French Grip
In French grip, the palms of the hands face directly toward each other and the stick is moved primarily with the fingers rather than the wrist as in German grip. This allows a greater degree of finesse, which is why many timpanists prefer French grip. Because this grip uses the smaller and faster finger muscles, this grip is used by single-stroke champions. It also comes in handy for playing fast tempo swing or jazz for the ride cymbal. For louder strokes, the wrist rotates much in the same way as when hammering a nail.
Read more about this topic: Matched Grip
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—Raymond R. Patterson (b. 1929)