Is it "wrong" to use 7A sticks for rock?

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DSCRAPRE

Guest
Hello, I'm a really hack drummer and I'm just wondering, Is it wrong for me to be using 7A's to play Led Zeppelin style hard rock? I know that Bonzo used, like, 2B's or something, but they just feel WAY too heavy for me. I've also used 5A briefly but had the same heaviness beef, so 7A seemed logical. I've been using them for a while now and I really like their feel. Will I encounter any issues resulting from this as I progress or is using a "Jazz" stick acceptable?
 
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Unless you are recording or playing live it shouldn't really matter. Even then its purely up to you. If you are wanting that "Bonham" sound then the sticks would probably be the last thing on the list of prerequisites. The drums, heads, tuning, and cymbals will have the most impact on the overall sound.

But of course, it couldn't hurt to use heavier sticks.
 
If there was a "right" and "wrong" about stick sizes, we wouldn't have 1,001 different types of sticks available.

The Mike Portnoy signature model is the same basic size as a typical 7A, and he plays rock and metal.
 
If there was a "right" and "wrong" about stick sizes, we wouldn't have 1,001 different types of sticks available.

The Mike Portnoy signature model is the same basic size as a typical 7A, and he plays rock and metal.

Thats just what I was about to say.

The only thing you may want to consider is that with heavier sticks, the added weight gives you more feel (not feel in the music, but feel meaning a better sense of where the stick is in your hand) which in turn helps overall with control.

I used to use the Mike Portnoy sticks but found that they were always feeling inaccurate, for lack of a better word, and on the advice on my teacher switched to Vic Firth 3A's. The great thing about this stick is that their only slightly thicker than an average set of 5As but are heavier. This helped with my stick control and I'm actually considering moving up to 2B's.

Just some food for thought, but the descion is up to you, and ultimately there isn't a wrong one!

cheers.

-Jonathan
 
If there was a "right" and "wrong" about stick sizes, we wouldn't have 1,001 different types of sticks available.

LOL - no kidding! Not to mention the custom drum stick manufacturers that let you specify exactly what you want when designing and making your drum sticks.

That being said, I'm still having a hard time finding a hickory stick that's in the 5A/5B range, 16" in length, with a shorter acorn-style tip, and a fatter shoulder. If you know of one, please let me know. LOL.....I'm being serious though.
 
The only main thing I would say is a problem with using thin/light sticks is that if you are really playing quite heavy stuff you will probably be punishing your stick a bit more and I find they tend to break when playing rock/metal with 7a sticks. I use either 3b sticks or 5b sticks depeding on what I'm playing genre wise.
 
Like others have said, there's no right or wrong. However, for me personally, I find thinner and lighter sticks give me a distinct lack of "oomph" for backbeat playing (along with the obvious durability issue), so I'm a 5B guy all the way. I need that feeling of power.
 
For me it's all about the genre of music I'm playing. I basically grew up with the weight and size of 7A sticks. As I progressed I started to use slightly heavier sticks in the sixties just because they felt better in my hands playing rock. Today anything goes anywhere between 7As and 5As. I am a bit spoiled by Zildjian's "Heavy Jazz" sticks which are made from laminated birch. They have a nicely balanced weight in my hands and the laminated birch helps to create a great cymbal sound.

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Dennis
 
Like others have said, there's no right or wrong. However, for me personally, I find thinner and lighter sticks give me a distinct lack of "oomph" for backbeat playing (along with the obvious durability issue), so I'm a 5B guy all the way. I need that feeling of power.

+1. When I played rock I found 7As sounded a bit tinny. 5As seemed to give me a good balance between having a fatter drum sound and dexterity (the 2s felt like I was wielding caveman clubs). It could have been my imagination ... maybe they just felt tinny in my hand?

A lot depends on the drummer. No doubt drummers can make 7As sound rich and fat. They might break a few, though. If nothing else, using thicker sticks for rock would probably be cheaper.
 
As long as you aren't shredding them in 5 or 10 minutes then there's no problem. I'm quite a hard drummer, I use Zildjian Tre Cool signatures (nothing to do with being a fan of the band, although as it happens I do love Green Day) and I can break a set of them in about a week or so, and they're like playing with broomstick handles.
 
If there was a "right" and "wrong" about stick sizes, we wouldn't have 1,001 different types of sticks available.

The Mike Portnoy signature model is the same basic size as a typical 7A, and he plays rock and metal.

If you're referring too the 420 model they're more of a longer 5a size I like them personally, with 7a's they're is no other stick that has a sweeter rim click IMO and the Regal-Tip 7a's sound the sweetest IMHO of course, if you did the more mellow zep tunes like "tea for one" & "what is and what should never be" I think a 7a would work perfectly but if you did tunes like "the ocean" & "Achilles last stand" well a 5b which is what Bonham used REALLY would be more suitable.

Bonzolead
 
Stick weight - which usually relates to stick size - will affect how acoustic drums and cymbals sound. Imagine using chopsticks as sticks... you'd feel and hear the difference immediately. Yes, it's a wide gap between 2Bs and chopsticks, but 7As still fall inbetween.

Being such a tactile playing experience, drumming is all about personal preference and comfort level. If heavier sticks are too uncomfortable and tiring, go smaller. If 7As feel like they're 'getting away' from your hands, go bigger.

That's another thing - 7A doesn't mean 7A. Regal Tip's 7A is what I consider a true 7A, a smallish stick. But Vic Firth's 7A is about a 5A compared with other companies. That's not right or wrong, but there are differences, and it really boils down to personal preference.

Bermuda
 
I use 7a's a lot. I use them for the quieter light to moderate Rock tunes.
I feel that the lighter sound enhances some songs.
7a's work well in small venues also.
I use a heavy Jazz wood tip stick for a heaver sound.
 
If you are wanting that "Bonham" sound then the sticks would probably be the last thing on the list of prerequisites. The drums, heads, tuning, and cymbals will have the most impact on the overall sound.

Those factors are certainly a crucial part of the sound. But don't forget that in most cases - and particularly with Bonham's trademark sound - recording techniques (mic placement, EQ, other effects and processing) will contribute most to the resulting drum sound. Drums rarely sound in person the way they do on recordings.

Bermuda
 
How many people in the audience would think, "He is using small sticks, His floor tom just doesn't sound as deep as Bonzo's"
Not many, I would think!
If you play the song with the groove that fits it will be fine.
 
Thanks guys.
Someone said that Vic Firth's 7A model runs heavier than other companies. Is that true? I use Vics and I have noticed that the Pro Mark's are very light compatibly, but I just thought that Pro Mark's were thinner than everyone else.
 
Most of my 7A sticks are Vic Firths. I really couldn't say for sure if they are any heavier or lighter than other manufacturer's 7A sticks. Every pair of sticks I buy I check them to make sure that they roll true and they pretty much feel like the same weight per pair.

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Dennis
 
I've been using 7A's for 6 years and use them for all genres. I just don't enjoy heavier sticks so really, whatever feels comfortable in your hand is what you should use.
 
Someone said that Vic Firth's 7A model runs heavier than other companies. Is that true?

I said that, and it's certainly the case with Regal Tip and the old Cappella 5A sticks (which were even smaller than Regal Tip's!)

There's no real standard for stick sizes, except that they're fairly relative within a given brand. AFAIK, everyone's 7A is smaller than a 5A, which is slightly smaller than a 5B, which is smaller than a 2B (for example.)

Bermuda
 
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