The Death Of The Drumstick?

scottser

scottser

Junior Member
Around 10 years ago I bought a bulk pack of sticks. ProMark 5bs and I noticed the other day I haven't actually used them in ages. Most of the time now I use Flix sticks as the volume levels are just too loud with sticks for both gigs and rehearsals. I use sticks on my TD9 at home and that's pretty much it. Much of this is driven by the other band members who are getting a bit old and cranky, and who prefer to keep the volume levels manageable, and also quite a few of the venues we play insist on keeping it down. I play rock and roll and blues covers. Yeh, I could spend more time on control and dynamics in order to use sticks but I guess I'm just used to the Flix at this stage.
Is anyone else being made to hang up the sticks in favour of a lower volume alternative? Or would you guys prefer to use low volume heads and cymbals and keep using sticks instead?
 
no, the venues we play know only two volumes, on & off.


one of my bands played a venue where we were told to turn down multiple times due to "noise complaints" from neighbours (the venue meausred the noise with a DB meter, which didnt take into account the gale-force winds outside the venue!!), so we just stopped playing, put a low volume disco on, and packed away, nobody batted an eyelid at us doing so either.
 
No, this situation is yours and probably yours alone. Drumsticks aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Maybe you need to say goodbye to the cranky old men in your band.
 
Nope. I’ve tried most of the low volume wands, rods, what-have-you, and none of them sound satisfying to me. Too ticky- tacky. My solution is to use sticks with a long taper (Bopworks Memphis R&B) and just play lighter.

If I ever have to be quieter than that, I’d rather use hand drums or maybe a cajon.
 
I use sticks less and like using brushes more. I still like to use sticks when I can tho. I'm rarely in a situation where I'm struggling get enough volume. Never quite liked flix from limited playing time with them

I have been playing in a restaurant and get shushed by the head waiter every time we play. Last gig we went with a mission to get told to play louder. This didn't happen but we didn't get shushed once. The focus on volume made us play well and it sounded better than ever
 
scottser said:
Is anyone else being made to hang up the sticks in favour of a lower volume alternative? Or would you guys prefer to use low volume heads and cymbals and keep using sticks instead?
Click to expand...
Ever since I picked up sticks I can remember The Complainers whining. I've tried 7A sticks, 7A with grip tape, brushes, rods, and brooms.

⬇️ This makes it too easy:

SPD-SX.jpg

BobC said:
the cranky old men
Click to expand...
One of my previous bands played at a performing arts center, in their mezzanine for a 2-hour "happy hour" event (I used my full 6-piece kit 😀). The venue provided a stage and PA system with a couple guys working sound and lights (they were great). After I did my sound check, I was stopped by a couple old guys. Now, I gotta tell ya, I'm an old guy, too. I thought they were gonna say, "Sounds great!" but instead they complained about the loudness. These dudes had the long hair, Birkenstocks (with socks!) and facial hair of old rock 'n rollers. I chastised them, saying "Remember our motto: If it's too loud, you're too old."

They stood at the rear of the mezzanine while other old peeps danced and partied the evening away.
 
Once you get your Neuralink you can bluetooth to your ekit and control it. Look Ma no hands. You won't really need a kit really-you just sit in the audience playing through the sound system with the band in front of you-just you'll be seeing their front for a change . Heck you can be whole band for that matter-like Steve Winwood. You just think it-who'd uh thunk it.

Well Elon got nuttin' on me-I did my own Neuralink (up here on my Moon base I) when I first got wind of his research- so way ahead of the curve in cyborgenics. I'm hoping it heals with no notice. I'm a pretty good microsurgeon but the big stitches not so much-so I stapled it. Matt Damon is a wimp in the Martian-he never did brain surgery. He may have grown taters-but no major surgery and on himself no less. What would he do a brain-tater transplant ROFL.


IMG_3323.jpegScreen Shot 2021-03-28 at 7.26.14 PM.png
 
Can't remember last time I used anything other than sticks... So I don't agree with your thread title here, sorry 😁. I've been told to try to keep the volume down when I played a pub gig with a party band though 10 years ago, but can't really see it happen now, rarely play those places anymore.
 
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Well we've already buried the beater-I guess we should expect the stick would go next. Like Good fellas start falling like dominoes. Some irony the sticks are getting the stick.
burybeater.png
 
scottser said:
Is anyone else being made to hang up the sticks in favour of a lower volume alternative? Or would you guys prefer to use low volume heads and cymbals and keep using sticks instead?
Click to expand...

