How to choose a good pair of drumsticks

An article by Richard    No Comments

Step into any music store and you will be overwhelmed with the wide variety of drumsticks available on the stick racks.

Drumsticks are inexpensive, and it is worth investing in a good pair.

So how do you choose a pair of drumsticks that is right for you?

1. What do you play – Before you spend money on buying a pair of sticks, it is always good to know what will you be playing the sticks on, will it be rubber pads or will it be on actual drums? Do note that sticks with plastic tips gives a sharper “ping” on hi-hat and cymbals.
2. Pick up the sticks and try – Hold the sticks (link) in your hands and try swinging it like you were to hit a drum, there should be a well balance point between your thumb and forefinger, and you should feel that you are in control of your sticks.
3. Feel the weight – The stick should have a suitable weight profile, meaning you should find the stick neither too light nor too heavy when you are swinging it, (you can always upgrade your sticks when your muscles develop and your playing style changes)
4. Check the straightness - Although sticks manufacturers have high quality control for every pair of sticks, it doesn’t hurt to check if they are straight. To do that, roll the sticks on a flat glass top or counter top, you should see the stick rolling smoothly on the glass top and not wobbling along. If it wobbles, pick up another pair and try again.
5. The bounce test - Hold the stick and hit it on the rubber pad the way you would with a drum, you should feel the stick bounce back to you in a fashion that is quite comfortable to you, it should not feel too awkward, either due to a lack of bounce or too much bounce.

Some of the the more common starter sticks are the 5A, 5B

Here are some of the more popular brands available in the market:
www.vicfirth.com

www.promark.com

www.zildjian.com

www.vater.com