Some musings on Sandford. A. Moeller, Archibald Willard's painting, The Spirit of ’76, and the 'ancient' snare drum style.
During a
fascinating practice day I stumbled across this painting, which I believe is a watercolour
copy by Archibald Willard of his famous oil painting. I put the watercolour up
because the hands of the drummers are clearer than on the original. Willard actually fought in the American Civil War. During that time he painted several scenes from the war; however, he painted his most famous painting, The Spirit of '76, around 1875 after the war had actually ended.
In the painting we can
clearly see the unusual right hand grip of the two drummers. They almost seem to be holding their right hand sticks in a clenched fist.
A little further digging and I found that this grip was likely not an error by the painter (the fact that both the boy and the elder drummer share the same grip also points to it being an actual technique documented by Willard).
In fact, this grip had apparently been discussed at length as the "ancient style" in Sandford. A. Moeller’s original legendary 1925 publication. This was not a innovation of Moeller's at all. It had appeared as early as 1862 in The Drummers and Fifer's Guide which states:
"The stick in the right hand should be held between the and (sic) fingers lightly, with the little finger pressing it, so as to play through the hand, as a man would use in stick in fencing. The arms must be habituated to move with the greatest ease, while the shoulder joints and wrists are exercised in performing the principal part."
So this grip was a pre-1920s grip style that was primarily taught to military drummers going back to the American Revolution. The "vintage" grip consisted of pressing or gripping the drumstick predominately with the little finger while the other fingers curled gently around the drumstick without pressing tightly. This differs greatly from today's widely used index or middle finger fulcrums. The fulcrum in the ancient grip was actually located at the back of the hand.
A little further digging and I found that this grip was likely not an error by the painter (the fact that both the boy and the elder drummer share the same grip also points to it being an actual technique documented by Willard).
In fact, this grip had apparently been discussed at length as the "ancient style" in Sandford. A. Moeller’s original legendary 1925 publication. This was not a innovation of Moeller's at all. It had appeared as early as 1862 in The Drummers and Fifer's Guide which states:
"The stick in the right hand should be held between the and (sic) fingers lightly, with the little finger pressing it, so as to play through the hand, as a man would use in stick in fencing. The arms must be habituated to move with the greatest ease, while the shoulder joints and wrists are exercised in performing the principal part."
So this grip was a pre-1920s grip style that was primarily taught to military drummers going back to the American Revolution. The "vintage" grip consisted of pressing or gripping the drumstick predominately with the little finger while the other fingers curled gently around the drumstick without pressing tightly. This differs greatly from today's widely used index or middle finger fulcrums. The fulcrum in the ancient grip was actually located at the back of the hand.
Drum teachers often see young kids holding sticks like this during their first lessons. In my case I would jokingly call such a grip ‘Neanderthal’ or ‘caveman rock’ and bring
out my oft-used story of how I had been forced by exhaustion occasionally on a
rock gig to grip a stick like this, but that it was not much good for anything else. The painting above clearly proves me wrong.
Strangely, I also
suffered a very similar fate on the raised-foot, kick-drum technique
(i.e. where the stroke begins with no actual foot contact on the kick pedal). I thought this was also a technique to be avoided until I saw Steve Smith’s incredibly detailed book and video - Steve Smith Drumset Technique/History of the U.S. Beat.
Time and time again, I find that there are no truly ‘wrong’ instrumental techniques, only new possibilities.
Moeller,
Sanford A. (1954). The Moeller Book. Ludwig Music Publishing.
George B. Bruce and Dan D. Emmitt The Drummers and Fifer's Guide (1862) Wm A. Pond and Company
George B. Bruce and Dan D. Emmitt The Drummers and Fifer's Guide (1862) Wm A. Pond and Company
