Brushes - wide spread or narrowed down?

[paul]

Like the question says, how do you like your brushes? Do you leave them at the original amount of spread, or do you narrow it down, and why or why not?

I like non-retractable models, and also like to narrow the spread. I do that with black electrical tape, and am very anal about matching the width both brushes. I do it for some extra articulation. That's also why I like non-retractable brushes. I can narrow the spread without changing the length or balance of the implements. I also store them in a cut down portion of the tube they came in. They last a long time that way.

 

[mebeatee]

Narrowed down here...
bt

 

[pwc1141]

Wide open is more normal for me. When I want to play more aggressively or louder, I have nylon brushes that have a narrow spread.

 

[Medium Size Dog]

I use the black rubber o-rings from the hardware store. They're available in a bunch of sizes, you don't have to deal with the gooey tape residue and are instantly adjustable for different sounds. They last a long time but do eventually dry out and start cracking. Cheap and effective and once you start using them you'll come up with other things they are good for.

 

[thejohnlec]

As wide as they can go, 100% of the time. I get better sweeps and swishes for jazz, and louder textures and articulation for country and acoustic stuff.

 

[richardh253]

slightly marginal - I liked "...very anal about this..." reminds me of the T shirt "Is there a hyphen in anal-retentive?"

I like my brushes mid-way spread, BTW.

 

[drumgadget]

Narrowed down (a bit!) in my right hand ...... wide open on left.

I'm a righty .........


M.

 

[Tornado]

All the way wide open for me.

 

[m_anderson]

I keep them narrowed down, and I am always fidgeting with them while I am playing. Southpaw, and right hand is always just a bit wider than the left. I like it wider with the swirl.

 

[Skyrm]

Narrowed down (a bit!) in my right hand ...... wide open on left.

I'm a righty .........

That's how I do it too - I like the extra definition in the right hand.

 

[notINtheband]

Wide open for softer songs, narrowed for louder

 

[Rockin' Billy]

Sometimes I’ll narrow down a bit for either cymbal or snare hits depending on if I’d like more volume out of one or the other, otherwise wide fan.

 

[NobleCooleyNut]

I used to like them narrow when I first started playing brushes in my formative years (1960s) . In the last few years I am like some of the others . I keep the left hand wider for sweeping and the right hand narrower for tapping .

Florian Alexandru Zorn keeps his brushes very narrow . He is a genius with brushes and I have been watching a lot of his YouTube videos and purchased his book/DVD package - highly recommended by the way .

 

[JimmySticks]

Yup, right hand is retracted a bit, left is wide open.

I feel like the right hand can move faster and be more articulate with a partially open brush. It can get a little sloppy when I'm trying to move quickly when it's wide open.

 

[rpludwig]

+1, right narrowed, left wide, allows right to ride/accent the tubs & pies (right handed player), retractable for me, eze to adjust....

 

[mtarrani]

Left 80-90% wide, right about 50% wide.

 

[Matched Gripper]

Like the question says, how do you like your brushes? Do you leave them at the original amount of spread, or do you narrow it down, and why or why not?

I like non-retractable models, and also like to narrow the spread. I do that with black electrical tape, and am very anal about matching the width both brushes. I do it for some extra articulation. That's also why I like non-retractable brushes. I can narrow the spread without changing the length or balance of the implements. I also store them in a cut down portion of the tube they came in. They last a long time that way.
View attachment 523079

Depends on the sound you want. Lots of slow ballad sweeps, more open. More comping, flourishes, roughs and slaps, more narrow.

 

[squidart]

Love the cut down tube idea!! Doing it now.

I keep the left a little narrowed as I'm a sloppy sweeper and it helps me avoid messing up the wires.

 

[jeffintampa]

I kind of wonder why, with all the new innovations in the craft, beyond the nylon rake (wirh o-ring adjuster) has anyone come up with maybe, longer, heavier gauge wires, or bi-level, or multiple shag lengths? Seems like the wire brush hasn't kept up. Or, is it me?

 

[Beesting]

I kind of wonder why, with all the new innovations in the craft, beyond the nylon rake (wirh o-ring adjuster) has anyone come up with maybe, longer, heavier gauge wires, or bi-level, or multiple shag lengths? Seems like the wire brush hasn't kept up. Or, is it me?

Vic Firth makes brushes with heavy and light wires. The light wire brush is labeled 'Sweep'. The heavy brush is labeled 'Ride'. I like em.