How to Play a High Hat with a Side Top Grip

Video Transcript

"JOEL SIEGEL: So the last bit of close hi-hat work that we're going to do is with your traditional grip, in your left hand, and I'm just going to show you one stroke for the top. This is a downstroke on the top, striking the top of the cymbal with the bead. This is a downstroke striking the edge of the hi-hat. If you're right-handed, you might be asking, "What are you going to be playing, the left--the hi-hat with the left hand?" This is going to come into play if you're playing either disco beats or--it's not necessarily always disco, but sixteenth notes on the hi-hat where you have a fast, alternating pattern. You're going to use your left hand in that instance. Also, sometimes, when you're doing a ride, a ride pattern, or doing fills around the kit, as you kind of branch out and add more colors to your fills and your beats, you'll find that you'll be playing the left hand hi-hat...every once in a while."