Putting Your Finger on It Part 2 - Sometimes I’m all thumbs

Most of the grip- and stroke-oriented material I see focuses on wrist, finger, and arm movements, but I don’t think I’ve seen anything that deals specifically with the thumb. And yet the thumb is a make-it-or-break-it appendage. You use your thumbs constantly when playing, regardless of grip, but are you aware of what your thumb is actually capable of?

Aside from providing a fulcrum, the thumb allows us to adjust the fulcrum by moving along the stick. It's also important for controlling rebound and helps with speed. And it can help us manipulate the texture of our strokes. 

The “Normal” Grip
Mostly we think of the lead hand (or matched grip) fulcrum as between the thumb and forefinger. But even within this narrow definition there is significant wiggle room. Some players hold the stick with the thumb ahead of the forefinger; others place the thumb even with, or behind the forefinger. They all work. Even better is to allow your thumb to explore different relative positions. Every variation will give you a different type of control and a different sound.

And In Second Place
The so-called second finger fulcrum is just more of the same. The thumb is placed anywhere from just behind the first finger to opposite the second finger, for even more sound and feel options.

Follow The Money
My teacher used the expression "Feel the money." It was a reference to using the thumb the way you would to count out paper money. In effect, you use the thumb to help push the stick forward, causing it to arc around the first finger. If you're looking for pinpoint control and articulation on the cymbal, this is the way to do it.

Thumb’s Up
There’s a technique I sometimes use that I’ve never seen anyone else use. I cock my thumb so that I’m holding the stick with my forefinger and the tip of my thumb. It cranks up the stick articulation and has a full, dry sound. (Note to self: need to find a catchy name for this.)

Putting Your Finger on It, Part 1 - “Regular Grip”

A lot of drum instruction focuses on hand and wrist movement. While it's important to understand these broad strokes, it's also important to look inside hand technique to see what's really going on. Each digit has a role to play in the grip and the stroke, and understanding what each finger is capable of can make a big difference in your playing.

Note that this will apply to both hands if you play matched grip and the lead hand in the case of traditional grip.

Peter Pointer
Usually the index finger forms the fulcrum along with the thumb, with the finger wrapping around the stick or perhaps pointing downward. A good way to get your first finger working is to play free strokes (1) with just the fingertip. Hold the stick between the thumb and first finger with the back of the hand level, then play a down-up stroke using just the fingertip and the rebound.

Tommy Tall
Some drummers use a fulcrum between the first and second fingers, some drummers use a ‘second finger fulcrum’. They both work. You can give the second finger a workout by holding the stick between the thumb and first finger and making rebound strokes with just the second finger. The second finger is also very good at controlling a buzz roll.

Ring-a-ding-ding
The third finger often gets ignored in drumming, but it too is important. I find that it's great assist for buzz rolls, up-tempo cymbal ride patterns, and push-pull technique. It also can add power to your strokes by teaming up with the second finger. I recommend practicing free strokes using just this finger and the first-finger fulcrum.

Fourth Finger
Some drumming traditions actually call for a fourth finger fulcrum (2).  In this grip, the stick is held with the third finger and pinky, and the remaining fingers are held loosely around the stick. This grip can give you interesting articulation -- especially on a cymbal -- and is also handy when your hand is getting tired.

All In
Finally there is the four-finger approach, where the fulcrum is between the thumb and first finger and all the remaining fingers work as a team. This is the approach Tony Williams used to produce those incredible ride rhythms. This is the beat approach. After all, if you have all those fingers, you may as well use them!

The Thumb
As you may already suspect, the thumb merits its own article.

(1) Free Stroke - A full down-and-up stroke that begins at the top of the range and, after striking, returns to the starting point using only the rebound; the hand simply follows the movement of the stick. The grip should remain loose – the stick is never pulled or lifted up. Delivers excellent speed and power. Also called down-up stroke, open stroke, open-closed stroke, full stroke, legato stroke, and a few others.

(2) Although often cited as the Spivak Method, the fourth-finger grip predates both Spivak and Moeller, who also recommended it.