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Peedy
Guest
Always bring four pair when I play live. They change a bit but generally the smallest is a 5a and the largest is a Ralph Hardimon. Just depends on what I’m playing though.
Same here. I'm currently using Vater Sweet Rides and 5As for the shorter taper in order to really work on controlling my strokes and my sound (especially the 5As). With the SD4 and 7As, everything seems so much easier ! I don't know what to think about that ... almost feels like cheating !I'm typically on either a Vic Firth maple SD4 Combo, or a Vater Manhattan 7A.
Have you ever tried Lightning Rods? I prefer them because to me, they have a more defined, less difuse sound than the Hot Rods, but they have the disadvantage in that they have fewer (but larger) rods, so when they finally break and one of the rods snaps off, as it inevitably will, it instantly feels and sounds different.Hot Rods. I use these when any sort of stick is too big and loud. As a matter of fact, I'll be playing a 4 hour gig this Friday with Hot Rods.
I prefer them because to me, they have a more defined, less difuse sound than the Hot Rods, but they have the disadvantage in that they have fewer (but larger) rods, so when they finally break
I agree ! That's basically how I function, a pair of Zildjian heavy 5a or Travis Barker for pad work (I have small hands), and one pair for everything I do on the kit (during shows or rehearsals). At the moment, it's between the Vater Manhattans or the Sweet Rides. I also recently got a pair of Vater Los Angeles 5a's because they're quite hefty (for me) in order to work on my touch and controlSometimes use a pair of 5Bs for practice / pad work and I keep an old pair of VF 7As in my stick bag for lighter moments. 99% of the time I will use Vater Fusions when behind the kit. I wouldn't adjust my pedal between a ballad and a heavier tune..... same goes with sticks. I will adjust my technique around what feels right in my hands from the get go.
- The 7As are so short I had to really adjust my grip to find the balance point, which affected the way I interact with the kit.
I got the Vic Firth, which seems to be right in line with traditional 7As from Promark, Regal Tip, etc. Though they are short, they seem correctly proportioned. I don't especially like long skinny sticks like the Questlove.What brand are you using? I believe Vic Firth has some 7A models that are around 15.5” or shorter; definitely too short. The Steve Jordan and Questlove models are both lengthy, though. Personally, anything less than 16” feels awkward, and I prefer thin sticks.
I wanted to return to this thread because it inspired me to try something.
I read here about people using 7As - I always thought of those as student sticks for beginners with small hands. That's what I started with. So, I decided to try them again, and I picked up a pair.
A few observations:
- The 7As are so short I had to really adjust my grip to find the balance point, which affected the way I interact with the kit.
- I find the 7As a bit harder to control doing quick things at low volume, which seems counter to what I expected.
- I'm not sure my old idea that practicing with big, heavy sticks to make playing easier with smaller, lighter sticks holds true. It almost feels like a different skill, at least when it comes to finely detailed work at low volume. That's my experience, anyway.
- The 7As really do have a lighter sound, which is no surprise. I can also get a lot of volume, but there is a lack of beefiness or thickness to the sound. Neither good nor bad - just different.
- This is hard to explain, but the lighter sticks actually showcased some weaknesses in my technique, especially with the left hand in matched grip. I was letting the stick cover for some mistakes when using the heavier sticks.
All in all, I'm happy I tried them again. I've been playing more, and refining my skills.