During a gig, drop a stick- NOW WHAT?

[Concrete Pete]

Hey crew,

Yet another dumb question for ya'll. I keep sticks in a "quiver" type case suspended from my floor tom, and also keep one or two sticks resting against the bass drum lugs- during practice and during gigs.

Every once in a while I drop or lose a stick, and it takes me 2-4 seconds (sometimes more) to grab a spare stick and return to the beat, all the while trying to make it sound like it's an intentional break.
I REALLY need advice on how to make it a quicker transition, and how and where to keep spare sticks handy for this dilemma for a FAST changeover.

I'm buying a great big beer for the person that can give me the best solution for this.

Thanks all,
C. P.

[theindian]

The answer is Don't drop sticks... just kidding!
I keep my spare sticks in a "quiver" or bag on the floor tom also. I have one or two sticks extended out of the bag a little. They are also by themselves in the closest pocket and that way they are easy to access and I can grab them as soon as I need one.
I

[Joe P]

Practice. While you're practicing at home or with your band, drop a stick on purpose, and get it down to a science so that you can do it naturally without thinking when you do need to grab one during a gig. Practice not only normal stuff, but also practice messing up and how to get out of it. Try to think of other things too that could get in the way of a gig, and practice overcoming them.

[Daphfz]

i agree with joe p, umm also get a clip on stick holder, clip it onto you're snare stand(main shaft) and have a pair of sticks(or one) poping up just next to the snare drum, so you can quickly grab it on a return crash bass beat, if u get wat i mean

[Monica McCoy]

http://www.musicmaniamax.com/product_img/vater_multipair.jpg

I have this clipped under my hi hat. If I drop a stick, I just keep playing and skip a backbeat or two while I grab another stick with my left hand. They're about $12.

[thewill]

or once youve dropped the stick keep playing with one hand wave at the audience with the other and get the crowd going. this only works with simple beats though.

[Wavelength]

Learn to maintain a groove with just one hand; backbeats and everything. I drop sticks all the time but I try to make it sound like nothing's wrong.

[tbmills]

it would be really convenient to have a stick or two hanging off the far side of the hoop of my snare. (opposite my crotch)

[aydee]

Whats the drama? Seriously....?

you should be able to create enough hell fire,
or pocket a groove tight enough with 3 limbs so that you could actually have a sip of beer, towel your face off and then pick up another stick

[stabmasterarson]

I just keep the kick doing a quarter note drive and pick up a stick...

[NUTHA JASON]

i keep a stick down my trousers at the back with the but-end poking out of my right side.

[joshisaces]

http://www.musicmaniamax.com/product_img/vater_multipair.jpg

I have this clipped under my hi hat. If I drop a stick, I just keep playing and skip a backbeat or two while I grab another stick with my left hand. They're about $12.

http://images.guitarcenter.com/products/optionlarge/Vater/255513jpg.jpg

He should get this one. It would be easier to grab a single stick rather than trying to pick a stick out of a big bunch.

[Boomka]

1. Continue playing

2. Casually grab another stick

3. Look like you meant it.

4. Rock On.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Put a stick tip first under your right thigh. Very easy to grab.

[slingerland755]

Whats the drama? Seriously....?

you should be able to create enough hell fire,
or pocket a groove tight enough with 3 limbs so that you could actually have a sip of beer, towel your face off and then pick up another stick

Once again Abe....Perfect!

[Ironcobra]

Learn to maintain a groove with just one hand; backbeats and everything. I drop sticks all the time but I try to make it sound like nothing's wrong.

This is what I do, most people can't even tell the difference.

[Pavlos]

http://images.guitarcenter.com/products/optionlarge/Vater/255513jpg.jpg

He should get this one. It would be easier to grab a single stick rather than trying to pick a stick out of a big bunch.

That's what I use too. You can position the two holders spaced apart, so when you go to grab one it's real easy to get your hand around just one stick quickly. I mount mine on the shaft of the hi hat stand.

[jayblazeff]

after i sit down, i slide a stick under each buttcheek. i hang em out at about 4 and 8 o'clock, i slide em in just far enough that i can pull one out quickly and easily. Works for me !!

[Royal]

Hey crew,
I'm buying a great big beer for the person that can give me the best solution for this. ,
C. P.

Like most drummers I've never had a problem of dropping sticks. But it has happened. (My problems are much worse :-)
I've only dropped one last year.
Despite that I've stick holders by the HH & the floor toms. One stick in each.

