Keets' Pencil Grip and Pictures of Lily

[Sigel James Civ 10 ABW/LGCW <James.Sigel@usafa.af.mil>]

Scott:

>C'mon, keets.  Get a grip.  (Saw that one coming up Main St.)
>
>Actually, I think the standard grip is fist-grip with the left hand &
pencil-grip
>with the right hand.  But the whole thing is like a baseball hitter's
stance in the
>batter's box.  You approach it the way that feels most comfortable to you.
>With practice, either grip will get the job done.
>
>
>- - SCHRADE in Akron

I have to lean a little more towards Keets on this one.  You are both right,
but she's a little more on, and I'll tell you why...  I think her
description of holding the drumstick (not like Henry the VIII) is a little
ambiguous - instead of referring to it like holding a "pencil", try
imagining the grip like holding a fork with Emily Post hanging over your
shoulder.  Right handed or left handed only matters on the drummer itself,
not the technique.  However, the proper ettiquette involved in holding a
fork (stuff of which I've only heard of as I eat with my hands, feet and
mouth) is the same way "traditional" drummers used to hold their drumsticks.
YOU are right when you say it's like a hitter's stance in baseball, but that
only applies to recent history.  Keets is right because she referred to
Ringo's use of a fisted (heh-heh) grip.  Before Ringo, Keith, and the
"modern" musicians, music teachers absolutely would not have let a pupil
hold the sticks, strum the guitar, play the piano in any other way than the
"proper" way.  Along came those damn rebel rockers of the 60s and unorthodox
was IN.  Remember too, that in the 60s, people who were left-handed like
myself were forced to become right handed in schools.  That same mentality -
especially in ultra conservative England in the early 60s - had to apply in
music schools too.  Do you remember Jimmy's father in the film version of
"Quad" when the Who were on Ready Steady Go?  Remember what he said to Jimmy
about Pete?  "Is that how you play a guitar now?"  I'm sure classic music
teachers of the era might have said the same thing about Ringo's technique.
When Keith came along, I'm sure they all quit anyway.

I like your batter's analogy, but I don't think it applies until much later
on in the timeline.  Before Ringo - YOU MUST HOLD THE STICKS CORRECTLY OR
DIE.  After Ringo (and Keith, et al) as long as you can keep a beat, you can
hold the sticks up your ass if you'd like.  See the difference?  See that
awesome mental picture I just painted!?!  How do you play the ride cymbal
with the stick poking out of your rectum?  Sorry, I've lost my train of
thought now...

Anyway, another question:  There was mention of Keith's Pics of Lily drums
the other day.  Some day (Santa says if I'm good) I'm going to have a custom
made set of drums and I want to have a complete replica of Keith's Lily
drums.  Does anyone on the list know where I might get this done?  I could
go into Skizzie's Music store and order them, but something tells me I might
have to contact the manufacturer.  Keith's POL drums were Premier I think
but I don't care who makes them as long as they can do it.  Any ideas....?

Peace off Wholigans!

Jim in Colo Springs

"...magically bored on a quiet street corner; free frustration in our minds
and our toes..."  PT

(Perhaps the greatest description of teen life that I can find anywhere.)