Dropping sticks

Johnny2u2

Active Member
For the longest time I had a stick dripping habit that drove me insane! Until I tried using a traditional hand position on the snare. Haven’t dropped a stick since! Incase anyone is having the same problem try switching stick holding grip
 
I never have played traditional grip however when I was younger I did drop stick occasionally but it almost never happens now.
 
Yes, and no.

Grip is about technique and power, not just about avoiding dropping a stick. And the normal grip on your cymbal hand would still be subject to dropping a stick, particularly since that stick would normally see more action than the snare stick.

I rarely drop sticks, but I'm prepared in case I do. I always keep a few sticks within arms' reach, it just goes with the territory. Like a guitar player having spare picks within reach. But on tour where I play more vigorously, I also tape my fingers with 3M Nexcare tape. It's thin and flexible so it doesn't affect my feel - I often still have the tape on my fingers an hour after the show because I forget it's there - and it not only helps grip the sticks, but also helps prevents blisters & callouses. If you look at my hands, you'd never know I was a working drummer.
 
Since switching to AHEAD I drop the sticks more. The aluminum doesnt get tacky with sweat like wood does. It's not a problem, and I'm not willing to do anything about it. It's just something I've noticed since I made the switch.
 
Like others mentioned, dropping sticks simply comes with the territory and we should be prepared for when it happens. But I find that I drop sticks much less ever since I’ve been using Mr. Zog’s Sex Wax on my sticks.

.
 
I just grab another one and act like it didn't happen.
This.
I did a lot of grip work over the Covid lockdown & since then, my stick drop is 0 *knock on wood*.
Grip makes all the difference & once you've got that locked down, you're gold!
 
I’ve been moisturizing a little with Aquaphor and that seems to do the trick. Ymmv.
 
I tend to drop my right stick when i get lazy during a song and actually miss the ride while riding it for a while, it automayically gets thrown to the floor without the rebound from the cymbal suddenly gone. My grip is fine, just wired how it just shoots out of my hand though. Never dropped a left stick playing matched grip while playing on the snare?
 
It's always the hats that knock the stick out of my dominant hand. I nearly always do it once per gig and enjoy making it right again. The sideways looks is what I drum for
 
It does not happen often for me...maybe once every two years. A few weeks ago I dropped a stick while playing outdoors, brutally hot, humid, sweaty night, new kit (not used to the setup completely). The real problem? My stick bag was j u s t slightly out of reach. I kept playing with my right hand and feet. When our guitar player noticed me frantically groping for my stick bag, he grabbed my dropped stick and handed it over - what a guy !!! A long time ago I went back to traditional grip - no "Dropsies" but developed a shoulder problem. Of course, that meant I had a setup / posture problem. I did not feel like addressing that, so I went back to match grip.
 
I'm in a two-drummer band. He's a better drummer but drops sticks a lot more than I do. I take great pleasure in harassing him. It's so bad that when he drops a stick, his first reaction is to look at me to see if I saw it. 😆

Last practice, "Mike" dropped a stick during a song. At the end of the song I shouted "Hey everyone! You want to see me do a Mike drum solo!?" In typical middle school fashion, I crossed my eyes, fumbled both sticks to the ground and made spastic moves to unsuccessfully catch them. 😆
 
stick dropping was a pretty big source of shame for me growing up in the marching world (of the 80's). To us, it was always the first sing of bad technique/soft hands.

Given that training, I rarely drop sticks. I only usually keep one or two "drop sticks" as we called them, to replace any strays...
 
Yes, and no.

Grip is about technique and power, not just about avoiding dropping a stick. And the normal grip on your cymbal hand would still be subject to dropping a stick, particularly since that stick would normally see more action than the snare stick.

I rarely drop sticks, but I'm prepared in case I do. I always keep a few sticks within arms' reach, it just goes with the territory. Like a guitar player having spare picks within reach. But on tour where I play more vigorously, I also tape my fingers with 3M Nexcare tape. It's thin and flexible so it doesn't affect my feel - I often still have the tape on my fingers an hour after the show because I forget it's there - and it not only helps grip the sticks, but also helps prevents blisters & callouses. If you look at my hands, you'd never know I was a working drummer.
Devils Advocate: what if you’re on someone else’s kit. Like an open mic night kind of scene
 
If you're looking for a stick with grip, you should check out this veteran and musician owned drumstick manufacturing company in San Diego, Scorpion Percussion. They have a proprietary neon green grip dip. It is a 100% eco-friendly and a water based product that is applied evenly and dried for 24 hours prior to shipping. Venom Grip provides artists with that extra grip and it is available on all Immortal Series sticks. They ship directly to you; use FREESHIPTG and they'll ship for free!
Tracy coming out of the gate strong with the brand pimping! On the other hand, your sticks do look pretty good and are competitively priced. I still have way too many sticks at the moment for someone who mostly plays at home but I will bear yours in mind when I run low.
 
Tracy coming out of the gate strong with the brand pimping! On the other hand, your sticks do look pretty good and are competitively priced. I still have way too many sticks at the moment for someone who mostly plays at home but I will bear yours in mind when I run low.
Well, at least she's transparent with her occupation listed as "Customer service rep for Scorpion Percussion" 🤷‍♂️

See these guys a lot on the Metal Drummer Nerdz FB page so I guess they're branching out?
 
Well, at least she's transparent with her occupation listed as "Customer service rep for Scorpion Percussion" 🤷‍♂️

See these guys a lot on the Metal Drummer Nerdz FB page so I guess they're branching out?
Well she’s a go getter, I’ll give you that. And really, I don’t have any objections, nor does it matter if I do or not…not my website. I just thought that it was funny to see so many nearly identical posts on these stick threads.
 
Well, at least she's transparent with her occupation listed as "Customer service rep for Scorpion Percussion" 🤷‍♂️

See these guys a lot on the Metal Drummer Nerdz FB page so I guess they're branching out?
I just checked out Scorpion Percussion... they make their sticks from 'weapons grade' hickory! Does that mean you can't play anti-war songs with them.
 
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