This can make alternating sticking feel somewhat awkward to play and it can make sight-reading more difficult because repeated rhythmic patterns can occur with the opposite sticking sequence. The difference is that when using the natural sticking method, the strong pulse always falls under the right/lead hand but when playing the alternating sticking method, sometimes the strong pulse beat will be played by the right and sometimes the strong pulse will fall under a left-leading stroke.
In definition, it is sometimes confused with natural sticking because the two methods share a foundation that depends on alternated patterns between right and left hands. As a general rule phrases start with the right hand and alternate after that, regardless of the rhythm:Īlternating sticking is just exactly as the name implies: every stroke is alternated from right-to-left, or left-to-right regardless of what the rhythm is. The antidote to that risk is to invest time practicing natural sticking exercises with a left hand lead.Ī strict alternating sticking was something I learned studying concert snare drum in college (it seems strange now that I would've picked it up so late!). The downside of natural sticking is that strong hand dominance means the weak hand tends to stay weak. Įd Straight’s strong influence in popularizing natural sticking is why it is often called “Straight Sticking.” In the introductory pages of his book, Straight lists the following points to explain the foundation of his Natural Way System.(2) Straight (one of the original 13 founders of N.A.R.D.) Ed Straight wrote several books on the topic of modern drumming. Probably the earliest American advocate of natural sticking and the man who best explained and helped proliferate that system was Edward B. Sight reading drum music is easier when using the natural sticking method compared to rudimental sticking because reading becomes a matter of visual pattern recognition which does not require anticipating and controlling unpredictable sticking patterns. Drum lines using the natural sticking system can more quickly adapt to changes in musical scores, requiring less rehearsal time. Natural sticking is an excellent option for marching band drum lines because the simple sticking patterns facilitate the ability to play at faster tempos while presenting a visually uniform style. Natural sticking is generally easier for most people to learn it enables less experienced players to more readily produce an even and consistent quality of sound. Then play the remaining values in the sequence of natural sticking.”(1) To explain their sticking he says, “All stickings are derived by eliminating the stroke of the note which is rested.
#CHECK PATTERNS DRUMS THOM HANNUM SERIES#
In his book, Championship Concepts for Marching Percussion, Thom Hannum wrote that the natural sticking system, “negates any awkward doublings of one hand or the other.” Hannum then prescribes a series of 16th note timing exercises based on duple and triple beat check patterns. All subsequent up-beats are played by the left hand which results in naturally flowing sticking patterns throughout. The concept behind natural sticking is based on the observation that most people are right handed and therefore the strongest beats which are the “pulse” beats should be played by the strongest hand which is the right hand. does not rely on the complex rudimental patterns of military drumming, although a mastery of basic rudimental technique is still important.
Much of what Flack says below is borne out by my own experience: