Looking for new drumsticks as a beginner

Hey all, this is my first post. I am a beginner who has been playing for 4 months and am looking for new sticks. I currently have a cheap pair from Ludwig that came with my kit (Ludwig Accent Combo). These sticks are very lightweight and have basically no rebound. My drum teacher only just told me not to use them and to possibly get a 5A pair. I think he uses Vic Firth sticks. I don't know which brand to get for myself though.

If you have any suggestions on sticks that I could purchase, that would be great. As you can probably tell from my post I have no idea what I'm talking about.

Welcome to DC and welcome to drumming.

Here in the US most music stores have demo sticks that are used to test cymbals and other gear for purchase consideration. You could play several pair if that is the case in your area.

I'd also encourage you to just buy a pair of 5A's from several different brands. Vator, Vic Firth and several other brands are available. Try them all out on your kit or drum pad or whatever you are using to practice on so you can judge each brand in "your environment" and then you can decide which you like best.

There's nothing short of experience to help you get what is best for you. Getting others' opinions is helpful but in the end, only you will know what suits your playing style and grip comfort.

Don't expect it to be an overnight decision, either. Take your time and enjoy the journey.

I play with very light sticks (Vic Firth Keith Carlock), but they have excellent rebound.
If you want a little more weight, I imagine music stores would let you try various pairs of sticks to find something that feels good. Everyone has their own preferences and there are literally hundreds of models out there, so don't worry if it takes a while to find one that you really like.

I was looking for sticks about a week ago. Went through about 10 different types, didn't like any of them.

You might look at brushes too.

It's really about personal preference but I suggest a nice thin stick for beginners so you can hold it comfortably and learn control.

I use the ProMark signature Mike Portnoy 420's a lot as they are a longer yet thin light stick.

Honestly though it depends on your hand size too.. you could have magilla gorilla hands and we wouldn't know... or you could be a tiny person with tiny hands?! Who knows?!

Best bet like mentioned above, go to the local music store and one by one try them out for your liking.

I tried many sticks (brands and types) and my favorites now are the Vic Firth SD4 Combo. I like everything about them : weight, balance, tip, etc. I play rock (soft and hard), jazz and latin music with them.

Welcome Kristy, didn't read all the replies but your local music shop should have a wall of sticks to try out. There's usually a practice pad there to really get a feel how they perform.

I'm not completely sure what I'm using but pretty sure it's around a 5B. They don't have a number on them but they feel great. Power Pro sticks that I get from flea bay :icon_wink:

You will generally find the sticks (and cymbals) thrown in with most budget kits are just the cheapest available and bundled in just so you have SOMETHING to use from the start.

Like others have said, just go to your local music store, look through their stock and pick a pair that feel right to you. You can guarantee that they will be better made and balanced than the ones bundled in with your kit. There are so many different models available the choice is bewildering - you are probably best concentrating on which sticks that feel comfortable in your hands and experiment with different sizes, weights, materials at a later date when you have a better idea of your personal preferences and requirements.

I use promark 7a woodtip. The 7a are just a tad thinner than the 5a's. I like promark because they are very durable with rimshots. Other sticks that I've tried snap down the middle after a few weeks. When I first started playing, I bought all kinds of sticks until I found my pair. So experiment with your sticks until you find your pair.

your hand size and preferred weight will determine your ideal stick size

5A is a good starting point

diameter should be matched to your finger length and palm size this will stop blisters .weight is used in proportioned to your own muscle strength and your own ability to balance dynamics .

Welcome KD to the forum. I agree 5A's are a good starting point. I have used that size since I started drumming many many years ago and still using them today. I have tried just about every make of sticks and found Los Cabos the most durable, lightweight and comfortable sticks in nylon or wood tips in either hickory or maple. Good luck and have fun figuring out what is best for you.

5As is defo a good start, if those seem a bit too thick or heavy, try 5Bs.

Some have suggested 7As, I personally think this is not the best idea. Firstly, at this stage it's a good idea at this point to develop your drumming muscles, so heavier sticks will obviously do this faster than lighter ones. Secondly, I started on 7As, they flew out of my hands all of the time!

Ultimately, I think it comes down firstly to the type of music you want to play, and then which stick feels the most comfortable for you while playing. So if you want to play blues or jazz, go for 5Bs, rock or harder, 5As (eventually probably move up to 2s, but I wouldn't worry about that now.

Side advice: METRONOME!!!!

I use the regular Vic Firth 5A stick and I like them a lot.
But if you want some heavier and thicker sticks , you should try the Innovative Percussion IP-JC sticks. They are a little bit longer and solid sticks, but not too heavy.
http://www.innovativepercussion.com/products/ip_jc

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Originally Posted by kristydani

Hey all, this is my first post. I am a beginner who has been playing for 4 months and am looking for new sticks. I currently have a cheap pair from Ludwig that came with my kit (Ludwig Accent Combo). These sticks are very lightweight and have basically no rebound. My drum teacher only just told me not to use them and to possibly get a 5A pair. I think he uses Vic Firth sticks. I don't know which brand to get for myself though.

If you have any suggestions on sticks that I could purchase, that would be great. As you can probably tell from my post I have no idea what I'm talking about.

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I bought a bundle of cheap sticks once -- 3 pairs for £10 (not a clue what $Aus)
They lasted 20 minutes -- not each pair but all of them.
Far too soft, no strength in them.
I use 5A and 7A Vics -- work well for me.
Just go to the shop - pick up some sticks and see how they feel in the hand.
Try some different ones to compare.

The shop people ought to be very understanding as they know how important the right sticks are.

(I used to break sticks all the time - until I started doing tiny adjustments to the drum and cymbal positioning (but it doesn't help that I love the chime you get from the edge of a cymbal) )

Rebound is relative to:
1. head tightness
2. stick weight
3. hand control

It's not all the drumstick.

I'll agree with the majority - 5A is a good choice for beginner. It's a good balance of thickness and weight, and they are an excellent size to really focus your fundamentals with.

I've been playing 20 years and I swear by 5As for most of my work, which varies from jazz to extreme metal. I prefer Promarks, because they survive rimshots for months, and I rimshot all the time. I like the TX5AWs, which are the 5A size made out of American hickory. PW5AW = Japanese oak

Try them out when you get the opportunity. I think 5As would make a great starting point for you, as they seem to be the most fitting for most players of various sizes.