One area of confusion I find with many of my students is that of a rimshot. Too often

rimshot is used as a generic term for a group of related sounds that are all actually different from each other is sound. So this article takes at look at what really is a rimshot and what the other similar things are.

Photo #1 shows a true rimshot: that is when the shaft of the stick hits the rim of the

drum at exactly the same time the tip of the stick hits the head towards the center. You know when this has happened because you get a loud, solid sound that is very different from just hitting the head.

A popular variation is one made famous by YES/King Crimson/Earthworks drummer, Bill Bruford. Bill would play a rimshot more towards the edge of the drum than the middle to get a ringy, boingy sort of tone that cuts through the music better.

A Rimshot variation is where you lay one one stick across the head/rim and hit it with the other. This is more of an old style marching band rimshot.

A variation on that is where you hold the tip of one stick against the head while hitting it with the other. This is what is commonly called a stickshot.

Finally, if you are playing a bossa nova, or other a quiet ballad, the band leader might turn to you and say, “Play rimshots.” Well, he certainly doesn’t mean a rimshot like in the previous examples. What he really wants is what is known as a cross-stick, or sometimes a rim click. This is where you place the end of the stick on the head approximately 1-2” from the rim, while laying your hand on the head, and lift the other end of the stick up, then down on the rim. This produces a nice, softer click sound.

So we have 4 separate and distinct playing techniques & sounds that are often all called rimshots, only 1 really is a rimshot. The key is to understand each of these and then use which one is appropriate for the music being played, no matter what someone asks for.