So I mentioned in the previous post that I’m in the midst of a short tour with Elizabeth Hunnicutt right now. Most of the gigs that we’re doing are in small venues, where the natural drum volume is too loud. Dowel sticks (I use the brand ProMark “Hot Rods”) make this problem easy to get around. But… rods have quite a different timbre and sound from normal sticks – they aren’t just a softer volume. Here’s a few things that I’ve learned when using rods:
1) Buzz rolls, although possible with rods, don’t sound very good.
2) Toms also sound bad, but using rimshots on the toms can make them sound more like normal.
3) Non-rimshot snare hits have a unique tone to them, but they are not just a little quieter than sticks, they are A LOT quieter. If you’re going to use that sound, you have to back way off the cymbals to get a correct blend.
4) Along with the point just mentioned, be careful to note that “crash” hits (cymbals hits with the “edge” of the stick and not the tip) are really the same volume with rods as they are with sticks. So, be extra careful to back off on the velocity of those hits so as to gain a good drum/cymbal blend.
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October 20, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Bill R
I switched up to the Lightning Rods because they seem to last a bit longer. I typically use them for “train beat” type stuff. I just can’t get a strong enough backbeat with regular brushes. The rods feel better to me. But man, they’re expensive.
A friend of mine told me to try out the Tala Wand that Vic Firth and Steve Smith just came up with. Looks kinda cool.
http://www.vicfirth.com/products/brushes.html
Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
BTW, Steve, if you want a quieter sound while playing sticks, you need to stop using those tree trunks you have. Save them for drum corps. Try a 5A or smaller… J/K.
October 21, 2008 at 5:00 am
stevegoold
You are right that the Lightnings last longer… but I don’t think they sound as good, or feel as good. With regard to that, a little while ago I stumbled across another great use for my beloved roll of hockey tape. Wrap a strip of that stuff two times around the rods, one strip above the red stripe and one strip beneath it. My rods last longer than sticks now… that is… as long as I’m playing with a standard “rods” intensity…