David

I'll be back on this now I'm on the mend. I used to play everything with timbale sticks at one time, really liked that so I need to do a session with those.

Ringo wrote fantastic hooks and his drum parts were very recognisable, Ticket to ride, I feel fine, Help, In my life... the list is long and you need to get that right, specially in a tribute band.

When I play a song with a covers band I try to play musically and in the spirit of the song, not beat for beat. A good example for me at the moment is Rock me baby, I've leaned 3 versions... BB King (Shuffle), Eric Clapton/BB King (Straight 8s with an implied shuffle) and Johnny Winter (Straight 8s R&B) and I've taken from all of them, without learning a specific fill. I'm also going to be playing Superstition which has an iconic feel which I will emulate but not copy. We might be doing 50 ways to leave your lover which I will attempt to play almost identically, as much because t's iconic and because of the challenge in this case (I'll be happy if I get it to sound like 46 ways to leave your lover.. 🙂 ) In the Beatle tribute band I would play as much like Ringo as I could and sometimes improvise in his kind of style, I even tried to impersonate his voice, but not always note perfect.

I like hot rods, they are closer to sticks and great for lower volume gigs. I think these sit a little closer to brushes.

I was playing Stagg fixed plastic brushes quite lot yesterday on track. I've had these a while and never really used them but we had wanted something between brushes and sticks and these are exactly that... the track, which I will share once I get a draft, called for a kind of blues retro feeling. I thought it would be easer to demonstrate in a video, too much to type 🙂 I'll be using these again 🙂

I used those a long time back, still have a pair that's over 20 years old, small ball tip, chunky stick, really nice to play but I was playing a lot of rock at the time which didn't suit them. I also had a pair of Omar Hakim sticks which were similar but had bigger nylon tips which was my go to stick back then. I really used to like using timbale sticks with no tips, chunky, funky and surpassingly versatile... very robust.

Ok.. So I slipped and ordered a pair Bill Bruford signature sticks... it's pure hero worship on my part... but I am interested in how they feel... and afterwards I can set up a shrine 🤣

You are an evil man Bob!

So... curiosity has got he better of me and I'm now watching something similar on ebay........ we are off the map now matey!

If you have mallets try a floor tom and ride solo... it's just great... and tom rhythms just take on a new meaning. I'm kinda curious :)... Not something to try after a few drinks.. or is it. 🙂

I have a lot of sticks... and yet I have ordered a pair of firegrain... Once I get them I'll do a comparison between them and the other sticks I use regularly.

I ended up doing my practice with drum mallets yesterday amongst other things... and it was fun, very different. Very tip heavy so you have to adjust how you play, I reduced the fulcrum and played all wrist-hinge. It forced me to play very clean, single fills. It changes the sound of everything, lot of fun, time to get your prog on 🙂 It also forces you to move cleanly round the kit as the heads of the mallets will clash as they are so big. I'll do this again 🙂

I use VF 5B barrel tip sticks as my main go to ticks, 16" with a medium taper with lacquer finish. I used to use the Steve Gadd signatures at one time but I prefer these now, tiny bit longer. I bought a pair of Promark Rebound 5b's which feel really good, I like the lacquer on them, seem very fast, keep cool in my hands and feel very solid. Interested in trying out the firegrain series On a pad I use VF SD1 general which have a round tip, are a bit thicker and 16.38". I find they work my hands a little more which builds my endurance. I don't find the length affects my playing, maybe I should try them on the kit. Recently I bought a few sets of Maple Stagg SM5B very cheap off ebay and have been very impressed with them, nicely made and feel good in my hands, a nice change at the kit when I put down the VFs. I would certainly use them live. Might try out the Bill Bruford signature stick... just because I am still 12 and a big fan....

Yes, he is so fluid. There's a great TED talk that he did, the Brush playing at the end is just wonderful

Jojo Mayer agrees 🙂 Playing the ride with a Jingle Stick Here's the video

I like this idea but, like Sean, my wife wouldn't join in so I might just randomise the selection. I do like the idea on mixing and matching like Bob did. I like it when I see a drummer using a stick and a brush... or a shaker... so I should try it. Great idea this @Julia