It’s not very often that I break drum sticks. I find that if I go back to my old ways and hold my sticks too tightly, then the sound gets choked and the greater the chance of me breaking something. By relaxing and focusing on fluid motions, my sound gets bigger and fat. This doesn’t necessarily mean louder — just full sounding.
I let my snare stick move as much as possible — even if I’m playing a backbeat and nothing else (no other snare notes). The same goes for my dominant hand which is usually playing the hi-hat or ride patterns. I don’t waste motions, but I don’t try to grip the stick either. The sticks want to move, so I let them move. After that, I have to decide what will happen next. That’s where the fun begins!
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