You have to be able to trust that the stick will bounce the right way, because if you try to control it too much, it won't.
Dulcimer hammers are like that. You can play by gripping the hammers and controlling all the movement yourself, but you can't play well if you do that. Or as quickly. :-)
(I've never played a snare drum, so I'm responding to your description, not to your experience.)
*nod* I don't play hammered dulcimer, but I've tried them a few times. Yes, same issue, with added twists. (On the snare drum, unless you're doing fancy brush strokes, you're not worrying about lateral movement to hit the next note at the same time as you're doing the "loose and fluid for speed and tone" part for the strike.)
you're not worrying about lateral movement to hit the next note at the same time
True. I don't know how much pitch variation there is based on the portion of the head you strike, but it would be unlikely to be as finicky as note spacing on the dulcimer.
(no subject)
Dulcimer hammers are like that. You can play by gripping the hammers and controlling all the movement yourself, but you can't play well if you do that. Or as quickly. :-)
(I've never played a snare drum, so I'm responding to your description, not to your experience.)
(no subject)
"Or as quickly. :-)"
Queen of understatement, you are.
(no subject)
True. I don't know how much pitch variation there is based on the portion of the head you strike, but it would be unlikely to be as finicky as note spacing on the dulcimer.
Queen of understatement, you are.
:-)