# Drumming Finger Direction **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 6, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497 "2011-06-06T13:07:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/1 "2011-06-06T13:07:45Z")
When you drum your fingers, that is to say, tap your fingers upon a surface, one after the other…in which direction do you drum? ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/2 "2011-06-06T13:18:03Z")
I said index, although I usually start with the thumb… ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/3 "2011-06-06T13:18:41Z")
There exists a people who drum from index to pinkie?? Who are these Index people? What is their language? What are their customs? ---
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/4 "2011-06-06T13:26:15Z")
I’m asking because I drum Pinkie first, yet my wife drums index to pinkie. My children are split…so I’m trying to determine if this is a genetic thing…recessive or dominant. ---
**Author:** ![Hokkaido\_Brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d26b3c/32.png) [@Hokkaido\_Brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokkaido_Brit)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/5 "2011-06-06T13:50:31Z")
I do it either way… When I tried to check for the purposes of this poll I ended up not being able to decide which I do more. Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/6 "2011-06-06T14:16:38Z")
I _can_, with enough concentration, go index-to-pinkie, but pinkie-to-index is much more natural. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/7 "2011-06-06T14:23:56Z")
Pinkie to index here. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/8 "2011-06-06T14:32:11Z")
> [@GilaB](#): > > I _can_, with enough concentration, go index-to-pinkie, but pinkie-to-index is much more natural. Ditto. I just tried to do index-to-pinkie; feels very weird, and my hand looks like a spider going through a seizure when I try it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/9 "2011-06-06T15:06:14Z")
I just tried it and I can do either fine with equal ability but it feels more natural to start with my pinkie. ETA - I did, however, used to play the piano. ---
**Author:** ![TheBori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee7513/32.png) [@TheBori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBori)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/10 "2011-06-06T15:24:24Z")
Zsofia, piano playing has also come up in the family data. Wife and 2 sons play…but the boys are opposite drummers…inconclusive thus far. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/11 "2011-06-06T15:26:50Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > There exists a people who drum from index to pinkie?? Who are these Index people? What is their language? What are their customs? We members of the thumb-first-finger-drumming tribe make our children learn to play a native instrument called the piano. You usually play scales on the piano thumb to pinkie, so you learn to drum your fingers the same way. I suspect the index-first tribe may do something similar. I can drum my fingers the other way without much difficulty, as well. Not surprising, as you do also use that motion in playing the piano. Thumb-to-pinkie feels most natural to me, though. Do non-piano-players drum their fingers on both hands, and, if so, do they both go pinkie-to-index? I drum my fingers on both hands, and they both most naturally go thumb to pinkie. If you just use one hand, is it your dominant hand (a right-hander’s right hand or a southpaw’s left), or the other hand? ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/12 "2011-06-06T16:16:04Z")
I cannot drum from index to pinkie. For what it’s worth I have played both piano and drums before. ---
**Author:** ![Waldelfe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f08c70/32.png) [@Waldelfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waldelfe)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/13 "2011-06-06T17:07:52Z")
Wow. I thought everybody drums from index to pinkie. From pinkie to index feels weird. And I don’t play piano. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/14 "2011-06-06T17:10:32Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > We members of the thumb-first-finger-drumming tribe make our children learn to play a native instrument called the piano. You usually play scales on the piano thumb to pinkie, so you learn to drum your fingers the same way. I suspect the index-first tribe may do something similar. > > I can drum my fingers the other way without much difficulty, as well. Not surprising, as you do also use that motion in playing the piano. Thumb-to-pinkie feels most natural to me, though. > > Do non-piano-players drum their fingers on both hands, and, if so, do they both go pinkie-to-index? I drum my fingers on both hands, and they both most naturally go thumb to pinkie. If you just use one hand, is it your dominant hand (a right-hander’s right hand or a southpaw’s left), or the other hand? I’m afraid my tribe may have to go to war with yours - I played for about 20 years and minored in piano in college. I drum from my pinky. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/15 "2011-06-06T17:52:15Z")
Both ways, almost always alternating, and with both hands. Sometimes I’ll tap my thumb against my fingers in order, and often when I do this, I’ll do both hands, but start at a different finger. I’m a dancer, and apparently a thumb tapper artiste. ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/16 "2011-06-06T17:57:20Z")
Non piano player and I go both ways 😉 Then again, I taught myself to drum pinkie-to-index with my left hand and they both feel natural - right hand index-to-pinkie is more consistent/easier than pinkie-to-index. Then again, I think I’m a frustrated ambidextrous person: although I write right-handed - I step forward with my left foot almost exclusively and would much rather carry something in my right hand/arm than my left. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/17 "2011-06-06T17:57:46Z")
I generally start with the index but can easily switch it up. I am not a piano player, but I did play the flute for years. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/18 "2011-06-06T18:04:49Z")
Pinkie first is more natural, I don’t seem to have a problem going the other way though. For extra skills I can also do Pinkie Index Ring Middle, though I have more trouble with Index Pinkie Middle Ring. I play piano a little bit, but also play guitar and bass with my fingers and have for 16 some odd years. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/19 "2011-06-06T18:17:58Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I’m afraid my tribe may have to go to war with yours - I played for about 20 years and minored in piano in college. I drum from my pinky. Pinkie to index - been playing the harp since I was six. It is also much more common in for harpists to play chord and runs starting from ring finger to index and then thumb (pinky isn’t used at all), but that hasn’t made any difference. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497/20 "2011-06-06T18:20:30Z")
I have enough coordination to drum my fingers, but not enough to hit the right option on a poll. Hit the index -\> pinky option when it should’ve been pinky -\> index. :smack: Oh well, at least that taught me that you can’t edit your poll reply if you make a mistake. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drumming-finger-direction/584497.md?page=2)