Coming to Grips With Grips

You’ve no doubt heard about the various alternatives for the lead hand (both hands in the case of matched grip): German, French and American. You may even have gotten into arguments about it. These variations are relevant to tympani and mallet players, but should drum set players be concerned as well?

First, let’s see what we’re actually talking about.  The different styles of grip are differentiated by the orientation of the stick relative to the palm and forearm. If the butt juts out to the side, that’s the German style. Held like a rapier -- thumb on top -- is the French style. And the American is in between, with the back of the hand parallel to the floor and the butt of the stick in line with the forearm.

And how do these grips stack up?

The German style relies on rotating the forearm to make a stroke. That can be good for volume, but it’s a poor choice for articulation and speed. Also, it doesn’t allow for much wrist or finger control. The French grip is great for control and articulation, but it's limited in the amount of power it can deliver. The American grip appears to have all the desired positives and no obvious weaknesses.

Does that mean the French and German grips are inadequate and that we should always choose the American style? No, not at all. In fact, drum set players tend to use all three grips (and then some) regardless of their training and background.

Here’s a test that you can try. Sit down at your set and, while keeping your elbow close to your side, reach for your ride cymbal with your lead hand using as natural a motion as you can. Chances are you turned your forearm and landed in something very much like the French grip. This is exactly what you want when playing, for example, a fast ride pattern.

Now bring your stick back and put the tip in the centre of the snare, again using a natural motion and with your elbow glued to your side. Did you automatically rotate your arm and slide into the American grip? Good. American is what you want for most snare drum work.

And what about the German? Starting from the American grip on the snare, it's very easy to move your stick to the hi-hat with a slight twist and there you have the German grip. You can also rotate the arm to address the floor tom … also German grip (and yes, it's upside down).

There is no one right grip for the drum set. They all work, and unless you force them to do otherwise, your hands will move naturally -- and comfortably -- between the styles and degrees of rotation according to need. My advice is to adopt the American grip as your basic technique, and then slip into the other grips whenever it makes sense.