Discoveries of the day - New heavier sticks

@EhhSoCheap

I watched the whole video on the traditional grip but it makes me angry a bit, it's stripping my fun away, dont know why. Maybe because I had a rough week fighting against a restructuring at the job and my well jet pump died 2 days ago, probably that.

--> The Karate Chop, the thumb rebound and the 2 fingers.. 3 different things to practice, tomorrow. When I am finished replacing the pump...

It's a very good video, thanks.
 
not uncommon...i think most guys who did not do marching band, play with the 5a/5b/7a etc size sticks....I definitely think I am in the minority of people who play set with heavier sticks....a lot of the guys around town here think my 3A's feel like telephone poles...and I can't even feel 5a's, 5b's, 4a's etc in my hand...it literally feels like nothing is in my hand

I tried using the LD's for set for a quick minute, and I was afraid I was going to snap the stick at the bead because the taper from the shoulder to the bead is quick and thin...but I loved the bead sound on the ride cymbal

but for concert band, they get a great fluid bounce feel for rolls and stuff like that because of that quick, thin taper...

all of my students start with the Lalo DAvila's though

A bead.. that's a new word for me today ? had to use Google translate.

Did you hear the difference between the 2 sticks on my cymbal? I can't explain it.. the gap is unexpectedly wide, I think the difference is caused by the type of wood... the LD's are scary sticks.. o_O

The motion is much harder to achieve, lifting the stick up especially.. it's a new thing still. I am not afraid to break my pair yet hahahah
 
A bead.. that's a new word for me today ? had to use Google translate.

Did you hear the difference between the 2 sticks on my cymbal? I can't explain it.. the gap is unexpectedly wide, I think the difference is caused by the type of wood... the LD's are scary sticks.. o_O

The motion is much harder to achieve, lifting the stick up especially.. it's a new thing still. I am not afraid to break my pair yet hahahah

to me, the different sounds have more to do with the bead shape, the taper leading to the bead, than possibly the wood type...

the 7A has longer thinner bead, and is going to be less "direct" sounding...the Lalo stick has a round bead, which is more direct, and darker...it "plays through" the cymbal more. That is why I like round beads...they are a bit more pingy...and with the right touch, I can make them be less pingy...I can't make a non-round bead be more pingy as well, so I tend to use round beads more

the 7A taper is also more gradual than the Lalo, so that will also move the cymbal differently
 
@EhhSoCheap

I watched the whole video on the traditional grip but it makes me angry a bit, it's stripping my fun away, dont know why. Maybe because I had a rough week fighting against a restructuring at the job and my well jet pump died 2 days ago, probably that.

--> The Karate Chop, the thumb rebound and the 2 fingers.. 3 different things to practice, tomorrow. When I am finished replacing the pump...

It's a very good video, thanks.

Man, I’m sorry to have contributed to your bad week...

Once I get my life together, I plan on studying with a player who can give me feedback on my technique. Although YouTube has been helpful, I feel like it’s a few steps forward, a few steps back with self-teaching trad grip.

In the meantime, I might start posting some of my own playing/practicing.
 
to me, the different sounds have more to do with the bead shape, the taper leading to the bead, than possibly the wood type...

the 7A has longer thinner bead, and is going to be less "direct" sounding...the Lalo stick has a round bead, which is more direct, and darker...it "plays through" the cymbal more. That is why I like round beads...they are a bit more pingy...and with the right touch, I can make them be less pingy...I can't make a non-round bead be more pingy as well, so I tend to use round beads more

the 7A taper is also more gradual than the Lalo, so that will also move the cymbal differently

Hemm my new sticks IP-LD I don't want to play the drums with them whatever the bead because the result is way too loud. But to practice on the pads.. wow, this is it. :D

I can say with enough confidence today that a pair of heavier sticks will help me gain control faster, I am already seeing results on the pad and behind the kit too, my left hand is improving.

AND I got a copy of Stick Control and started to practice it for 2 days now.. the book is very fun to use so far. It feels like the military.

:love:
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Man, I’m sorry to have contributed to your bad week...

