How to Play a High Hat with an American Grip

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The hi-hat (alternately spelled hihat), is the pair of cymbals on a drum kit that consists of two cymbals connected, one on top of the other, upon a stand. The cymbals can be brought together or apart by the use of a pedal at the bottom of the stand. The hi-hat is an integral part of most drum-sets and, when played properly, can add an essential sound to your playing.The American Grip is a style of matched grip playing in which the sticks, held at about a 45-degree angle, are controlled by both the fingers and the wrists.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Hi-hat
Drumsticks, rods or brushes

How to Play a Hi-Hat with an American Grip

Step1

Select either drumsticks, rods or brushes to play on the hi-hat, depending on the sound you are hoping to accomplish. For a more diffused sound, choose brushes. For a more straight ahead sound choose drumsticks, and for a stronger, louder sound, select rods.

Step2

Matched grip Hold your drumsticks (or brushes or rods) with the matched grip. Hold both sticks the same way, with your index and middle fingers curled around the bottom of the stick, and your thumb over top. Refer to picture.

Step3

Decide if you wish to play the hi-hat closed (the top cymbal resting on the bottom one), or open (a separation between the two cymbals), or a combination of both. See tips, below, for more information.

Step4

Play the hi-hat with the American Grip, as described above.

Step5

Experiment with playing with the American Grip on both a closed and opened hi-hat. Try out different patterns and styles of playing. Also try using drumsticks, brushes and rods, in order to get proficient in the many ways one can play a hi-hat with this style of matched grip.

Tips & Warnings

If you wish to play with the hi-hat closed, you can either loosen the screw, allowing the cymbals to rest upon one another regardless of what you do with the pedal, or you can play with the pedal pressed down all the way to the floor. If you wish to play with it open, tighten the screw when the pedal is pressed all the way down. Then as you lift up on the pedal, the top cymbal will lift with it. You can play with it open and closed by raising and lowering the pedal.