How to Play Drums with Rods or Sticks

These steps explain how to play drums with either rods or traditional solid-wood sticks.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 
   Rods

   Use your usual. The grip does not vary between rods and sticks. No matter what your preferred grip is, either traditional or matching, hold both rods and sticks the same way.

2. Pick up the sticks. Hold them either overhanded with both hands or overhanded/underhanded like marching band drummers do. A rock music example of the traditional grip would be Stuart Copeland of The Police. Overhanded is the most popular grip for modern drummers, though.

3. Pick up the rods. The purpose of using rods instead of sticks is so the drummer can play the usual manner and style but without the high volume that using sticks produces. Rods are a compromise between using brushes and using sticks. You can play at a lower volume without changing how you play! So, the grip is the same for both. Happy drumming!

Tips & Warnings

• You might have so much fun, you'll get blisters! So take a break once in a while.