Drumsticks: not just for chickens anymore

My lesson is tonight. Got drumsticks from a friend, got a notebook from work, got the address of the drum teacher. I have no idea what to expect.



Drumsticks.org has some tips [bolding and brackets = mine]:



Drumstick Tips and Facts

1. Many drummers wear out their drum sticks in the middle of the shaft by playing rimshots all night long. They splinter and eventually wear completely through.

2. Some drummers adopt the name "Sticks" or "Stix" and insist everyone call them that instead of their real name. Hey, I guess we all want to be somebody. [This will not be me. Swear.]

3. Drumstick spinning has really gained popularity through the past several years. There are drumstick spinning books, dvd's, and even many more drumstick spinning.

4. Have you heard about pitch-matching your drum sticks? Many drummers swear by making sure their sticks audibly match each other in pitch.

5. Using metal drumsticks to practice with is still a controversial subject. Many educators believe in this practice while some are convinced that it is harmful to your wrists. [Heh. It's all in the wrist.]

6. Some drummers sand their drum sticks to remove the varnish. They like the feel of so-called naked drumsticks a lot better. Usually it's those drummers that sweat a lot. [That would be me.]

7. Most drummers in this day and time agree that you should roll drumsticks on a flat surface to check for straightness before buying them. [Does this influence the sound? I guess I would assume so, in the way that you want to make sure things are straight when making a guitar or whatever, but...these are the things I don't think about. I have enough time trying to figure out of a taped-up poster is straight. I am a flail.]

8. Some of the more common reasons drummers break drumsticks are; playing too hard, hitting at the wrong angles, and using the wrong drumsticks for their particular style. [This is interesting and something worth pursuing. So bongo drums - no sticks, but what other styles are there?]

9. If your drum sticks are slippery or you're getting blisters from playing hard, consider using drumstick grip tape or other applications such as drumstick wax or Stick Stuff.

10. Remember that buying cheap drumsticks will save you money, but they usually aren't weighted properly nor do they last very long. Stick with the name brands to be safe.

11. Some drummers need more instruction on how to hold drumsticks. You can't be too far back on the sticks, nor should you be too far forward. Find the balancing point. [This reminds me of something and I can't figure out what. Skis?]

12. Light up your drum performance with illuminating or glow drumsticks. Choose between painted glow drumsticks or lighted sticks like the brand new Vic Firth lite stix drumsticks. [Rave-tacular!]


More from drumsticks.com:



"The drumstick is made up of 4 basic parts. The bottom is called the BUTT of the drumstick, the long middle part is called the SHAFT, the taper is called the SHOULDER, and the bead is called the TIP...


Although different types of objects to beat drums have been around for centuries, drumsticks as we know them today have only been around for five or six decades. Most drumsticks are made out of wood. Maple, hickory, and oak are the most popular wood types."



[Heh heh. Wood.]



But until the last day or so, when I was instructed via email to bring a set of drumsticks 5a or 5b with me, I didn't know what that meant. I didn't think drumsticks would be sized. I guess it never occurred to me. Is it the same with guitar picks? I guess anything, really, would have its good products and less-great products.



http://www.rockband.com has forums in which this question is answered:

"Number:The numerical portion signifies the circumference of the stick. In general, the lower the number the larger circumference, and the greater the number the smaller the circumference. For example, the 7A is smaller in circumference than a 5A which in turn is narrower than the 2B. The exception is the 3S, which is larger in circumference than a 2B despite its number.

"Letter:The letter suffix: "S," "B," and "A" originally indicated the recommended application.
"S" model sticks were designed for Street applications such as drum corps and marching band, and are typically the largest diameter sticks.

"B" model sticks were intended for Band applications such as brass bands and symphonic concert bands. Smaller in circumference than the "S" models, they were easier to control and thus especially popular with beginning drummers. To this day the 2B is recommended by teachers practically everywhere as ideal starter sticks. [Um...I was told 5a or 5b to bring, so what's that mean, yo?]"

"A" stands for Orchestra. "A" model sticks were designed for big band or dance type orchestras. They're smaller in circumference than "B" series sticks and lend themselves well for softer type playing. "

[I feel like I am going to be the kind of person who plays drums like "Animal" from the muppets.]

This kind of reminds me of bra sizes. But not really.

Then, for our 3rd randomly-found-URL-of-the-day to get me thinking, I went to drumtips.com, which says in its tip sheet:

"Drum Teachers: Use flash cards as part of your drum lessons to help your students learn note values, dynamic markings, etc. You can make them yourself on 3 X 5 index cards."

And I got scared! Note values? Dynamic markings? This is a complete different language, like Hebrew, I and I am scared of it.

I kinda really thought that playing drums meant that you just kind of hauled away at them. I hadn't realized there was nuance to it. There will have to be a beat. You will have to have rhythm (that, by the way, is a word I can never seem to spell right, never have). I don't have rhythm, I'm a white girl! I took dance sessions at overnight camp when I was 9. I loved it. I thought I was fabulous.

The report back said "tried hard."

And: I'm having visions of piano lessons from about 5-8. I sucked. I really did. While piano playing certainly helped me learn my right from my left, that's about all I could do. My ivories were not tickled. They were more like stressed.

When I was like 21 or 22, and still in college contemplating what was next (I was always contemplating what was next), an alternate reality had involved me moving to LA and learning to play the drums. I wonder how I would have turned out if that had happened.

Sometimes I feel like I made the safe choices too often.

I will not psych myself out. Trying something is good. It is what this is all about. The blog is not called 12 learns. It's called 12 tries. I am merely trying to play the drums. I highly doubt I can afford drum lessons, a kit, or anything else beyond introductory stuff. So it's a try. Being positive, being open.

Bye for now.