Drum Stick Comparison?

[Grant]

As boring as this video is at face value, I think it is SUPER interesting. 

This is a really hard test to do fairly, because there can be so much human error involved. This video demonstrates a ton of different drum sticks. What I find interesting is not only the sound difference between them all, but how the different sticks causes the drummer to play slightly differently with each different pair. 

What I mean is each pair of stick not only have their own sound sonically (depending on the size, length, thickness, tip etc) but the different sizes of sticks causes the drummer to either rebound more, play more aggressively, hold the sticker looser etc. 

The changes are subtle, but I also think this concept is what gives some of our favorite drummers their "sound" or "feel" behind the drums. 

Check it out & let me know your thoughts!

 

[Tim B. - SDS Staff Teacher]

The stick size, tip, etc can make a HUGE difference. As for how they change how the drummer actually performs - I'm of two mindsets. 

One side of me is like, "that makes sense." When I use my Vic Firth Bolero sticks versus my Vic Firth 5B barrels I play different because I use them for two different things. The 5B is for heavier stuff that I need a little more beef behind. The Bolero is for moderate to light stuff and jazz. But this is because the 5B are pretty significantly heavier than the Bolero. As well, the Barrel 5Bs and the Bolero have WILDLY different tips (which I've shown Joshua and Stephen and finally convinced them that it matter). So it makes sense that those sticks will make me play different. 

The other side of me has met a TON of drummers that were playing Vic Firth 5A sticks and switched to some other companies 5A sticks and is like "oh I can play so much faster and sound so much better." I think there is a LOT of psychology at play here. Most 5As made by any company have some sort of acorn/tear-drop tip and are almost the same length and weight. I think for the people that "feel so much faster" with certain sticks it is mostly psychological, they just like the feeling of "new" and are inspired. Now, that isn't to de-legitimize the sort of "placebo effect" but I think sometimes people use sticks/heads/kick pedals as a crutch to say "oh I'd sound so much better if I had my gear". 

We should avoid relying too much on gear to get our sound. I've seen Brian Blade play my drums, not move them, not tune them - and guess what? He sounded EXACTLY like Brian Blade. Because he (the person) IS the sound. Sure certain cymbals and sticks will help him get to his sound faster or easier - but someone who is a master of their craft will still be able to make anything in front of them sound like THEM. 

Just a few thoughts on the topic. 

[Grant]

I COMPLETELY agree about the concept of the placebo affect. That just leads to drummers saying "Oh I can play xyz way better on my own kit" or "Ugh these drums just don't sound like I need them to" etc. 

However, brand aside, I do think there is something to be said for what kind of impact the stick can have on a drummers playing. As you mentioned above, you respond differently to those two kinds of sticks. Granted, you're choosing to use them in different scenarios, however, if someone handed you a pair of 2b sticks & a pair of maple jazz sticks, you would end up playing VERY differently with each pair.

This kind of stuff is SO interesting to me. Love it. 

 

[Grant]

On a similar note, I wonder if drums can do the same thing. 

For example, I would imagine if I sat down at a Sugar Perc. Kit with 12, 14, 18 Mahogany shells, my playing would be a bit different than if I sat down at a huge 14, 16, 18 24 DW kit. 

 

[Julia]

The most interesting dull video I've ever seen! 😂 I picked up on most of the sound differences with the drum roll demo, playing cymbal with the stick shoulder, and on the snare with rim shots.  The differences are too subtle to make or break the sound, so I really think it's a psychological thing with the feel as Tim pointed out.  

For me at this point, it's nothing but psychological.  I'm playing on mutes; the sound and feel are only relevant in relation to that.  It's mainly about how the grip feels and how the sticks rebound off the “artificial” surfaces.  I love the grip on the new Zildjians I got recently, and the fact that they're maple so I play more quietly, but they're also thick enough to let me attack with them more than some thin jazz maples I've got.   But that's the stick for me NOW, for my playing NOW, not on future kit configurations or even maybe on the next lesson track.  

Honestly though, the sticks I seem the most attached to — whether that's good or bad — are this cheap pair of 7a standard hickory Zildjians with electrical tape I put on them.  I don't notice them at all when I'm playing with them, which I think is the key issue.  It means I'm comfortable with them and I'm not distracted by what things they might seem to do for me when I play this or that style or surface.  If I ever need to buy sticks in bulk, I'm willing to bet those will be it.   

I also think it's funny that I have a bunch of Vic Firth sticks and have admired various qualities about them, but these two Zildjian pairs are what I grab.  That could change at any moment, though, so...I just shut up and play 😂  

Really interesting discussion, thanks for posting this!  

Edit to add:  When I start playing on actual drum heads, I will definitely follow up and share my experiences.  That's going to be the really interesting and telling part. 

