How to Play Stir Accents on Drums

When playing drums with brushes you may be asked to play, or may wish to play, something called stir accents. A stir is when a drummer plays a drum, usually a snare, with brushes by "stirring" them around atop the drumhead. This creates a kind of constant sweeping sound. A stir accent will add a bit of flair to the stir, accenting certain beats in the music.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Press both brushes against the drumhead.

2. Sweep, or "stir," the brushes against the drumhead, in a constant motion. This is often called "stirring the soup."

3. Stir the brushes harder and faster against the head of the drum on the beats you wish to accent by flicking your wrists. This will most often be the second and fourth beat in a 4/4 count.

4. Stir the brushes against the drum-head in the less stressed fashion for the beats you do not wish to accent (most often beats 1 and 3).

5. Practice the stir accent until you are able to perform it smoothly.

Tips & Warnings

• You may also use your forearm, in addition to your wrist, to perform the stir accent.