Drum Sticks vs. Brushes : Part 1
Today’s blog is about a drummer using wooden sticks versus what we call brushes. Brushes have a handle for a grip, but the drummer hits with the very thin wires, and the result can create many nuances that can’t be created by a wooden stick. The brush or the stick is the most personal connection to the drummer’s tools, which are the metal cymbals and drums. So, the different sizes, weights, thickness and many other variables are very important to a stick or brush feeling good in your hand. Compare that to an athlete having the best running shoes, or a baseball player having just the right fitting glove.
I’ve used a stick model since 1970 that was made at Frank Ippolito’s Percussion Center during that time. When sticks or brushes disappear from production, it’s very hard for someone to adjust to a completely different stick model. So, in May 2020, I searched endlessly to find someone who could copy the exact same nuance of my wooden stick. It’s a matter of personal preference, and the tip of the stick could be plastic or wooden. My stick has a wooden tip and that gives me a warm sound especially on the metal cymbals versus the drumheads. I don’t know that the plastic tip versus wood would sound that much different on the heads of the drums. It makes a world of difference with cymbals.
I met a wonderful drumstick maker in London, England. They spent a lot of time duplicating, as close as they could, this all-around medium feel jazz wood tip drumstick. You can’t possibly understand unless you’ve played the drum how important the size and feel of the stick is. Also combined with that is the sound of the wood on the metal cymbal. So now I’m so overjoyed that these kind drumstick makers have invited me into their family, and I now have the stick that just feels like the perfect running shoe.
On April 22 of this year, London Drumstick Company announced on their website that I am one of the artists using their stick. It’s great wood, great craftsmanship, and a high-quality stick that will last many hours of playing. Check out their website and see the stick I’m using… https://londondrumsticks.co.uk/
Stay tuned for my future blog, “Drum Sticks vs. Brushes Part 2”, where you will learn some of the differences in the technique used playing sticks vs. brushes.