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Stick Selection
To get the best, longest lasting sticks,
I also consider;
The highest pitched sticks, and matching pitch. Learned about this pitch
thing after using Hinger sticks. (hollow aluminum) The actual voice from
drum could not be better. Only problem, can't hit cymbals, or do rimshots,
with them. Also playing an ostinato pattern with staccato grip would make
sticks bend. Learned to make staccato and legato notes sound different.
(to the point of discerning long roll played each way.) Also consider from
percussionist standpoint; you must hit things with something harder then
itself. You can't hit a triangle with a tympani mallet. Anyway we, (drum
corps of my youth) noticed denser higher pitched sticks sounded better.
Anyone remember densi-wood sticks, I forget (blocked out) which company.
It was 76 and SCV and FRC corps, (my corps) after redefining pitch for
outdoor drumming by an octave in 75, searched for heaviest and highest
pitched sticks possible. The new trend required playing low. (2" taps
4 or 5" accents) They had 3" weights on front and we covered
them with 2 layers of tape. We soon left that stupid heavy trend. Though
quest for high pitch remained. We also played considerably higher by the
time I left the sport. (taps starting at no measurement, dependant on
volume. With accents (proven by video) sometimes behind our ears,
dependant on volume. When playing real drums, sticks wore out (from
hi-hat) or split lengthwise, as opposed to breaking. (I use Pro-Mark
hickory 747 or Cobham 808 for change.) Used about 3 pair per 2 weeks.
That's 12 gigs and rehearsals. Playing e-drums, I change sticks, when they
start to feel dead. If they were used exclusively on rubber, about a year.
If anyone hears of graphite sticks called Riff-Rite, let me know. They had
cork handles. At the time,(10 years ago) at $60 a pair, a little pricey.
(considering a wrong rim or cymbal could cause shattering) If I could find
a pair now, it would be the last sticks I'll ever buy. (like a personal
pool cue) Graphite is a great material for golf clubs, and hammers too. If
anybody out there does construction work (where they still use hammers)
they owe it to themselves to try graphite.
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