Playing Traditional on the Snare?

Question:

Playing Traditional on the Snare?

my band director just decided that he wants the drumline to learn traditional next year. Well it's my senior year and I'm going to be on snare and i don't wanna be horrible. What is the best why to learn traditional? I have a hard time with control and grip.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: As opposed to match grip? I'm with you. I prefer match grip, too. However, traditional grip does confer advantages in a snareline and provides greater visual conformity.

I had to make the switch from match to traditional when I played snare in drum corps. There's no other way really than to start now, and really get used to better implement control.

I would start with some one handed exercises such as bucks and triplet combinations, except play twice as many on your left hand as your right. That will allow you to really develop your chops on your left wrist much more quickly. Also devote a good deal of time to grace notes such as flams and roll exercises. Because the hardest part of the transition is achieving both power and developing your fine moter skills.

Oh, and the wolfpack guy who answers after me is an idiot, too. He doesn't know beans about snare. Go through the top 20 DCI corps and all of them use traditional grip.