One of the first things we explain in our drumming lessons at Do Re Mi Studios is the variety of drum sticks available in the market. Drum sticks are a personal choice and there are many brands/companies out there producing fantastic quality drum sticks. Realistically, you are going to have to buy several brands and styles of sticks and spend time playing these to find the ones that best suit you. The tips given on this article will help you make your decision quicker.
Tip #1 – Buy well known brand drum sticks
Cheap sticks will affect your playing. Drum sticks by brands such as Vic Firth and ProMark are worth every cent. They are comfortable to use and I have found that they don’t break as easily.
Tip #2 Buy drum sticks that are pitched matched
Somewhere in the sleeve of the sticks, it should say that they have been pitch-matched. This is done by computer analysis. Pitch-matching is important as it means both sticks vibrate at a similar frequency. You will notice the value of this when you play your drum rolls as they will sound clean when played technically correct. I personally also notice the difference when I play drum fills.
Tip #3 Length matters
You can check that your sticks match in length by standing them up on the tip.
Tip #4 Look at the roundness of the sticks
Make sure the sticks you buy are perfectly round. At our drumming lessons in Do Re Mi Studios, we ask our students to bring their drum sticks in so that we can check this.
Other things to consider:
1) Wood Types
- Hickory – These are the most common sticks out there. They have a medium density and will fray apart before breaking.
- Oak – Oak is a dense wood. Therefore, drum sticks made of it are heavy but durable. I personally don’t find them as comfortable to play as hickory but it is a matter of opinion.
- Maple – Maple is a lighter density wood and therefore drum sticks made of it are the lightest. Unlike hickory that fray before breaking, maple drum sticks tend to dent.
2) Paint on sticks
Some brands have big logo/branding on their drum sticks. Be aware that these could leave marks on your cymbals.
3) The weight of the sticks
Heavier sticks are more practical for styles of music such as heavy metal and punk rock. Lighter sticks are more suitable for styles such as jazz and pop.
4) Tip Shape
Different tip shapes produce different tone quality. This is particularly noticeable on the cymbals. This is an area you will have to experiment with different sticks to see what it is you prefer.
5) Tip Material
The nylon tip is more durable and has more attack. The wooden tip produces a mellower sound but breaks more easily.
When you attend drumming lessons at Do Re Mi Studios, we will get you to try different sticks so that you can become familiar with the choices out there. What sticks have you tried and found to be the best? Leave us a comment.