Stick Control: For the Snare Drummer

by George Lawrence Stone

George Lawrence Stone's Stick Control is the original classic, often called the bible of drumming. In 1993, Modern Drummer magazine named it first in the top 25 drumming books of all-time. In the words of the author, this is the ideal book for improving control, speed, flexibility, touch, rhythm, lightness, delicacy, power, endurance, preciseness of execution, and muscular coordination," with extra attention given to the development of the weak hand. This indispensable book for drummers of all types includes hundreds of basic to advanced rhythms and moves through categories of single-beat combinations, triplets, short roll combinations, flam beats, flam triplets and dotted notes, and short roll progressions.

"It truly is a timeless classic and an essential requirement for every drummer's library."
Drummer Magazine"

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Classics

48 pages, Staple Bound

First published July 5, 1998

Reviews

[Brett C]

This is a priceless tool for anyone to further your drumming skill. The exercises start out extremely simple and gradually progress to difficult. The book progresses from simple combinations to more of a 'I really need to focus on this' exercise.

The exercises are not difficult in ability but difficult because you are forced to pay attention. The author incorporates rudimentary drills to include flams, rolls/triplets, and paradiddles/inverted paradiddles.

This is a must-have for any drummer really wanting to develop balanced stick control and precision. Thanks!

[Peter Blom]

Het gehele boek staat vol met slechts 2 letters L en R:

LRLR LRLR LRLR LRLR
LRLL RLRR LRLL RLRR
LLRR LLRR LLRR LRRR
enz.

Genoeg om drummers hun leven lang bezig te houden.
Zelf ben ik nu al maanden bezig met blz 5 en 6. Mij is dus het zelfde lot beschoren ?

[BLT]

"This fucking rules my life. Pages 14 & 15 is like all you need to know if life. You can do anything if you can do pages 14 & 15. And that's for hands and feet, too."

[Kelly]

Few words in this one, but lots of hands on experience to be a student of the drum. At first I thought it might be monotonous, but following just certain pages of this and playing them is a meditative experience. I felt like it was good for my mental health. And I'm becoming a better drummer!

[Sophy Jubb]

Brilliant, but as a beginner drummer, also mildly terrifying!

[Larcenet]

Dit is een (drum) boek dat elke drummer die vooruitgang wil boeken (sic) moet "lezen".
Eigenlijk is het een studie, een toewijding.
Het vergt concentratie en discipline.
Techniek en snelheid komen op de laatste plaats, ze zijn er wel maar het briljante aan dit boek is dat deze vanzelf komen door de oefeningen elke dag te doen, in je eigen tempo maar elke dag. 1 pagina per week, 1 minuut per oefening ( of 20x).
Het sleutelwoord is CONTROLE. Zoals de legendarische leraar Dom Famularo zei: " Tension is the enemy of movement", ontspannen spelen dus, eerder dan snel, 60bpm is een goede start.
Gebruik een metronoom als hulpmiddel, zoek een oefening op, op het internet (youtube staat er vol van), indien je twijfelt over een oefening.
Dit is een boek dat je (drum) leven kan veranderen. Bij mij was dit het geval.

[Roque Castaneda]

A must for all drummers. The depth of knowledge coming from this book is endless. This should be a life long study among other writings and creations, but the ideas and creations possible from this book alone not only could last a lifetime but can also inspire endless possibilities.

[Creighton Magoun]

While not much of a book in the traditional sense, I've definitely improved my coordination with the exercises included.

[Todor]

The drum bible

[Will Howlett]

Frankly, the most important book a drummer should own. Never neglect the fundamentals, kids!

[Sebastian Palmer]

Joe Morello studied with George Lawrence Stone. That alone is recommendation enough!

I’ve been dipping into this for over two decades now. But it was only this year (2022), that I completed my first full sequential run through it, in its entirety! I also use it in my drum teaching all the time.

Morello was Stone’s star pupil. And thanks to Morello’s precocious work on Stick Control, we also have Stone’s follw-up, the snappily titled Accents and Rebounds.

A great tool for developing better reading, and – of course – stick control. Starting with such simple building blocks as singles, doubles, and grouping of three or four, per hand, the numbered exercises eventually take you though a huge variety of combinations, leading with both right and left.

Stone says play everything 20 times. And play with a metronome at various different speeds. This is terrific conditioning practice on a pad, and fun to transfer to snare. Of course one can then take it to the kit, and orchestrate it there.

Used regularly and with a bit of discipline this book can impart strength, stamina, speed, control of dynamics, and much more. Definitely an essential piece of kit in the drummer’s training arsenal.

[Robin Savile]

One of the indispensable drumming books, a classic.