ever use two different sticks?

[Tmcfour]

I had a gig a couple weeks ago and while rehearsing for it I changed sticks, from Vater Rock to the Vater 1a. The 1 a is the same length but not as thick and therefore I wasn't fatigued as quickly. Anyway, the gig comes up and in my set up haste I put whatever sticks I had in my case on the bass drums as spares. I started with a matched set of 1a's but at some point I broke my right stick and grabbed what ever I could just to stay on beat. It was a Rock. I really liked it. I enjoyed that my ride hand wasn't fatigued from the heavier stick and the faster playing and that the Rock really helped with the power of snare hits. Fills were a little awkward at first but I got used to it by the end of the song.

Anybody do this mismatch on purpose and what was your experience?

 

[bongomania]

I saw Bob Moses play using a variety of branches and twigs of all sizes, with and without bark and leaves. He sounded great!

 

[Stretsch]

I played with a wooden spoon and a spachula once.

 

[lossforgain]

Nope.

 

[gwbasley]

Not much different from playing with one stick turned around.

 

[AaronLatos]

Not much different from playing with one stick turned around.

This.

I studied with Moses for a while, on top of making his own sticks, he makes specific right and left hand sticks... the left have basically no taper or tip, if I remember correctly, to get a fat sound out of drums, while the right have a pretty significant taper and get a breathier, airier cymbal sound. He commented that as far as "regular" production sticks go, he thinks the Vic Firth AJ6s, with the left flipped, work really well for that type of approach (but still prefers to make his own).

I also know a great jazz cat in Louisville, KY who buys specifically different models for right and left hands. Last time I saw him, I think he was playing Travis Barker sigs in one hand and DeJohnettes in the other, I think?

That's his go to. I do it occasionally, too... mostly a lighter stick in right, heavier in left for same reasons as Moses. I do play with my left stick flipped about 75% of the time regardless.

 

[Sneauman]

I have tried many things.


For the right hand only, like you said, a thinner stick. (Greater speed, less fatigue)

For the right hand only, a nylon tip.

ProMark Rock Knockers which are butt ends on both ends.

ProMark DC-10's...which are tree trunks. (I used to break a lot of sticks back in the day)


I have pretty much stuck with 5A, 707 & 747's over the years.

 

[bolweevil]

If I have to use two different sticks, I tend to use the bigger/heavier one in my right hand.

 

[Jorn]

For 'regular' playing I would find that uncomfortable. I play my regular gig with rods. However if there is a song that requires cross stick on the snare I change that hand to a stick.

 

[atomicmorganic]

One of my best nights ever came when because of breakage, I had to use two terribly mismatched sticks. I don't know exactly what happened, but when we ended the last set, the crowd went absolutely nuts and started rioting. We hid in the green room upstairs until the club closed and things quieted down. I have never before or since seen that kind of crowd reaction. I wonder why I didn't just keep using that stick combo forever.

 

[Thumper]

Only when I drop one and make a quick grab to the stand-bys.

 

[singleordoubleheads]

Not much different from playing with one stick turned around.

Believe it or not, whenever I play matched-grip, I HAVE to have the left stick upside-down, ala Don Henley/Levon Helm. Just a habit I got into to fatten up backbeats. Now matched feels wrong to me if my left stick is "normal" tip-down. However, when playing traditional, I usually hold the left stick in the usual way, tip down. Although, on occasion, I will sometimes hold the left stick upside down while playing traditional, but not too often. Also, if I get a pair of slightly mis-matched sticks, the heavier one MUST go in my left hand.

 

[bolweevil]

One of my best nights ever came when because of breakage, I had to use two terribly mismatched sticks. I don't know exactly what happened, but when we ended the last set, the crowd went absolutely nuts and started rioting. We hid in the green room upstairs until the club closed and things quieted down. I have never before or since seen that kind of crowd reaction. I wonder why I didn't just keep using that stick combo forever.

Maybe to avoid inciting future riots?

 

[tommykat1]

Yes. I often do a cross stick with a 5A, and use a Blastix on the ride and hi hat.

 

[JDA]

when I was about 19 yes.
remember it

 

[doctor dirt]

For many years I used a 16" in my left hand and a 16 1/4" in my right. Various thicknesses but mostly a "jazz" thickness.
Don't remember the particulars as to brand or model but it felt right so thats what I used.
Doc.

 

[Tmcfour]

Thanks fellas all very cool information. I knew I couldn't be the only guy who thought it felt "right".

 

[Tomb]

interesting. I haven't, but might try it. Seems to make sense

 

[CSR]

Nope.

 

[Skyrm]

Yesterday in church, I did it on purpose. A nylon-tip Bermuda Schwartz VF stick in the right hand, and and a very old Dean Marley 9R stick in the left - the heavy stick made for a great cross-stick, and the nylon tip worked well on the ride and hats.