Obviously the most popular thing used to play drums is the drumstick. Brushed and rods are two alternatives which produce two different sounds and can be used in a variety of different styles such as jazz, or low-volume rock. For this post, however, I'm focusing on sticks.
Drumsticks come in a huge variety of different sizes which can often be confusing. It took me a while to get my head around it, so here are the basics.
Sticks consist of 4 parts:
The tip - the part you strike the drum with. Either wood or nylon (nylon sounds brighter on your ride, and is recommended for electric kits). Comes in different shapes, depending on the sound you're after.
The shoulder - this is what you'd use to strike a crash cymbal. It has a gentle taper towards the tip.
The shaft - this is where you hold the stick.
The butt - the very end of the stick.
Sticks generally come with sizes in two parts - number and letter.
The most common numbers are 7, 5, and 2.
The letters are either A, B, or sometimes AB combined.
The number in a size guide is the heaviness of a stick. The higher the number, the lighter the stick.
If you play jazz, or if you just fancy a really light stick, go for a 7.
If you play hard-hitting rock, go for a 2.
The letter part denotes the thickness of the stick.
A is, with the stick company I use, usually 0.551 inches in diameter.
B is 0.590.
AB is usually pretty close to a regular A stick, but with a thicker-than-normal taper.
These sizes may not seem like a big difference, but when it comes to the feel of a stick little things like this make a huge impact. It should also be noted, however, that many drummers use a variety of sticks for different settings, so it won't hurt if you have a few different sizes in your bag.
Drumsticks can be made of various different woods. The most common are hickory, oak and maple.
Hickory is the general-use wood. It can be used for any setting, and is fairly long lasting and durable.
Oak is the hardest wood used in stick-making. It's the most durable, and you should look to this if you're shattering sticks left, right and centre.
Maple is the lightest wood, and is ideal for jazz. Careful players will see these sticks last a long time, but they're not for you if you're prone to hitting hard.
One key thing to remember is that drumsticks should ALWAYS tell you what they're made of. If you don't know the wood type, it's probably a cheap blend and will shatter or snap easily.
One other factor you should look into when buying drumsticks is the finish of the wood. Regardless of the wood you choose, the way it is finished makes a huge difference to how it feels when you play.
Plain wood sticks are basically just sanded wood, and provide a 'dry' feel.
Lacquered or varnished sticks are smooth to touch, and this finish helps to reduce the chance of blisters.
Some finishes, such as the Millennium II finish by Pro-Mark are designed to become slightly sticky when you play, to improve grip.One other way to improve grip is through grip-tape or wax. These products can be applied and removed however you like, so they're ideal for trying out (maybe on an old pair of sticks first) to see the result.
The main drumstick companies right now are Vic Firth, Vater, AHEAD, Zildjian and Pro-Mark. All of their sticks are high quality, although I personally favour Pro-Mark. The trick to finding your perfect sticks is to go and try them out in the shop. You'll know when you get the right pair for you - it's that simple.
When you're trying sticks out you should have a play with them - there's usually a pad for you to test them out on - and give them a roll on a flat surface - this helps ensure they're perfectly straight.
At the end of the day, the best way to find the sticks for you is by trying them out constantly. I've gone through a huge variety of sticks since I started playing, and I'm still prone to changing every now and again. Just pick 'em up and give them a whirl.
