All You Need to Know About Drumsticks

Your drumstick selection plays a significant role in your playing feel and sound. Whether you like thicker, heavier sticks, or prefer lighter, thinner ones in your hands, knowing some fundamental information about drumsticks is really beneficial.

Drummers who are just starting might not realize the difference in feel and sound between drumsticks. With different weight, size, tip, and material, there are different kinds of drumsticks out there, even ones made from aluminum with plastic tips.

• The lettering and numbering system represents the size and weight of a drumstick. In familiar sizes such as 7A, 5A, and 2B, a lower number generally means a thicker stick. These are model names rather than standardized measurements; compare the actual diameter and length when changing brands.
• Historically, A sticks were associated with orchestras, B sticks with bands, S sticks with street bands, and D sticks with dance bands. These old labels do not restrict the music you can play with a stick today.
• The most commonly used drumsticks sizes for drummers are 7A, 5A, 5B, and 2B.
• The three most common types of wood used for making drumsticks are Hickory, Maple, and Oak. Hickory are the most used ones, they’re durable and dense. Maple sticks are more lightweight than Hickory. Oak is denser and heavier than hickory or maple and can be a durable option; price depends on the particular model.
• Every drumstick has four parts – the tip, the taper, the shaft, and the butt.
• Depending on the tip shape, Oval, Teardrop, Round, Acorn, or Barrel, the sound output will be different.

How To Choose A Drumstick Size

You most certainly noticed a lettering and numbering system on every drumstick and wondered what they meant. These letters and numbers represent the size and weight of a drumstick. The most common drumstick sizes are 7A, 5A, 5B, and 2B.

Among common models, a 7A is usually thinner and lighter than a 5A, while a 2B is thicker and heavier. The number is not a diameter measurement, and the rule does not cover every model: 5A and 5B share a number but differ in thickness. There are other numbers, such as 6 and 8, as well as signature models. Check the maker’s dimensions and try the stick in your hand.

The letters have historical associations with the style of music a drumstick was intended for, rather than setting a rule for its use today. The two most common letters are A and B, historically associated with orchestral and band use respectively. There are also drumsticks labeled with S, which are not that common these days, and the S is typically for drum corps and marching band players.

This system of lettering and numbering the drumsticks was created way back in the 20th century, and since then, a lot of things have changed, but manufacturers now also use their own naming systems. Treat the code as a starting point, then compare weight, length, diameter, taper, and tip.

If you are a beginner, most people would recommend either 5A or 5B, as those are the most common ones, and they are good middle-ground drumsticks.

Different Types of Materials Used For Drumsticks

The three most common types of wood used for manufacturing drumsticks are hickory, maple, and oak. Knowing the difference between the three can help you decide which one is best for you.

Hickory

By far, hickory is the most common and widely used type of wood for drumsticks. It’s dense and durable and has a really good feel when you hit the drums. Hickory offers a useful balance of flexibility, weight, and durability, but changing wood alone does not guarantee protection from hand or wrist strain.

Maple

The second type of wood used in drumsticks is maple. Maple drumsticks are generally lighter than comparable hickory sticks, although the difference depends on the model and piece of wood, and they are a good option if you want a lighter drumstick but the same diameter as some drumsticks made from hickory. Being the lightest type of wood used in drumstick production, it has its benefits but also drawbacks. The biggest drawback is that they are not as durable as hickory.

Oak

Oak drumsticks are a less common choice than hickory or maple, with a dense, heavy feel. Oak can offer good durability, and it’s recommended that you try oak if you are playing heavy and loud music.

Apart from these, there are also non-wood drumsticks made from aluminum, and these are also recommended for heavier and louder music. Aluminum drumsticks are extremely durable but rebound also depends on their balance, your technique, and the surface you strike. Designs such as AHEAD use an aluminum core with replaceable covers and tips; follow the maker’s instructions for worn parts rather than exposing the metal to a cymbal.

Anatomy Of A Drumstick

Every drumstick can be divided into four parts. The tip, the taper or shoulder, the shaft, and the butt.

The tip is the front end of the stick, and it’s designed to hit the drum heads. There are different shapes and materials from which the tips are made. Tips can be either wood or nylon. Wood is what you find in a normal drumstick, but if you want a brighter cymbal attack, you can try nylon-tipped sticks. A nylon tip does not mean the whole stick is nylon.

Nylon drumsticks are recommended drumsticks for e-drum kits. There are also different shapes of tips, including standard teardrop tips, barrel tips, oval, round, and acorn. All of these provide different sounds, most noticeable on the ride cymbal.

The taper is the narrowing section between the shaft and the tip; the neck is its narrow area near the tip, and the shoulder meets the thicker shaft. A longer taper generally gives a lighter front end and more rebound, while a shorter one puts more weight toward the tip. The shoulder is commonly used when striking the edges of cymbals.

The third and biggest part is the shaft, often referred to as the body. This is the section where the drumstick has a constant diameter, and with this part, you hit the rim on the snare when you play rimshots.

The last part is the butt. Its rounded end finishes the handle and contributes to the stick’s balance. The grip area near it must feel comfortable; some players also reverse a stick for a thicker sound from the butt.

How Does Tip Shape Affect The Sound?

Depending on the shape of the tip, the sound output will vary in feel and tone. The descriptions below are useful starting points, especially on a ride cymbal; contact angle, stick weight, and playing force also change the result. Teardrop tips offer a warm output with an emphasis on low tones. Barrel tips are louder and more punchy, used for heavier genres of music. Oval tips bring out a large spectrum of sound that is suitable for many settings. Round or ball tips offer a clean, bright, and crisp sound. Lastly, acorn tips produce a full and rich sound.

What are Other Types of Drumsticks?

In addition to the classic drumstick pair, you’ll also see brushes, mallets, and rods. Brushes are used for that quiet scratch sound and mellow genres like jazz. Mallets can be seen in orchestras and marching bands on several percussion instruments and can produce big sounds. Rods take the sweet spot between conventional drumsticks and brushes. They’re not too loud and not too soft, excellent for low-volume/unplugged acoustic performances.

Conclusion

There is a lot of information about drumsticks, and finding the perfect drumstick for you can take a long time, but you must experiment and try out different ones until you find the right one for you. Many brands also offer signature edition drumsticks, so maybe try out a drumstick that your favorite drummer developed with that brand and see what you think about it.