How To Use the Push Pull Drumming Technique
The Push Pull technique allows percussionists to play at fast speeds with low effort and sufficient volume. Provided this technique is played in a controlled manner, there are many drum beats, fills, and rudiments it can be applied to. As a percussionist of 11 years, I use the Push Pull technique almost every time I have to play sixteenth notes at a high tempo. These steps will explain how to start using the Push Pull technique while playing with matched grip.
- Holding the stick
Hold the drumstick between the thumb and middle joint of your pointer finger. Everyone holds their sticks differently, but I find that the Push Pull technique can gain the most dynamic control and ease of use while the drum stick is resting near the middle joint of the pointer finger. Next, put the rest of your fingers on the stick as you would for normal matched grip.
2. Find a surface with a lot of rebound
When starting out, the Push Pull technique is easiest to learn on a surface that will rebound the stick back into starting position.
3. Taking advantage of the rebound
Strike the drum and let the stick bounce back so it is pointing up, hand is open, and wrist is resting in a bent down position. In this position, it is okay that the thumb and pointer finger may be holding the stick. Then, while in this position, push the stick down with the rest of your fingers (the pointer finger may or may not help push), while letting your wrist go up to a neutral position. Repeat these steps, and you are now using the Push Pull Technique.
The motion of this technique becomes less exaggerated as you get faster and more experienced with it. The main idea of it is to alternate striking a drum using your wrist first followed by fingers, then wrist, fingers, and so on. Because of this alternation, energy is saved as you keep switching between muscle groups.
4. Applying the Push Pull Technique
This technique may take a few months to a year of practicing to be effective, but can be applied on many occasions. One application is to play straight consistent notes with less fatigue. In general, This technique is used at greater tempos like 160 BPM and up. I find that it makes sense to use the Push Pull Technique at greater tempos until I am warmed up enough to play those tempos with normal technique. However, I almost always use the Push Pull Technique to play one-handed eighth notes from around 210 BPM and up. It may be difficult to play on surfaces without much rebound while using the Push Pull Technique, but with enough practice, less rebound will be needed.
Another application of this technique is to play double stroke rolls with more control over dynamics, at slower and faster tempos needing little to no rebound. Rebound is much less important in this application because you need it to strike the drum using your wrist, then fingers for two notes before the other hand plays. The Push Pull Technique make these two notes easy to play as each note does not require much rebound until more notes are played consecutively. However, rebound does help when playing double stroke rolls as you learn to use little to no rebound.
Experience and Observations
I had to practice the Push Pull Technique in my left hand for up to a year to play eighth notes around 200 BPM (I was already playing drums for 6 years at this point), which came from spending a lot of time trying to play consistent notes and incorporating it into my playing. When I did get both of my hands up to speed, I found that I could play doubles on toms with ease, which can be a unique addition to any drummers playing as the lack of rebound on toms prevents many drummers from doing this cleanly.
I have observed a drummer proficient in many rudiments and drum beats not be able to apply the Push Pull Technique because they held their sticks near the first joint (near the fingernail) of their pointer finger. This prevented the motion necessary to let the stick bounce up to be caught and pushed down by the fingers. He may have been able to utilize the Push Pull Technique with his current technique, but from my observations, he was hindered by it.
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