As if learning to play drum rudiments wasn't already a sub-discipline of drumming in itself, stick twirling or spinology has become a drumming sub-discipline in its own right. Stick twirls combined with masterful, rudimentary display are likely to add flare and excitement to any performance. Snare drummers in marching bands and players of drumsets are equally known to spin their sticks while performing.
Stick twirling in a musical context
As far as stick twirling goes, some drummers may incorporate a few instinctive routines to their performances. One drummer of note is MikePortnoy, the very talented and acclaimed rock drummer. Also, another top drummer named Jojo Mayer is famous for his own sleight of hand in his performances. Other drummers employ spinology combos in a more deliberate and rehearsed effort. A gifted drummer based in the UK named Assaf Seewi is a stick twirling virtuoso. He can do all kinds of spins and twirls. He can also juggle three drumsticks and still play a solid groove between hi-hat, snare and bass drum.
Drumstick spinologists
In a way, twirling is reminiscent of the way that card-sharks make the mere dealing of cards more mystical for viewers. The two are most comparable as both hinge upon sleight of hand and familiarity with basic laws of gravity. As the saying goes: the hand is faster than the eye. When you see a stick trick executed at full speed, the wizardry of the act makes the method unclear.
There are however stick twirling rudiments which you can learn and hopefully master. What is for sure is that the stick must be held in playing position whether matched or conventional grip in balance. The thumb plays a minimal role overall in terms of movement. It mostly involves your other four fingers. The stick may be spun between the thumb and index finger when doing a fake spin. It may be also spun between the other four fingers when doing a real spin. The positions between your fingers are also named.
Basic stick twirling positions
- Space between the middle and index finger called A.
- Space between the middle finger and ring finger called B.
- Space between the ring finger and little finger called C.
Two basic stick twirling routines
Two of the most basic stick twirling routines are the fake spin and spin. When carrying out the fake spin, the stick is held between two fingers. These fingers are worked forward and backward allowing the stick to operate in a stationary spinning motion. The spin is done by feeding the stick trough the fingers, around one finger at a time, in an anticlockwise or clockwise direction. There are many possible variations and routines that may be developed from these concepts, and this makes stick twirling quite exciting.
- Space between the middle and index finger called A.
- Space between the middle finger and ring finger called B.
- Space between the ring finger and little finger called C.
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