Tony Williams drum clinic

Zildjian Day (1985)

When teaching in clinics and classes, Williams says he finds that 90% of the drummers can't even play a double stroke roll. Also, most drummers play with the front part of the hand between the thumb and fore finger. They must rely on bounce and are relegated to the surface they are playing on. He characterizes this as a willy-nilly hap hazard technique. From his early years of practicing and experiences (which started at age nine playing on a drum set for the first time in front of people) and from watching many incredible drummers during his formative years, Williams concluded that the best drummers play a different way. They play with the back part of their hand and hold the stick in the last two fingers. He says that playing with the hand in this way gives the drummer control of the stick as opposed to relying on bounce. He asserts that this kind of control is one of the most important aspects of drumming. Read more

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