Most importantly I've actually deliberately drooped sticks while practicing, (alone), so I know "where to go" to quickly & smoothly grab a spare.
Not quite the same but helps a lot & boosts confidence
So if it happens, & of course it will happen sometime I guess, no panic ...just get on with it.

Mines a pint of Young's. Thanks.

[IneptDrummer]

I use one of the vater things that someone posted above (with the Vater decals ripped off so as not to piss off Silverfox, lol) and keep one more extra kind of wedged into the tub lugs on my kick drum so that the butt end of it is right up against my snare drum. The simplest solution is obviously to not drop sticks, but everyone does it.

Sitting on a couple of sticks works really well too - sit on the tips and leave the butt ends poking out from under you.

When you drop one, think about why you dropped it. For me, it was usually because I got carried away flinging my head around and dancing behind the kit and caught a rim or crash on the upswing. You might want to adjust the placement of some things so that this doesn't happen. Maybe try some grip tape too. I started using it cause my hands sweat a lot and I was having trouble holding on to sticks.

It sucks though, its super embarassing when everyone sees you do it. I once dropped a stick at the Chicago House of Blues in front of about 1000 people when my band was opening for a national. o_o

[rjvsmb]

i keep a stick down my trousers at the back with the but-end poking out of my right side.

Where's the other end sticking??? That's ok, I don't need to know.

[jonescrusher]

You've got to be slick with these things. One handed drumming is a useful skill to develop as it will allow to keep the groove settled until you find an appropriate moment to reach for the next one. Nothing wrong with a short pause either, as long as you keep the time clean. No need to be embarrassed, it's very rare for the audience to notice anything about what the drummer does!

[Casper "DrPowerStroke" Paludan]

http://images.guitarcenter.com/products/optionlarge/Vater/255513jpg.jpg

He should get this one. It would be easier to grab a single stick rather than trying to pick a stick out of a big bunch.

Another thing to buy, anoter thing to carry. No, just SIT on an extra stick or two. If you can find your own behind, which for most of us is easy (if not spontaneous), this is the best place for a spare.

This advice stolen from Jon Riley himself in the sticks to brush thread.

Casper

[IneptDrummer]

You've got to be slick with these things. One handed drumming is a useful skill to develop as it will allow to keep the groove settled until you find an appropriate moment to reach for the next one. Nothing wrong with a short pause either, as long as you keep the time clean. No need to be embarrassed, it's very rare for the audience to notice anything about what the drummer does!

Yeah, the audience doesn't notice. But the rest of my band always does, and I get some weird looks.

Playing one-handed is a really good skill to learn. Obviously it'll sound a little weird, but at least you'll be able to keep the backbeat going. Practice it a bit, with both hands. My personal problem is that I only seem to drop the right hand stick, which is considerably harder for me to recover from right now. Its pretty lame.

[Steady Freddy]

I use both of the Vater stick holders. The large one is mounted on my hi hat stand and the double holder is mounted off of a floor tom leg. That puts sticks on both sides of me. A stick bag mounted on the floor tom(s) will do the same thing.

If I drop a stick or break one the spares are positioned very close to my hands.

That said, I try to get a stick into my right hand as soon as possible. It's easy to maintain a ride pattern and still hit the back beats one handed until you secure a stick with your left hand.

HTH

[jonescrusher]

Yeah, the audience doesn't notice. But the rest of my band always does, and I get some weird looks.

Playing one-handed is a really good skill to learn. Obviously it'll sound a little weird, but at least you'll be able to keep the backbeat going. Practice it a bit, with both hands. My personal problem is that I only seem to drop the right hand stick, which is considerably harder for me to recover from right now. Its pretty lame.


Losing the right hand stick should work out better - as long as you maintain the backbeat with the left hand you're sorted.

[mattsmith]

This is my contribution to the thread.

Happens at the 3:04 mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIrjUJyZbng&feature=channel_page

[DrummerDavid]

I probably should not say this-but I drop sticks constantly. Usually after I toss it in the air and fail to catch it. I am very adept at playing one handed-it is very useful. For purposes mentioned before-taking a swig of beer-waving to crowd...or it comes in handy when doing a Rick Allen impression.

My band mates just laugh about it....especially when they see a not intended stick rolling past them.

Even if you drop two sticks...you should be able to keep time with bass and hats...

[CavGator]

I probably should not say this-but I drop sticks constantly. Usually after I toss it in the air and fail to catch it. I am very adept at playing one handed-it is very useful. For purposes mentioned before-taking a swig of beer-waving to crowd...or it comes in handy when doing a Rick Allen impression.

My band mates just laugh about it....especially when they see a not intended stick rolling past them.

