DRUMMER CAFE - Community Forum

Just curious about the habits of this group. I realize there's sometimes a difference between right hand and left hand, especially traditional grip. I also realize some people use multiple fulcrums. In either case, explain your primary techique.

^{I couldn't really pick one from the selection that was given, so I added a few to the Poll ... and here's why.}

Most of the time, my fulcrum is in between the two joints (knuckles). I never slide back to where it's on the second joint because it closes the hand up too much and creates a natural tension in the thumb muscle. It makes my hand find it's locked down rather than relaxed. I want it to feel like an extension of my hand, not like I'm getting ready to club something to death.  ;D

Here's how I find the best fulcrum placement:

I let my hand hang down at my side, totally limp ... like I was dead or something. If I look down, my thumb is lining up with the flesh part of my index finger ... between the first and second knuckle. While still relaxed, I slide a stick into my totally relaxed hand, then apply just enough pressure with the thumb to keep the stick from sliding out of my hand. I lift my arm up and BOOM ... that's how I hold the stick.

For me, the more natural and relaxed ... the better.

Each person is made differently. We all have different shaped hands, different length of fingers, etc. I would encourage you to try this little experiment and see what happens; you may be surprised just how off your present fulcrum is, compared to the natural placement of your thumb and index finger with a totally relaxed hand.

This is my "standard" fulcrum; my starting place when I first pick-up a pair of sticks. From there, I may roll the stick out so that it's on the first knuckle (for certain things), like when I play a really soft buzz roll. I can drop the rest of my fingers and get the least amount of "me" on the stick ... which seems to work for me when I play very soft.

For really hard playing back beats, my fulcrum slides back between the second knuckle of the middle finger. Most of the time it's almost a shared fulcrum between my "standard" fulcrum and this fulcrum. Doing this allows the stick to feel like it's an extension of my body, coming from the center portion of the hand ... really nice for stronger and/or louder playing.

I never have a fulcrum at the second knuckle of the index finger for the reasons I already stated; tension and closing up the hand too much (for me that is). The second knuckle of the middle finger seems to do this better (for me), allowing the hand to stay relaxed and open, let having the strength and control to play strong/loud.

I used to have it at the second joint (Terry Bozzio method) and played with a closed grip like that for years and years. Then I took lessons again and was re-trained to place the fulcrum at the first joint.

These days, like Bart, mine's falling somewhere in between. For me it depends on how hard I'm playing. If I'm playing especially hard, it slips closer to the second joint, although with still a bit of openness. For quieter and/or more finesse play, it stays right at the first joint and the gap there is wide open. But usually it's falling somewhere in between those two.

Gaddabout, I remember another post where you were talking about re-learning grip and I think you're in a situation I was in a while ago. I've found that making that change really requires a strengthening of the thumb muscles (that meaty part of the thumb that lies more in your hand). When I'm playing a wide open grip on the first joint, I really feel that area of my hand burning if I haven't been practicing enough.

There is an exercise my teacher showed me to build up those muscles. You hold the stick right at that fulcrum between the thumb and the first joint and don't let any other part of the hand or any other fingers touch the stick... the only connection point should be at that fulcrum. Hold the stick high and perpendicular to the pad, wrist pretty much on a diagonal plane to the pad, all other fingers flaired out. Strike the pad quickly using only the wrist (no arm movement) and bring the stick quickly back up to where it was, perpendicular to the pad.

The trick is, the stick should never touch the palm of your hand, and it should also not show any wobble when you zip the stick back up to its starting position. Both of these things will happen until the thumb strength starts getting really good. The wobble is the result of undeveloped thumb strength. After a while you'll feel that strength developing and there will be no wobble.

Practice this exercise as you would if you were doing very slow, purposeful single stroke rolls and then build speed as you build strength. It takes a while to perfect, but you'll really build up the strength necessary to have a more open grip.

Indeed, I am re-working my grip. I was choking the drums and cymbals and working too hard at everything.

One of the things I've been working on is maintaining first finger, first joint fulcrum while still using the back fingers for the power in the stroke. I'm finding I can maintain a pivot when I find the optimum hole in the grip. I'm not so much worried about keeping the first finger far up the stick as I am maintaining some space for the stick to pivot. It's sort of exciting to be able to do some things without having to manually work the stick.

My current favorite exercise is a simple one: one measure of right-handed triplets, one measure of left-handed triplets, two measures of sextuplets. I change the accents around, switch which lead hands, all kinds of stuff. My singles are much cleaner with less effort.

The more I work on this, the less I can use my middle finger as the fulcrum point. With my left hand, in traditional grip, the middle finger sticks straight out all the time. The stroke is almost all pivot and rebound. Sometimes my grip is all fulcrum and no finger guidance at all. I suspect the more I can control it, my left hand may someday be faster than my right!

The next step in this is getting around the kit. It's harder than I thought it'd be. I may have to change the tom angles. I've always been more of a "table top" like player -- I've always preferred attacking the toms instead of flopping the sticks into the head -- but I'm reconsidering some ideas.

Anyway, this reinvention process has been so much fun. I may decide to do this every 5 years or so!

1st and 2nd usually.

I do go to 3rd and club merrily away at times with a closed fist.  I think it looks cool- it's hard to do well with control but the power on tap is like nothing else!  

erm....hehe...whats your Fulcrum? :-[

Jeeze I feel so stupid! I'm suppost to be a drummer and I don't know these things! I guess thats why I joined this forum!! I don't pretend to know something I don't, so I hope after youve stopped laughing at me you could maybe help me out here  ???

Misenko.

The fulcrum is where the stick pivots in your hand; the point at which you pinch or grip the stick.

_{The word comes from the Latin meaning to support.}

Thanks Bartman! ahhh, I see now! Well, I guess my Fulcrum would be my index finger, first joint. Thats the most comfortable for me.

Misenko.

My fulcrum is usually a combination of the index and third finger.  I always(well, try to) keep the stick in the little line that seperates the end and second joints.  There are times when I only use the index finger, but I find that most of the time I use the assistance of the third finger.  It doesn't choke the stick at all, but I just find that it helps a bit with control.  Or it could just be a cheap excuse for an old habit! ;D