Once I get my life together, I plan on studying with a player who can give me feedback on my technique. Although YouTube has been helpful, I feel like it’s a few steps forward, a few steps back with self-teaching trad grip.

In the meantime, I might start posting some of my own playing/practicing.

Ah no no it's ok.. you didn't contribute to anything bad.. the teacher on the video is obviously very skilled. I just felt like crap while listening to him... he is saying literal things like: You need to practice this or it's never going to work.

But the fact of the matter is, I have fun behind the kit without doing it at all and with virtually zero pressure. I am not practicing his thumb and fingers rebounds, **** that. ? (I have enough of the bastards at the job, listening to their reform ideas)

Previously, I had pressure from bad musicians pushing me to play with people, this was a major source of de motivation, but not no more.

My initial goal was to understand and play the music I like.. it was never about forming a band.

--> I'll do it when I am ready or never, I won't tolerate any form of pressure.

***
Good idea to publish your own playing! I am thinking about publishing my progress on the pad with the new sticks right here.
 
I followed a suggestion from this forum about sticks, to practice my rudiments on my pad.. And last week I discovered a deficiency in my single strokes..

The maximum speed my left hand can hit without a rebound on a head or the pad..is kind of slow.. and to help me, I went to the store and bought a pair of heavier sticks.. to achieve a more efficient workout. (Hopefully heavier enough)

A pair of "Innovative percussion" bought on sale for 12.50 CAD total.
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After trying at least 6 pairs of various brands.. Pro-marks, Vic Firth, Zildjian, the IP-LD won the contest.. :unsure: they have a comfortable balance and diameter and they are much heavier then my usual sticks, the Zildjian Dip 7a. It's 63g per sticks for the Innovative percussion vs 43g for the Zildjian 7a.

They had even heavier Vic Firth but the diameter was uncomfortable for my fingers. It took at least 15 minutes of pad practicing in the store to pick the right sticks.

The new ones are heavier for me and my new workout.

***
I practice this exercise from +-5 strokes each hand and moving up to +-10 strokes each hands, moving up and down. It's a struggle for speed.. such as this video, it's not the fastest I can go.. but not really far away.

I found that major limitation in my playing.. and working that out now.. we will see. (Along with single stroke exercices, instead of doing the "drum rolls" in RRLL it's RLRL.)

***

This is the second discovery.. the new and old sticks on the cymbal.. ? it looks like 2 different cymbals nonetheless!! amazing.. I prefer the sound produced by the Zildjian 7a.. the Innovative are way too brutal, they don't work well with that cymbal.


Learning new things, fun!

NOTE: David Ogorsky is not my real name.
You know what’s cool? Your left hand is doing better at having consistent dynamics than your right hand. So, that’s great that there’s such control there. On the flip side, your first note with your right hand tends to be a bit louder than all the others so you get to practice speed with your left and add a little dynamic control with your right to work both hands.
 
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Trad grip is great; I always enjoy seeing forum members who use it. I’ve found the alternating strokes exercise from your video to be helpful for counting and for my ear on top of building up proficiency in the weaker hand. As a funny aside, one of my drum teachers from high school drilled into me not to use heavier sticks when practicing. I don’t feel strongly either way, it’s just interesting how conventional wisdom develops and is passed on.

I think digging into the trad grip and really deconstructing its parts is key to improving. Rick Dior has a great video that goes beyond the basics of holding the stick and into using the thumb to “snap” the stick. Maybe you’re already familiar. Some serious players have talked about developing their trad grip over the course of years, so patience and enjoying the journey works for me. Good luck! Keep us posted.

Rick's the best overall drum teacher I've found on the internet. I just bought a pair of his practice sticks, which are heavier than normal 5B's but the same thickness. Really looking forward to strengthening my hands/wrists/fingers with these. Also use his Advanced Coordination book, which has kept me happily busy since buying it last June, and definitely improving my feet independence (a priority focus for me at this point).
 
Funny how different the same cymbal sounds with different sticks. You've been on quite a journey trying different heads, sticks, and cymbals. Hope you are finding that which fits.
 
I used to use 7A's when i was younger. absolutely awful now I think back on it. I use 5B or heavier now.
 
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