Studio Drummer – Stroke Weight

*THE KEY IS THE SOUNDS THAT WE CREATE FOR THE MICROPHONES TO ‘HEAR’!*

A good fulcrum with a good release, which means allowing the stick to rebound off the drum head allowing the head to ring and decay freely is the starting point that we’re looking for. 

 

This is also true for cymbal work.  You don’t want to be pressing the stick into the cymbal but you should be striking the cymbal and allowing the stick to release away from the cymbal on the upstroke.  You don’t want a different grip between your hands.  It’s simply a matter of the sound that is being produced.

 

A classic case of hearing mismatched hand grips is when a studio player goes from say a hi hat and snare groove to an aggressive straight 8ths snare drum roll.  The type of roll that has to be slamming, in your face and with perfectly matched hands and weight.

 

If your grip is inconsistent between your hands or is constantly changing you won’t be able to achieve the desired consistency.  I’d recommend

spending time with Jim Chapin’s book Stick Control.  This will really help to develop these areas.

 

*ANOTHER KEY ELEMENT IS STROKE WEIGHT.*

 

Consistent and controlled stroke weight is another key element that denotes an accomplished studio player. 

 

If your weight is changing from snare back beat to snare back beat or from bass drum note to bass drum note then you’ve got work to do.  Not only does that translate inside the music as erratic and uneven but it creates nightmarish issues for the mix engineer.  He is trying to create a foundation or ‘frame the house’ for the music of which you are the key element and you’re changing the level of the floors constantly.  This is a good way to picture what I’m saying. 

 

Consistent weight starts with good hand technique and is developed largely by being very aware of it, the problems it creates and the need for consistent weight.  It’s good to practice everything that you do bearing these key elements constantly in mind.