How to Play a Snare Drum with Rods

You'd think that something called a "rod" would be hard and heavy. Actually, when it comes to drumming, a rod, or "hot rod," is actually a lighter drumstick -- a collection of thin sticks taped together. It's the perfect tool to use when you want to play lighter. (The drummers on MTV Unplugged often use rods.) Just like brushes, rods require a different playing technique. Here is a primer on using rods with a snare drum so that you don't bug the neighbors.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Rods
• Snare drum

1. The typical way to hold rods is with the so-called American grip. The French grip is "choked" up on the drum stick with a light, flimsy touch; this is better suited to a 5A drumstick, as opposed to a rod. Though rods make a lighter sound, they're actually pretty thick, so choking up on the stick could be awkward.

2. Instead, hold the stick closer to the base, leaving room for your fingers to bounce the stick. You don't want to clutch the stick, because it will affect your control and produce a much harsher, louder sound -- the opposite of what you hope to accomplish by using rods in the first place.

3. Try to create a fluid motion using both your wrist and your fingers. The lighter you hold the sticks (the more you use your fingers rather than your wrists), the lighter the sound.

4. Now hit the snare drum. If you hit it on the outer edge, it's going to have a much more pronounced ring than if you hit it in the center, which will produce a deeper and darker tone. How you tune the drum (both the top and bottom heads) will affect how the outer and inner part of the drum respond to each hit. Think of it terms of wet and dry: The outer edge is a wet sound and the center of the drum is dry.

5. It's more difficult to play drum rolls such as the flam or paradiddle using rods, as the sound of each hit is not as pronounced. So don't be surprised if you can't play with the same effects and subtlety.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are looking for a way to practice drum hits without making too much of a racket, you may be better off getting a drum pad and using real sticks. This is better practice for your wrists and fingers than playing with rods, which is mainly just a way to muffle your playing.
• In the course of my own practice, I got overzealous and used the sticks to play as loudly as possible. The result: The rods were ripped to shreds and pieces of them went flying. If you're using rods, don't overcompensate by hitting harder -- it essentially defeats the purpose.

Resources

• Video: How to Play a Snare Drum with Rods