Even if you drop two sticks...you should be able to keep time with bass and hats...

Well, your problem offers an easy solution, dontchathink? :D

[sauceisback]

I probably should not say this-but I drop sticks constantly. Usually after I toss it in the air and fail to catch it. I am very adept at playing one handed-it is very useful. For purposes mentioned before-taking a swig of beer-waving to crowd...or it comes in handy when doing a Rick Allen impression.

My band mates just laugh about it....especially when they see a not intended stick rolling past them.

Even if you drop two sticks...you should be able to keep time with bass and hats...

the moment you lose your cool that's the time when things become obvious and people will start talking about it, just do it the way simon phillips does it, he dropped a stick, picks another one, looked at it, threw it away, grabbed another one and played. he acted as if it was all part of the show, you know to impress (hey look at me i can play drums without my right hand).

[razorx]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgE8Ni-OYR4&feature=related

[mrchattr]

You should practice beats and fills one-handed. I've had people tell me they thought they saw me drop a stick, but then were sure they were wrong, because nothing changed, I even played a fill, and then they saw sticks in both hands again (because I had grabbed another one). Don't even let it show on your face.

Another thing to buy, anoter thing to carry. No, just SIT on an extra stick or two. If you can find your own behind, which for most of us is easy (if not spontaneous), this is the best place for a spare.

This advice stolen from Jon Riley himself in the sticks to brush thread.

Casper

This post cracked me up. "Another thing to buy, another thing to carry." Yeah, it's REAL hard to get a stick holder and throw it in your gig bag.

If you want to sit on sticks for three hours, go ahead. I'd rather be comfortable and not have to reach behind me to grab sticks...plus, a lot of drummers tend to move around on their throne. We dance, we move to mess with the audience, bend over to get a drink, etc. My butt doesn't stay down enough to keep sticks wedged under there.

[Leadfoot]

I get this situation occasionally where I drop or break a stick. No biggie, it happens, just grab another & go. As mentioned, don't even let it show on your face & chances are, nobody noticed.
The problem comes when a bandmate notices it & turns & looks at you, thereby drawing attention to it, very unprofessional.

[supermac]

I was playing a gig last night, dropped a stick, but at the same time the spare stick dispenser on my hi-hat stand fell off, leaving me to play with one hand.

Luckilly the drums were positioned right in fronmt of a window sill on which I had put my stick case, so I hadto play with one hand while my free hand scrambled around behind me for a stick. Emabarrassing but not disastrous

When I was a kid though, I dropped a stick at a gig, had no spares and had to see out the song with one hand. Not great...

[mrchattr]

I was playing a gig last night, dropped a stick, but at the same time the spare stick dispenser on my hi-hat stand fell off, leaving me to play with one hand.

Luckilly the drums were positioned right in fronmt of a window sill on which I had put my stick case, so I hadto play with one hand while my free hand scrambled around behind me for a stick. Emabarrassing but not disastrous

When I was a kid though, I dropped a stick at a gig, had no spares and had to see out the song with one hand. Not great...

I love/hate when you have to really do something with one hand while still drumming. We were playing a show recently, and my hi hat just stopped working. I would press the pedal, and sometimes it would go down, and other times it wouldn't. Our band barely pauses between songs, so I couldn't sit and diagnose it. Also, it was near the middle of the last set, people were up dancing, so there was no way I was going to stop playing. So, I took the hi hat apart with my left hand (after sticking the stick in my mouth) while playing (beats, fills, and all) with just my right hand and right foot. I found the problem (the shaft had come unscrewed), screwed it back in, put on the bottom hat, and re-attached the top hat at the right height, all while drumming with my right hand, then pulled the stick out of my mouth and got right back to playing with both hands.

[fusssion]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgE8Ni-OYR4&feature=related

Funny stuff.
However, ....double check ALL of your drum and cymbal set ups, and how they correlate with each other. Usually, when you're losing sticks like that, you're catching them on other drums, or under cymbals.

On to the rest, ...have some handy, ....practice the drop, and ....don't panic....just keep goin!

[Ian Ballard]

Aside from the good advice prior, you should also work on playing one-handed with both hands.

[Dedworx]

once at a gig a stick flew over my head when playing, and i had to wait til the end of the night to search the stage to find it as it landed way back out of sight. you just have to laugh it off and grab another stick.

- i'd say just try and keep the back beat or snare part of your groove going as best as you can while grabbing another stick.i think if the back beat goes that's when perhaps someone might notice.

or just go nuts and throw the other stick and a few more sticks and then start playing.