Choosing the perfect pair of drumsticks is not as difficult as it may seem

Having looked into the drumset over the past few weeks, let’s now turn our attention to the two things that bring it to life — the drumsticks. Debates rage on about the ideal weight, thickness and length of drumsticks; an issue further complicated by the genre of music you intend to play and individual tastes.

In truth, choosing the right drumstick isn’t rocket science. And a good player can play with any stick; light or heavy, long or short, as long as his/her technique is right.

Sticks are primarily differentiated by their weight, though their size (including length and thickness) and shape (the different kinds of tips) too can vary. The weight decreases with increasing numbers from one to eight (so far), while alphabet codes denote the kind of usage that a stick is specified for. The letters ‘S’, ‘B’, and ‘A’ originally indicated the recommended application; where ‘S’ stood for sticks designed for “street” applications like drum corps, ‘B’ denoted brass bands and ‘A’ denoted orchestral applications.

Thus, a stick would be named 2B depending on its weight and overall structure (a good choice for beginners banging on those drums, trying to strengthen wrists and fingers), while a 7A would be the usual jazz drummer’s choice, and it would be ideal for players with a lighter touch. For a detailed article on the history, manufacturing process and modelling code, you can take a look at http://www.pearldrum.com/2002_techspeak/drumsticks.asp.

The first point to consider when picking out the perfect pair is to examine the weight of both sticks. Simply hold the pair and check them out. Switch the sticks around in your hands. Tap the tips on a practice pad to check out the weight and the rebound; see if the stick feels hollow or solid in that stroke. It should feel solid. If you’re really finicky, roll both sticks on a flat surface to ensure smoothness of grains in both the sticks. In short, if they feel comfortable in your grip and make for a whiplash of a stroke, they are okay.

Once again, choose a stick according to your playing style: if you’re a heavy hitter playing loud rock, 5As/5Bs or 2Bs are a good idea; if you play light, opt for lighter sticks like a 7A pair.

On to the material. Wood sticks come in a choice of maple, hickory or oak. Maple would be considered the least strong of the three (unless laminated). Hickory has good strength and energy absorption, while oak is generally the strongest. However, it might be a little difficult to lay your hands on a pair of oak sticks in Calcutta, so it would be a good idea to get used to hickory.

Next time around, we’ll scan some brands.