you play quiter it don't sound right and it throws things off, etc... That, and you end up beating the {censored} out of yourself and your equipment. I would regularly get blisters and shatter sticks. I ended up taping up my hands like when I was in football, and then I couldn't hold the sticks are much, causing me to not play as hard, causing the blisters to not form...or when they did, they were protected and wouldn't break open while playing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jenksdrummer Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 Oh, and the cramping thing - that's sometimes normal. You're using muscles that aren't as developed, so they'll bitch. Same with ligaments and tendons and joints - they'll all complain when you change something, and most of the time those changes are being done without you conciously knowing you're making those changes... Myself, I just plowed through it and got over it. Took some ibuprofen (1000MG) before and after practices (another 1000MG) and pounded the fluids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carminemw Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 Thanks for all the tips! Now for a couple answers/comments: I'm 22, I play stick comparable to most 2B size sticks, and I don't tend to play hard most of the time but, I'm playing in a metal band and light hits don't get you to far at practice. Volume should be coming from velocity, not necessarily stick size. Speed (not how fast you can play) but rather how fast you get your stick down (and up) will give you tons more volume, and save on the wear and tear of your body...think whip...like a striking cobra rather than hammering in nails with a ballpene... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jenksdrummer Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 Volume should be coming from velocity, not necessarily stick size. Speed (not how fast you can play) but rather how fast you get your stick down (and up) will give you tons more volume, and save on the wear and tear of your body...think whip...like a striking cobra rather than hammering in nails with a ballpene... I agree with that to an extent. Where I don't agree is that, it takes mass to move mass. Larger sticks are more mass. They take more energy from the user to move them, and deliver/require more energy to stop them. That larger mass holds more energy as it's being delivered into the drum head, causing it to move with more force, causing the mass of air around the drum to vibrate with more intensity. The whip notion, makes the assumption that a small whip will make just as large a crack (or do as much damage to it's intended target) as a large whip, which isn't true. Also, using that same notion, I should be just as loud, or louder, using 7A's instead of 2B's. Lighter/faster sticks do not deliver the same level of energy stored from the mass of the stick of a 2B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TwistedZ Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 I'm in the same camp as the others regarding playing with smaller diameter sticks. I cramp up in a matter of a few minutes. That said, I also don't care for the heft of say a 2B. The stick I found that seems a perfect balance of diameter and heft is the Vic Firth SD9 Drivers. They have enough diameter to keep me from cramping and are very light and fast for their size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members marko46 Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 Never used a 2B, but aren't they like Huge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jenksdrummer Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 Never used a 2B, but aren't they like Huge? About as big around as your thumb...maybe less, depending on the thumb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carminemw Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 But I will counter that with the amount of force that has to be used to move that larger stick detracts from the velocity, so with moving that stick slower, big small or whatever, the impact declines. With moving the stick faster, a 5a can produce virtually the volume needed for even the heaviest of bands. I've seen and heard guys pop rim shots with smaller sticks that would take my head off. It was simply the quickness of the motion that superceded the size. This is because more force is being utilized as a catalyst for the quicker stick movement. I am not debating that the big sticks can create gobs of volume. I am simply saying you can get that volume another way, that could be more beneficial to his playing habits. I used to beat the crap out of my kit with heavy lumber trying to play loud. I found speed and finesse to work much better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jenksdrummer Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 But I will counter that with the amount of force that has to be used to move that larger stick detracts from the velocity, so with moving that stick slower, big small or whatever, the impact declines. With moving the stick faster, a 5a can produce virtually the volume needed for even the heaviest of bands. I've seen and heard guys pop rim shots with smaller sticks that would take my head off. It was simply the quickness of the motion that superceded the size. This is because more force is being utilized as a catalyst for the quicker stick movement. I am not debating that the big sticks can create gobs of volume. I am simply saying you can get that volume another way, that could be more beneficial to his playing habits. I used to beat the crap out of my kit with heavy lumber trying to play loud. I found speed and finesse to work much better... That's why I agree with you to an extent The thing I've noticed is the pitch difference of playing with different diameter sticks. I don't know how to really explain it, because it's been a while and I'm going off memory, but the sound coming out from a 2B strike, a 5A strike, and a 7A strike are all different. The smaller sticks have more "pop" to them, more cut, while the bigger sticks have more thud to them... That could explain a bit of what you mean by the rimshot of a small stick having a TON of cut to it... I use sticks that hold up reasonably well. I want them thick enough to hold up, but thin enough that if I get carried away, they won't cause things to break before they do. 2B's are too big, 5A's are too big for that matter. I use 747's because 7A's are too small... Outside of that, when I was having hand-cramp issues, the first thing recommended to me was go to a larger diameter stick. I tried that, and it did help a bit, but I didn't like the feel. That's when I turned to the ibuprofen way. 6 weeks later, no pain from it, and I've not had any since then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carminemw Posted February 10, 2009 Members Share Posted February 10, 2009 Hey Jenks...look into the Firth Harvey Mason Model. I have been using them since the mid 80's. They thud, crack, nice round bead for good stick definition on a cymbal. And I have been using the same 3 sets since I think around '85. They've been whittled a little but they still hold up. And they produce tons of volume...really! http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Vic-Firth-Harvey-Mason-Signature-Drumsticks?sku=443974&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26031990 I've seen them on sale for about $7.00 or so... Hell I went through them all...even played outdoor gigs using 2S models on my kit. Talk about breaking stuff.... but a friend of mine turned me on to that quickness method, and I've never gone back. But then again, I'm not playing heavy rock any more either...se la vie... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted February 11, 2009 Members Share Posted February 11, 2009 Volume should be coming from velocity, not necessarily stick size. Speed (not how fast you can play) but rather how fast you get your stick down (and up) will give you tons more volume, and save on the wear and tear of your body...think whip...like a striking cobra rather than hammering in nails with a ballpene... This is a 6 of one half dozen uh de udder kind of thing. Using lighter sticks to play louder requires more work. And from the fingers no less. There are tone issues as well. A heavy stick will have the inertia to get into the head. The light stick requires you hit harder - which will get you a harsher attack. And the major flaw with velocity = dynamics is velocity is already tied into tempo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carminemw Posted February 11, 2009 Members Share Posted February 11, 2009 And the major flaw with velocity = dynamics is velocity is already tied into tempo. I don't think so! The two have nothing to do with each other...only in an uncontrolled environment. From slow tunes to fast tunes, the stick velocity should never dictate tempo. Some of those old slow tunes have some of the quickest snaps to them...even at 40bpm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jack Thumper Posted February 11, 2009 Members Share Posted February 11, 2009 Okay so I've noticed that after going a few weeks without playing that when I pick up the sticks again and start playing faster beats I'm fine at first but after about 10 minutes I get a weird cramp in my fingers causing me to not be able to grip the stick with my index finger anymore. The end result is I end up death gripping the stick to keep it in my hand. Anyone else experience this or have some tips for me? I mean am I hold the stick wrong from being out of practice or what? Sounds like you need to loosen up your grip and when you feel your index finger cramping up,switch your fulcrum point over to the middle finger to relieve the index finger allowing the muscle to return to a relaxed state,this has help me more than anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the_drum Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I haven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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