I use Flix Tips or brushes for a majority of my work now, but not because I’m being made to. It’s a conscious decision based on the size, type and volume requirements of venues I most often play. Small restaurants, wine bars, country clubs, all with mostly older patrons - those types of venues make up at least 75% of the gigs I do.

I should mention that the music I’m playing lends itself quite nicely to using brushes or the Flix. Old soul, old country and older light pop rock stuff, including originals that sound a lot like the covers. I would hate to have to use Flix in a metal band or any other louder, more aggressive styles.

I have a couple of bricks of my preferred sticks that I’m guessing will last me the rest of my playing life, based on how infrequently I’m using them. I’ve gained a reputation as the “quiet” drummer in my local scene, and get gigs in places where drums aren’t usually allowed because of it. Fine by me - work is work!
 
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KenDoken said:
I use sticks less and like using brushes more. I still like to use sticks when I can tho. I'm rarely in a situation where I'm struggling get enough volume. Never quite liked flix from limited playing time with them

I have been playing in a restaurant and get shushed by the head waiter every time we play. Last gig we went with a mission to get told to play louder. This didn't happen but we didn't get shushed once. The focus on volume made us play well and it sounded better than ever
Click to expand...
I have also tried, and occasionally use, rods. I also use brushes, but I found that Vic Firth AJ5 sticks are so light that with a light touch I can play very low volume. I have even been asked to play louder in a very small legion that typically asks bands to turn it down.
 
scottser said:
Around 10 years ago I bought a bulk pack of sticks. ProMark 5bs and I noticed the other day I haven't actually used them in ages. Most of the time now I use Flix sticks as the volume levels are just too loud with sticks for both gigs and rehearsals. I use sticks on my TD9 at home and that's pretty much it. Much of this is driven by the other band members who are getting a bit old and cranky, and who prefer to keep the volume levels manageable, and also quite a few of the venues we play insist on keeping it down. I play rock and roll and blues covers. Yeh, I could spend more time on control and dynamics in order to use sticks but I guess I'm just used to the Flix at this stage.
Is anyone else being made to hang up the sticks in favour of a lower volume alternative? Or would you guys prefer to use low volume heads and cymbals and keep using sticks instead?
Click to expand...
No. And a lot of my gigs are getting quieter these days, which makes sense when you’re trying to keep everybody on the dance floor and drinking, so for a long time I’ve questioned the “all mighty obliteration” method of playing gigs. It’s funny though, when I’m in a venue big enough where everything’s mic’d up, I’m almost always playing as hard as I can 😂
 
I used to play at a church that had mics on the Mapex Saturn drums and Sabian AAX cymbals. Now I play in a very small church with Pearl Export drums and thin cymbals. I also use thinner sticks. Peace and goodwill.
 
cbphoto said:
Ever since I picked up sticks I can remember The Complainers whining. I've tried 7A sticks, 7A with grip tape, brushes, rods, and brooms.

⬇️ This makes it too easy:

View attachment 143846


One of my previous bands played at a performing arts center, in their mezzanine for a 2-hour "happy hour" event (I used my full 6-piece kit 😀). The venue provided a stage and PA system with a couple guys working sound and lights (they were great). After I did my sound check, I was stopped by a couple old guys. Now, I gotta tell ya, I'm an old guy, too. I thought they were gonna say, "Sounds great!" but instead they complained about the loudness. These dudes had the long hair, Birkenstocks (with socks!) and facial hair of old rock 'n rollers. I chastised them, saying "Remember our motto: If it's too loud, you're too old."

They stood at the rear of the mezzanine while other old peeps danced and partied the evening away.
Click to expand...
When we play happy hours we are background music. People not there to listen to our band.

I am one of those old dudes. There are many bands that are too loud for me because of my hearing loss. With hearing loss also often comes an aversion to loud noises. A snare that's too piercing. Shredding guitar. I can't play with bands like that anymore. So the reaction to loud will vary depending on the old peeps and what they can tolerate given all the loud music they were subjected to with no hearing protection back in the day.
 
through many years of orchestral/concert band playing, I have developed a pretty solid quiet touch on the drums, so I can still use sticks at pretty low volumes. My jazz group often plays retirement homes, and sometimes have to turn it down a bit. Or, I use a brush on the drums - left hand - and a stick on the cymbals if I need to
 
I'd like a quieter solution but it's not sticks for me. All those lighter alternatives eliminate much of the punch, attack and deepness from drums that makes me want to play in the first place.
I can't believe it's 2024 and there's still not a proper quieter drum head that reduces volume without totally neutering the drum.
 
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