How to Play a Rim Hit on a Snare

Playing a rim hit on a snare gives you a distinctive sound that can be worked into your drumming for variety and effect. It is an easy drumming technique that can be learned quickly and played effectively again and again.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Snare drum
• Drumsticks

How to Play a Rim Hit on a Snare

1. Choose your grip, either the matched or the traditional grip. If you already have a grip that you use go ahead and use that one for rim hits as well.

2. Lift your stick above the rim of the snare. The distance between your stick and the rim should be based upon how loud a sound you wish to produce (the greater the distance, generally, the louder the sound).

3. Swing your stick, and flick your wrist, downward.

4. Strike the metal rim of the snare with the drumstick. You should be striking about an inch down from the tip of the stick so that you don't break it.