Why do drummers hold the drum stick “across the fingers” in the weaker hand? Wouldn’t there be more power by holding both drumsticks the same way?
I can’t say I know the origin of the technique but I do know not all drummers use the same grip techniques.
When I was in drum and bugle corps there were several points in our show where our drummers would intentionally switch grip technique to demonstrate their flexibility to judges.
In my limited experience, it is mostly jazz drummers and european rock drummers who hold their sticks in this manner. I experimented with both manners, and preferred holding my sticks straight-on. The most common reason I heard for holding the weak-hand stick sideways was that allowed more control for delicate work on the snare drum. It’s not allways about power.
Think back to the little drummer boy, where he’s marching along with the drum hanging off of his right hip. In order for the left hand to be able to hit the drum, he has to hold the stick across his hand, pointy end going out the side the pinky finger’s on. Now that your typical drummer doesn’t do too much marching with his/her drum, this style has gone out of fashion.
Not a great picture here, but you get the idea. Kind of a sad little drummer, actually…
Ethilrist has it dead on. Traditional marching drummers march with their drums low on their left legs. As a result, the drum sits at a peculiar angle (almost perpendicular to the ground) and thus, the “traditional” drumstick grip is used so that the left hand can hang down in the proper position.
As to why the “traditional” grip is still used by drummers behind kits… I dunno. It seems pretty pointless to me and I’m a drummer. And don’t tell me it gives you some sort of magical “light touch” because that’s BS.
The “traditional grip” is necessitated by the angle of the drum you’re hitting.
I take it the OP is talking about the left hand grip that results in the stick being at basically a right angle to the arm. That’s the way I always played a trap kit (never played marching drums). I found for my weaker (left) hand I was able to control the stick a lot better that way than with a matched grip, and power was never a problem. It allows you to use the rotation of your forearm when you want to and for me, finger control was easier than trying to do it underhand as with the right hand. People “wear” their kits differently; I always set up with everything tilting towards my right knee.
I never did like the matched grip, but a lot of people learn to play that way and I’m sure they’ll swear by it.
There are two types of grip for the drumsticks – “Matched” and “Traditional”.
The traditional grip, as its name implies, is purely traditional. Its true purpose has become obsolete. In days of yore, drummers carried their drums on fabric slings. These slings attached in one spot at the rim of the drum. The lower part of the drum was braced on a leg. The drum then hung at approximately a 45 degree angle. The right hand held its stick in the modern, matched grip while the left hand was inverted. This inversion allows the left elbow to rest in a more comfortable position. If the left hand holds its stick in matched grip, the left elbow has to be held up and away from the body in order to achieve the proper stick angle relative to the drumhead.
Here are two very good discussions on the subject:
Matched Grip With Matched Grip, both hands are held in matched positions, with palms down. I teach my students that the sticks must form a 90 degree angle with each other. This grip works only with modern, flat drums. It is not effective with older, sling drums.
Traditional Grip With Traditional Grip, the right stick is placed in the same position as in Matched Grip. The left hand is inverted, with the first two fingers placed on top of the stick. The stroke is achieved with a rotating motion, rather than a wrist up/down motion.
As a teacher, I teach all of my students Matched Grip. Eleven and twelve year-old kids have enough coordination problems without introducing the complexity of traditional grip. With my high school marching band, however, we use tradional grip on the snare drums. We like the look and feel. Musically, there is no difference. The change is purely for aesthetics. It just looks cool. Our tenor line continues to use matched grip and our basses use a “thumbs up” grip. Mallet percussionists always use a matched grip while timpanists use the matched French grip (mallets parallel with thumbs on top).
Incidentally, modern marching drums are carried using a metal or fiberglass carrying system that allows the drum to be carried level. The head is parallel with the ground. Often, these drum carriers are concealed under the uniform coat, so the drum appears to almost float in front of the player.
As to drumset, many drummers play both traditional and matched. For myself, I like matched for hard hitting rock and traditional for lighter jazz. It’s purely a matter of taste and is probably more of a mind-set than truly a difference in technique.
Have fun.
BTW, you mentioned “power” in the OP. Believe me, tradional or matched, I can deliver the goods to the drum. The power comes from the wrist and fingers. Think of cracking a whip or snapping a wet towel. The hands may not appear to move much, but the energy is sent down to the bead of the sticks. If I whack you with my drumstick, I assure you that you will feel the bite.
Just stops in and waves at Drum God. Long time no see. Was it the theory thing I wrote about that you made your students read?
HUGS!
Sqrl
Hey Sprl. I only stopped in again ‘cause I saw you posted. How are things goin’? I’m not sure what theory thing you’re referring to. Post a link.
Over here, still fighting ignorance at the middle school level. Later.
Drum God, we had the same grips for our marching section. I originally learned matched grip. When I went to try out for the snare line my freshman year in high school, they told me I had to try out with traditional grip, since that’s the way they played (they slung the drums, no carriers). I didn’t make the snare line that year, but got tenor drum. (which sucked). I worked on my traditional grip, and made the snare line the next year (and stayed there 'till graduation). I got so used to playing traditional, that I prefer to play that way now. I can still play almost as well with matched grip, but it’s just not as comfortable. Plus, traditional looks cooler. 
Jman
Drummer for 14 years and counting…
I didn’t tell you that. I just related the explanation I had heard. I never bought it either.
I occassionally play drums, but I’m really just a pianist/keyboardist at heard. Anyhow, for myself, I find I can much quieter and more precise if I use traditional grip…I dunno…it somehow seems natural to me even though it shouldn’t. However, if I’m doing a lot of tom and cymbal work, then I usually go with matched grip – that’s just me. However, the one interesting thing is that I’ve seen one drummer (an older friend of mine from Chicago) do a beautifully smooth, one-handed roll using his traditionally gripped left hand – I’ve never seen anyone do a single-handed roll with matched grip; (and I’ve heard of others doing it with tradition, but this is the only time I’ve witnessed it.)
“and counting…”??? And they say drummers never count! 