Quick question.. what sticks do most people use ? I'm about to buy a new pair in the next week or so, and wondering any recommendations..

atm i've gone from some Pro-Mark 7as, to Zildjian Travis Barker 5as which i didnt like, back to Zildjian 7a, but the the Anti Vibration ones that they realesed.. i really liked these, but i found the rubber ( the anti vibe bit) comes out often and i have to keep aralditing it back in, then lasts 2-3 weeks then falls out..

Pete.

depends on what style you play, and how comfortable you are with the sticks, I used to use vic firth 5B's bit of weight helps the stick come back into your hand nice, helps with the stroke.

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345hp @ 1.4bar

play alot of anything, but i'm starting to play faster punk, and i feel a thicker stick is too slow as i'm still a bit unco..

I have some Vic Firth 5A American Classics, but i used them maybe twice and just could not get comfortable with the vibration they gave back.. after 1/2 n hour or so my wrists started becoming slightly sore from the vibration..

What would be better.. getting sticks i'm comfortable with, or trying to get used to others ?



what i have now.. left to right

Zildjian Travis Barker 5A
Vic Firth American Classic 5A
Some Sticks that came with the kit.
Zildjian Anti Vibe 7A.
Bucket 'o' Sticks 7A
Pro Mark Millenium 2 7A.

If you wonder why the Zildjians are black, it's because it has that Zildjian Wax on the ends, which i find helps quite a bit !@

Pete

VF5A FTMFW. Understand that haha, i didn't!

Vics use a quality wood which I always come back to. 5A Nylon tips are my stick of choice: light but strong.

If you are still getting to grips with the drums and haven't found your 'style' yet, I really do recomend starting with 5A. They are right in the middle and are pretty much the starting stick (or should be) of any drummer, regardless of age.

Take a drummer like the one from Evanescence (Rocky Gray). He's a massive, chunky bloke and he hits hard. He would use thicker sticks for concerts as he needs to get that full metal volume and performance from the drums. One reason he can use thicker sticks is because the drum parts aren't overly complicated (compare to something like jazz which is sometimes the COMPLETE opposite - quick dynamic changes and different stroke types required often).

Then look at the opposite. Try jazz music as stated before. You might notice a jazz drummer use much lighter and thinner sticks to give accuracy in quick changes and rolls-which are common). A jazz drummer doesn't often have to play hard and loud like metal/hard rock music, so he can sacrifice stick durability and weight and reap the rewards: quick, light stick control!

Should you try different sticks and get used to different ones? I don't know. I can't see that there's anything wring with using 5A's for 4-5 years (for example) then deciding you want to play with 5Bs.. or 7As. It is a very noticable difference but is it bad? Who knows. I suppose it's down to personal choice and feeling. You may get good an then start experimenting. You may find that you play faster with a lighter stick.. or have more fun with a heavier one. It's just what feels right to you but I suggest giving each stick a decent go. Say maybe a couple of weeks with one type of stick - with say 10 hours on the drums in that time- then move to another stick. You might get results.

Try playing along to songs you KNOW HOW TO PLAY WELL and see the difference with differen sticks. You may find parts of the song you simply can't play as fast to with certain sticks.

In any case, maybe head to a drum store and ask for tips (Music Park's Drum Dept. in Vic Park or Billy Hyde I would suggest for the better quality of knowlege and experience).

Just my opinion, I hope it helps open up your mind.
Anyone else got any siggestions?
ALEX

PS If your tips keep coming out of the end, I personally would look into other types or chuck 'em completely. Talk to a pro about replacements - you may not really need a 'synthetic' tip if you choose the right 'natural' heavy-ended stick

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Thankyou very very very much.. Amazing. I will try a few different grades for a few weeks, i did try using the 5A Zildjians for a few songs i can play, then went to the 7As and found that i could roll, hit cymbals and play cleaner ( imho) then i could with the 5As.

It's actually the rubber in the bottom of the Anti Vibes ( they have a rubber piece so stop the vibration through the stick) that comes out, think they were just poorly glued from the factory.

Next time i come upto Perth i'll try to get into one of those stores, think i could be coming up in the next 2 weeks, so i'll try to pop in.

Thanks heaps for your advice.
Pete.

(scuse the black grip wax.)

Getting too much vibration through the sticks?, try loosening your grip a little.

I used to notice that when we started off a gig, the first few songs I would be gripping the sticks to hard and it would make me play average. So I would try and warm my hands up and get them relaxed as possible.

Always good to warm up on a billy hyde pad for a little bit, whether you are playing a show or practicing at home.

Did anyone ever use that book 'syncopation'?
Starts off very simple and progesses through to some decently challenging stick work.

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345hp @ 1.4bar

Free plug to the Drum Shop.

I used to get all my gear through them, really nice guys to deal with, always went out of their way to help me get my stuff to Geraldton, if I broke something during the week and had it sent express mail to get there the next day.

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345hp @ 1.4bar

I've always used Vaters. Usually 5b's and the Virgil Donati signature series assaults. I generally practice on a pad using 2b's as they're larger heavier and generally slower, it helps greatly when with smaller sticks, awesome for accuracy and finger control.

Nylon tipped sticks always give more attack and generally a brighter timbre from the instruments (cymbals/toms/snare). Hand placement and stick control play a vital part in comfort. You shouldn't suffer from any vibration unless you have a bung stick.

Todd syncopation is a great book and can be utilised for any layout, try playing it upside down as well!

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www.racewars.com.au

I always used the drum shop, Tim was the go to man when i used to play regularly, but he's now working for evans heads as the state rep. When i went in last week, there seemed to be a lot of young dudes about.

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www.racewars.com.au

Music Parks drum dept. is my shop of choice.

Cindy Blackman signature sticks.

Yep, i also used to use the book "syncopation". Found it fantastic. Started out very basic for beginners, and progresses to some very challenging pieces.