Edited November 20, 2019 by Julia

[Julia]

I just did some research about these Zildjian 7a sticks I got on clearance...looks like the series isn't made anymore, but VF makes their sticks anyway.  But the point is that it seems like any 7a, 15.5", round tip, medium taper like this pair should be fine now that I've found the go-to stick that works for me. 

I still love playing with different brands and models of sticks, though, so I will continue doing that as time and wallet allows...but it's nice to know what I like, settle on it, and move on with the business of learning to play well. 

[Grant]

Very interesting thoughts @Julia!! 

I've never had the chance to play the 7a drumstick, however I just looked it up, sounds like a great stick. I prefer the extreme 5b right now. Which is 16 1/2 inches long, & bit thicker than the 7a. However I'm primarily using those for country / rock, so it's a pretty good fit. 

It's so interesting that Vic & Zildjian are the same company now, I believe it was a merger of the two, but I do wonder if one bought the other, or just how the conversation got started in general. Do you know anything else about it @Julia?

[Tim B. - SDS Staff Teacher]

On 11/20/2019 at 9:27 AM, Joshua said:

On a similar note, I wonder if drums can do the same thing. 

For example, I would imagine if I sat down at a Sugar Perc. Kit with 12, 14, 18 Mahogany shells, my playing would be a bit different than if I sat down at a huge 14, 16, 18 24 DW kit. 

 

For sure. I think that is why it is important in a studio environment to have different options. Playing a very muffled snare is going to make me totally change the ideas I break out as opposed to a super wide open and ringy snare. This is also why, when someone says they are bored of their ideas, I suggest to mix up your tuning and set up. Different tunings and drums will make us have different ideas. 

[Julia]

13 hours ago, Joshua said:

Very interesting thoughts @Julia!! 

I've never had the chance to play the 7a drumstick, however I just looked it up, sounds like a great stick. I prefer the extreme 5b right now. Which is 16 1/2 inches long, & bit thicker than the 7a. However I'm primarily using those for country / rock, so it's a pretty good fit. 

It's so interesting that Vic & Zildjian are the same company now, I believe it was a merger of the two, but I do wonder if one bought the other, or just how the conversation got started in general. Do you know anything else about it @Julia?

@Joshua  It's kind of a mystery...from what I can tell, VF and Zildjian merged around 2010, but VF seems to have been making sticks for Zildjian since before that.  I have seen some complaints in forums about Zildjian stick quality, mostly quite some time ago, but it seems to have improved.  I kind of relate this to the art world where Blick brand colored pencils are made in the same plant as Koh-i-Noor pencils, but they are not identical products, they vary in quality and components.  Maybe Zildjian's old contracts with VF had a different quality standard than VF's own. 

Zildjian overhauled their stick lines recently, and I found that there are two newer equivalents for my discontinued 7a pair with them, and one with VF.  But one of the Zildjian designs is black, so I definitely have to check that out sometime.

I am more comfortable with shorter sticks — my wonky unison problem is less obvious when I play with them.  For a while I used thicker sticks than 7a because it seemed to be helping my traditional grip, but now I'm comfortable enough that the stick diameter doesn't matter as much (hooray for practice and improvement!). 

Edited November 22, 2019 by Julia
I seem to say “seem” a lot 😂

[Julia]

5 hours ago, Tim B. said:

For sure. I think that is why it is important in a studio environment to have different options. Playing a very muffled snare is going to make me totally change the ideas I break out as opposed to a super wide open and ringy snare. This is also why, when someone says they are bored of their ideas, I suggest to mix up your tuning and set up. Different tunings and drums will make us have different ideas. 

@Tim B. I wonder if this is how Stewart Copeland found that he liked his drums tightly tuned.  That really makes a distinctive sound, especially recognizable in Ghost in the Machine.  Looser drum heads wouldn't capture the same mood. 

[Grant]

On 11/21/2019 at 10:35 PM, Julia said:

@Joshua  It's kind of a mystery...from what I can tell, VF and Zildjian merged around 2010, but VF seems to have been making sticks for Zildjian since before that.  I have seen some complaints in forums about Zildjian stick quality, mostly quite some time ago, but it seems to have improved.  I kind of relate this to the art world where Blick brand colored pencils are made in the same plant as Koh-i-Noor pencils, but they are not identical products, they vary in quality and components.  Maybe Zildjian's old contracts with VF had a different quality standard than VF's own. 

Zildjian overhauled their stick lines recently, and I found that there are two newer equivalents for my discontinued 7a pair with them, and one with VF.  But one of the Zildjian designs is black, so I definitely have to check that out sometime.

I am more comfortable with shorter sticks — my wonky unison problem is less obvious when I play with them.  For a while I used thicker sticks than 7a because it seemed to be helping my traditional grip, but now I'm comfortable enough that the stick diameter doesn't matter as much (hooray for practice and improvement!). 

WOW. That's some solid info @Julia. Thank you for that. It's interesting to watch how big some of these companies get, & what decisions they make along the way to keep growing....