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How to choose the right Drumsticks as a beginner drummer

The instrument that has the most power within itself to get people bopping to a beat is probably the drums. No sane person can get through a bar of well played drum beats without at least getting their feet to tap along. Drums is an instrument that is easy to learn but quite a challenge to be an expert at. It requires a good sense of rhythm coupled with peak coordination between your individual limbs.

Transferring the beats in your mind into your drumset and getting it to sound just right is quite a challenging yet interesting task. Getting it to spot on is a true joy and today, online drum classes can help you learn to do so..

What a lot of people overlook in the drums is the variety the instrument can have. There are drums more suitable for heavier music and some more classical in tone. Along with this, a major change in the sound of the drums can come from the various types of drumsticks out there.

Before joining your drums classes online, you need the right tool for the job. To select the right type of drumsticks for yourself you need to be clear of certain things, mainly:
Your choice of song and style of music
Knowledge about the different types of sticks
Understanding the sound each stick can generate.

To help us determine which drumsticks to choose, let's look at some of the available types:

1) Style Types:

Drum sticks come with letters written on them denoting their type. Certain drum sticks are more suitable to a particular style compared to others. Here are the basic styles of drumsticks:

1. A Styles: The A style of drumsticks are light sticks and are majorly used for jazz or classic rock. These produce a sound that is less heavy and is used more for players that prefer finesse in their playing style.
2. B Style: The B’s are heavier and thicker in nature. Thus they are used for heavier hitting songs and genres like metal or rock.
3. S Style: S sticks are not used on traditional drum kits as often as they are quite big in size. They are more useful for bigger open events and bands that use bigger drums.

2) Size variations:

Drumsticks come in a plethora of sizes and are denoted by numbers. Each has their own style. Generally, these are the common stick sizes:
1. 5A -  Most commonly used. Not too heavy and a great starting point for every drummer.
2. 3A - More thicker in nature and also longer in length than the 5A’s.
3. 7A - Thinner and lighter versions of traditional sticks that are more suitable for jazz playing.
4. 5B - Common drumsticks used for more rock-oriented playing. Heavier and louder sound.
 
3) Shapes:


Drum sticks also come in various shapes. The shape is the most distinctive part of a drumstick when it comes to looking at a glance. Here are the most common shapes:

1. Standard/Signature: The typical image that comes to our mind when we hear the word “drumsticks”, these sticks are commonly used by beginners at the start of their learning journey. These sticks are
accessible and have a lot of versatility when it comes to their shapes and sizes.

2. Brush: Brushes are sticks that are used more widely in South American music, Latin, and also jazz. Brushes produce a sharper yet softer sound due to their brush like shape. These are meant to be used when the drums are required to be more of a softer companion to the other instruments.

3. Rods: Rods are somewhat of a balance between the brush and a normal drumstick. They are smaller sticks bound together and produce a louder hit compared to brushes but a softer tone compared to the standard drumsticks. These add an extra layer of versatility and are commonly used when the drums need to sound particularly soft yet with a sharper hint .

4. Mallets:

As the name says, these are bigger sticks used for various instruments. They are bigger and their tips are covered in softer material to produce a muffled tone. 

Once you are aware of these basic things, you can go ahead and pick the right type of drums that can fit your style of play. For starters, a simple 5A might do you justice but as you grow your skills you should experiment with different types, sizes and shapes of drums.

As a drummer, you should be aware of the versatile capabilities of the instruments and should make use of these capabilities to grow your musical vocabulary. A musician learns through practice and experimentation and having access to various modes of play and trying out various styles will get the best out of you. Make the most of your drums class online. Keep your genre of music in mind while you pick your drumsticks and have a great time rocking out to your favorite songs on the drumset.