Drumming Tips and Drumming Techniques: Drumming Articles
Are There Drum Sticks
That Minimize
Wear and Breakage?
A
fellow drummer "Dirk", provided this question. Thanks Dirk. I
speak for myself here, but maybe what I've
found useful will be useful to others. Here we go...
First off, for jazz or lighter playing situations I use "5B" Vic Firth sticks (aside from brushes of course). For heavier playing, I use Vic Firth "Metal N" sticks. Occasionally, for heavier playing, I also use Vic Firth "Rock 'N" or
"American Classic Rock" models. For speed drumming and endurance work, I alternate between Vic Firth "Corp Masters", some custom-made Scottish drum corp "type" sticks, 2B's and my everyday sticks - depending upon the
exercises I am working on.
As
for stick breakage, I find it to be an infrequent occurrence
NOW (with sticks of any size or manufacturer). Why? Well, I believe it's due mainly to the fact that
I've tilted both my hi-hat and crash cymbals inwards slightly (e.g., towards
me in relation to my seat). In addition, I use cymbal spring mounts on my largest diameter crash cymbals - which reduces cymbal motion once struck.
Previously, I noted that wear and breakage seemed to be happening near the stick tip - where they would become thinned
and over time. I rarely had sticks shatter (like a baseball bat) - even when I hit the snare hard and with constant rim shots. But then I "finally" realized that the shaving-away of my sticks was the real culprit involved in their ultimate demise. What I eventually learned was that I was allowing my "horizontally mounted" cymbals to literally "chew up" the ends of my sticks. And by the way, my hi-hat was actually the biggest culprit in this! I also noticed that sticks of ANY wood type were prone to eventual destruction from this situation. In other words, ANY type of stick used would last far longer if they weren't allowed to be thinned out in this manner
over time (regardless of whether they had a nylon tip on them or not too).
As
for "wood type" in a drum stick for "playing", I really have no personal preference; although some people do.
I just like a stick that "feels good" in my hands, and is as straight as possible. I ALWAYS roll my sticks on a flat
surface before I buy them; to ensure they are consistent in their shape. To me, a warped stick feels terrible
in my hand, and it will likely bow further (depending
on where you live and the swings in humidity you experience). Warped sticks, also tend to make you slide away from the idea balance/pivot point on the stick. And at the very least, this is a big hindrance if your
trying to play subtly, or, very fast.
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