ABSTRACT
The drum kit is one of the most versatile instruments in popular music, used in most genres including rock, pop, metal, and hip hop. Few students can resist the temptation to strike a drum when it is within reach and everyone looks instantly cooler seated behind the drum kit. There are multiple ways to hold the drumsticks. The most common grips in the United States are the American, French, and German grips. They are pretty similar, with some variation on the placement of the thumb and angle of approach when striking the drum. The most important thing for students is a healthy grip. Striking the cymbals in different places and with different parts of the drumstick will change the timbre of the sound considerably. Specific cymbal sounds are appropriate for different styles and contexts. Striking snare slightly off-center on the drum head will produce a louder, fuller sound than striking the drum head toward the outside rim of the drum.
