DRUM STICKS.. all about it..

[adl]

hi guys!

what drum sticks are you using? and what can you suggest?

i heard that there are drums sticks specially made for electric drums, is it better to buy those? can you use it on acoustic kits? or better to buy normal ones?

tnx

[Some Day Grey]

This is a very common question here, and many folks post what sticks they use - and why - in various threads and polls that get posted here often.

Personally, I use Zildjian DipSticks, nylon tipped, mostly in size 7A.

Most discussions about sticks as they pertain to electronic drums focus on a few key areas: using nylon versus wood tips, stick marks on pads, anti-vibration qualities, comfort, size, and condition.

Bottom line:

Wood versus nylon seems to be more personal preference. Stick CONDITION seems more important, especially on mesh heads. Check often for ANY damage to the tips that can damage the heads, and it's probably best to NOT use the same pair sticks on an electronic kit that you do on an acoustic kit or anything else as they can be damaged there and in turn damage the electronic mesh pads.

Stick marks on pads can be easily removed, and heads cleaned, as per many other existing discussions on this board.

Anti-vibration sticks: discussed often in various threads. Can be located with the board's search feature.

Comfort and stick size: mostly a matter of personal preference. However, you generally do NOT need to use bigger sticks on electronic drums in the same way you may on acoustics - as the sound volume, etc is more a matter of amplification and electronic-controlled reproduction instead of a purely mechanical situation.

Here is the link to a recent stick discussion; my response contains some other links and how to use the board's search feature to easily find a wealth of information about your question:

http://vdrums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38547

Hopefully, this should provide many answers - and help hold you over until others respond with new and updated experiences, preferences, and tips about sticks on electronic drums.

[Colquhoun]

I have more pairs than I'd prefer to mention....but the 2 pairs that I am playing most lately are the Vic Firth American Jazz (AJ2, AJ4), and the Zildjian anti-vibe 7As. The AJ2s are long with a shallow taper that makes the feel of these great. The Zildjian anti-vibe are the most comfortable sticks I've played (ZERO vibration), but a bit shorter and I'm not as fond where the balance point is. So I go back and forth with the two...
As far as nylon or natural...I really don't care, as it does not seem to make too much of a difference to me.

[rbressers]

I use the Steve Gadd Vic Firth sticks, which are very light and short. Just perfect to me.

Oh yeah, thei're black