Sean mentioned that he didn’t like 7A sticks as they were too light. I had Vater Stewart Copeland and Vic Firth 7A in my stick bag. So I pulled out a few pairs from my bag and we compared them. When I tried his 5A sticks I couldn’t help thinking how cumbersome they felt after the Vic Firth 7A sticks I am currently using. He wasn’t playing hard rock or anything so those sticks seemed a bit over the top for the purpose. I talked to him after his set, and he was using ProMark 5A sticks which were quite loud. Really fast drummers use light sticks, they are just easier to attain speed with.Ī few nights ago I was watching this guy Sean at a jam, He is a good drummer. When you see a really fast drummer, check out the sticks they use, I guarantee they just won’t be heavy. The heavier the drumsticks, the more effort is required to get them moving, and if speed is your aim then long, heavy sticks are not the right ones to use. So, with the stereo in mind, are your sticks right for you, or have you just become accustomed to the feel of them? There are really only a few variables with sticks, there is how well they are made, (straightness and consistency) weight and length as well as hardness of wood, and nylon or wood tips. All of a sudden, the meaning of “good sounding stereo” changes completely and your thinking is re-mapped with this new knowledge. But how do you know if it is comfort or familiarity? Think of it this way, everyone thinks they have a good sounding stereo at home, they have been listening to music on it for years and think it sounds just fine, then they hear a REALLY good stereo. If your sticks feel comfortable in your hands while you are playing, no matter what you are playing, most likely they are the right sticks.

Most things to do with drumming, much as in life, come down to one thing: the best guide is often your comfort. Are you using the right drum sticks for you? But without the right sticks for your hand size, weight, strength, style of playing and required volume, all the many hours of work will not give you the return on effort that you deserve. You can’t do all the things you hear in your head if you haven’t got the technique to pull it off. There is so much emphasis on technique these days and rightfully so.

Possibly the most underrated or under-discussed element of drumming is one of THE most important fundamentals – using the correct sticks for you.

“without the right sticks for your hand size, weight, strength, style of playing and required volume, all the many hours of work will not give you the return on effort that you deserve” It’s amazing how the sticks seem to be very different lengths when you play with them, but they are really quite similar.

Drum stick technique for speed