Well, for one thing, I can get cleaner ghost notes with a traditional grip but for fills moving around the kit, matched grip feels better. And practicing paradiddles seems easier with a traditional grip. But, thats just me. At gig's which are mostly classic rock, its is 85% matched, 15% traditional.

The technical guys seem to prefer traditional, such as

Gadd, Smith, Weckl, Meyer.........but I'm sure others can rattle off matched players that are great......

Guess it's what feels good to the individual, and I play more like Appice than Gadd, so matched grip works fine.

I must chime in once again on this subject. Jim you mentioned different posture etc. with the guys who play traditional grip but that's just the way they sit when they play. Everyone is an individual and they are going to set up there kits to suit there needs. But it still comes down to the fact of can you play or can't you play. A good drummer is going to sound better than a bad drummer no matter what kind of kit he is playing. If you were to take two drummers with the same chops, but one played traditional grip and one played matched grip, the drums are going to sound the same!

Use BOTH while playing. There is nothing written in stone (unless you're on a Vic Firth dum line...trad grip and NO SMILING!), it's all a matter of choice and delivery for the player.

I use both grips while playing, depending on what is called for in the music, more attack, less attack, quick punches, etc.

I've seen a lot of different set ups, including my kit when I add octobans or timbales, some drums you can't get to or hit properly unless you use a matched grip.

Use any and all methods to get the job done.

This doesn't answer the question but might provide some general information...My father, who played in the West Point Band in 1923, which was then THE Army Band, taught me that the cross hand style of drumming was developed to make marching snare drum playing easier as the marching drum was angled higher on the left side.. your left elbow had to be to uncomfortable when playing match grip on the angled marching snare.

This is an older topic that is getting revisited.. I do not have much to add to this discussion, but I do have a letter from Roy C. Knapp that goes in to detail on this exact topic..

If you do not know the history of Roy, he was an early player who made a name for himself playing in radio shows and broadcasts.

He did mention that he used both grips and the matched grip was not new to him in the 20's and 30's and used it regularly playing timpani, mallets and other percussion instruments.

For him there was a time and place for both grips. He was a percussionist, so that makes a great deal of sense.

Other then that if I find the letter I will post it here so you guys can read it.

David

One of my favorite drummers...Levon Helm played traditional grip for years and years. In this months Classic Drummer he says he's switching to matched. I was really surprised to hear him say that, as ghosting was a big part of his style, although some guys can ghost quite well playing matched. I have always played traditional grip, but I've been working on my matched grip lately. I want to be more fluid in switching from matched to traditional grips and back again as well. It's harder on a faster tempo.

Matt

Cool video I found.

Buddy Rich says Matched grip is wrong!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0V4Aqs2D48[/ame]

Matched grip for "HIM" is wrong.

That doesn't mean it's wrong for everybody.

After watching that clip I started searching around on youtube. There was a clip of "HIM" playing with Animal from "The Muppets" and he is playing matched.

I would interpret that matched grip as a statement from Buddy to everyone who knows of Buddy and drums enough to notice that grip... "Ok, I will play with this big puppet because they booked the gig and the pay is good... but I ain't taking this $*&^ seriously"

You gotta love the spirit!