Don reminded me of something in another topic, when he said that he is left handed. I have not discussed this subject since one of Billy's old sites. I am right handed, but for the last 3 years, I have been doing left hand lead. I would do it in the past, but I wouldn't stick with it. I have been playing at least 90 % left handed match grip. Now it's natural, but the rest is right handed trad grip, I switch back and forth with ease. And I have noticed a long time ago, that for certain things and certain songs I tend to switch to right hand lead using the trad grip, and also there are certain beats that I like using the trad grip, instead of the left hand lead match grip, like funk beats like James Brown, or Cold Blood or something. This switching back and forth at will, during songs or before the song starts, has become who I am. I found that there is a big advantage to being a ambidextrous drummer, but I am still learning. I have to keep my hi hat a little lower so that my left hand is almost even with the snare, but high enough, so when I suddenly switch to trad, it is not so low, that I can't play cross handed. But now I can't see playing any other way. I find that I like doing closed rolls trad grip, but I use both grips to do them, but I like my trad closed rolls better, and I like to switch back and forth during solos. And then I have days where I don't switch at all, I will stay left hand match, and then I might have a day where I will just stay trad, I guess it is a how you feel sort of thing. When I first saw Billy play left hand lead on I think it was In Concert, or the Midnight Special, I was blown away, I guess that was around 71 or 72, I did not think that was possible because he had them Fibes set up right handed. But anyway, now I can see the advantage of him playing that way. I just wanted to share some of my thoughts with you all. And Don, you are left handed, and you play right handed, I never knew that, Ringo Star & Lenny White, come to mind, because they are both left handed, but set their drums up right handed.

Yeah, Spanky, I like switching between traditional and matched grip also. Like I said in the drumming habits thread I have a double bass kit that I set up right to left and I play open handed. The thing is it's not actually a left hand setup because I still play the hi hat with my right hand and the snare with my left. An 8 foot cable hi hat system allows me to put the hats on my right side while keeping the pedal on my left thus allowing me to play open handed. Not to mention that this fixes the problem I run into when leading fills and certain patterns with the left hand.

Glad it's working out for you, bro.

D.

Yeah Don, remember some years back we all were talking about the cable hi hats, don't think that they are not on my mind, because they are. And I am going to get the system, where do you keep yours I would find a way to mount them on my rack, but I also keep a ride on the right too, mounted on the rack, so I would have to figure it out.

Spanky, I have mine mounted on the bottom half of a cymbal stand. This stand is exclusively for the hats. Plus putting this on a stand allows me maximum adjustments.... I had my hats mounted on the rack many years ago but it never really felt right. I just couldn't seem to get them close enough to me on the rack. Your setup may allow you better success with this.

Keep me posted.

D.

Thanks for the reply Don.

Spanky,

There is a lot to open-handed
playing. A search of the forum
might make for some interesting
reading. Boomer chimed in, with
some posts, as I recall.

You probably know that I switched
to open-handed playing back, when
I hurt my right arm, in 2000. It
started me on an incredible journey
of NO RETURN! I will say to you
that I have been using a traditional
grip (while leading left), while that
sounds a little crazy. It has given
me a whole new world of control
on the left-hand trad and I love it.

Regards,

Yeah like I said Woofus, I have not really talked about this since one of the old sites. And I have played around with the reverse trad grip, and from time to time, I still play around with it, but I don't use it. Here is a video of Billy using the reverse trad grip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2VYKgFBH3A

And years back I posted Lenny White using it to, let me see if I can find it. I am back and I can't find it.