All drummers, pro or not, wish they could increase the speed of their sticks. Drummers struggle with developing speed and control with their sticks more than anything else. This can be an easy fix if you know the right things to work on and practice. There is no quick fix to this problem unfortunately, but there are certain practice techniques that will help dramatically. Learning how to boost your stick speed can be boring at times, but the results are so worth it, you will be glad you took the time. So let’s take a few moments to look at some key tips and tricks in learning how to develop stick speed and control.
The first step in raising your speed as a drummer with your sticks is by playing your rudiments. Rudiments are the essential patterns that every drummer learns. Whether you know them or not, you have played more than one for sure. The best way to develop speed is by practicing a number of these rudiments with a practice pad and a metronome. Read this article on practicing tips for more options, but generally you want to play these rudiments as fast as you can. Keep trying to increase your speed by a few bpm every time. Soon you will build endurance, speed, and control on your sticks. For control, practice you’re Paradiddle, for power and speed, practice your single and double stroke roll. This may be a lot of work, but it is the best tried and tested way in improving your skills.
One of the most popular techniques to learn is the Moeller Method. This method of drumming is used by all the top pro’s, and can be learned in a few easy steps. For a complete lesson on the 
Moeller Method, click here; or even better, check out the Moeller Method Secrets training DVD. With these tools, the Moeller Method is very easy to learn. Basically, it is a technique in which you utilize the bounce of your stick to create a multi stroke hit. This is an obvious solution to increasing your speed, as it will allow you to play half the strokes to get double the bounces. You can use the Moeller Method in every style of music, Jazz, Latin, Rock, and more.
A lot of drummers take little time in setting up their drums. The truth is setting up your drums can have a lot to do with how fast you can move around them. Make sure you are setting your drums up so they are very comfortable for you. Moving them too close will cause you to have very little arm flex, while having them to far apart will cause you to need to reach too far to move around. The best way to set it up the most efficient you can. This is a very personal thing; however, check this article on drum set up out for further information on setting up your drum set.
This may sound like a silly concept; however it is actually a good idea. Now when I say weights, I do not mean go to your gym and pick up some dumbbells. What I mean is practice with heavier and bigger sticks than you are used to. This way when you go back to playing your normal sticks, you will be supposed in how light they are and will be able to move them faster. This can be dangerous though, make sure you limit your bigger sticks to practice pad use only, playing them all the time will confuse you when you play a show with your regular sticks.
These are a few tips and tricks you can follow to increase your stick control and speed. Most professional drummers are only better than most because of their training with stick speed and control. So before you get disappointed, take a few weeks to work on your stick work, you will be greatly surprised! Alot of drummers will sacrifice timing and preciceness for speed, so make sure this is not the case!