How to choose drum sticks?

Drum sticks, as a rule, are made of wood (beech, oak, maple, hornbeam, hazel, etc.) and some artificial materials (aluminum, polyurethane, carbon, etc.). Sometimes the tip is made artificial, and the "body" of the drumstick remains wooden. At present, due to high wear resistance, wooden sticks with nylon tips are becoming increasingly popular.

The structure of the drumstick:

• The bark is the point of balance;
• The body of the wand is a grip site.

The shoulder (another name is the neck) is the tapering part. The length and shape of this area greatly influence the behavior and sound of the wand.

A tip is needed to strike. There are different forms. In most cases it is made of wood.

How to choose drum sticks?

It is necessary to start with the basis - wood. There are three main types of wood that are used to make drum sticks:

1. Maple is the easiest, has excellent flexibility. With the chopsticks in this tree, the musician will feel less punches.
2. Nut is most often used for making drum sticks. It has good flexibility and a high level of energy absorption.
3. And, finally, oak wood. Drum sticks from this material break rarely, but while playing the musician will be much more feel the vibration.

After you have decided on the tree, you need to select the right tip. There are two types of tips for drum sticks - wood or nylon. The most common are wooden tips, which will be a good choice for many types of games. The only downside of the tree is the rapid wear and tear on active play. Nylon tips will last you longer. Also they will be useful when playing the plates in the event that you need a good bounce and a bright sound. When playing on an electronic drum kit, it is recommended to buy drum sticks with a nylon tip, as the wooden ones can break and damage the mesh on the pedal.

The tips are also different in shape. It is customary to distinguish four types:

1. Round - reduce the changes in sound when playing under different slopes. This is especially good for cymbals. This type of tips is now very popular.
2. Cylindrical - give a scattered and open sound.
3. Pointed drumsticks give the average sound by focusing.
4. The tips, resembling the shape of the olive, allow you to control the sound and area of contact when you hit.

The next important parameter is the size of the rods. Different manufacturers designate the drum sticks in different ways. But nevertheless, they are quite similar. There are three categories of rods:

1. 7a are light and thin drum sticks designed to produce a soft sound. Perfect for beginners drummers and jazz music.
2. 5a are the most common drumsticks, medium in thickness. Good for rock music. With them you can play both quietly and loudly.
3. 2b / 5b are drum sticks that allow you to extract a louder sound. Excellent for heavy rock and metal.

The most famous manufacturers of drum sticks are Stunner, Ruby Grip, Zildjian, Ahead, Cooperman, Sabian, Wincent, Tama, Balbex, Lutner, Vater, Pro Mark, Malletech and Vic Firth.