Which One is Better, and Why?
So which stick is better, wood tip or nylon tip? I recently realized that I had never honestly asked myself this question. I used to be an avid, and devout wood tip user. I had simply never wandered into the nylon tip realm, and was fine with that. My Vater 5B Wood Tips have always worked for me, and given me a great sound, so I never considered that nylon tip could be any better. Of course, as with any other product, it comes down to personal preference. People are going to play what they are comfortable playing, but this is not to say that one can’t explore the benefits of both, and make them interchangeable.
I recently booked a session, and in the conversation I was having with the producer, he requested that I bring a few pairs of nylon tip sticks. when I asked why, he said he likes the way they record better than wood tips for certain things. I went out, and purchased a few pairs of Vater 5B Nylon tips, not thinking it would make a big difference in the sound or feel of the recording. I was shocked at the difference I noticed. The stick definition was outstanding, and consistency between strokes was very easily achievable. Below I have listed a few differences between the two stick types, and a few application recommendations I have come up with over the course of using both of them for various situations.
Wood Tip
Wood tips tend to be more delicate than nylon. They give you a much warmer, and more earthy tone making them great for jazz, singer songwriter stuff, or anything else you don’t need the punch of a loud backbeat and cutting ride for. They can definitely darken up your sound for anything you want to add a more dirty, gritty vibe to. Some complaints of wood tips is that they are much more fragile than nylon. It can be annoying when tiny pieces of the tip break off, completely deadening that part of the stick. This can definitely effect your sound, and create inconsistencies between strokes. This is not to say they aren’t great for loud, heavy playing, but you will go through them much faster than nylon. If you play wood tips, try exploring the different types of wood available out there. Most sticks are available in either Hickory, and Maple woods, but other woods such as Japanese Oak, and Rosewood are used as well. Each one of these woods has a different weight, and balance structure, and will give you an entirely different sound, so explore them and see what works for you.
Nylon Tip
Nylon tips, above all, are durable. They last extremely long, which makes them great for touring, especially if your not endorsed. The tips have been known to break off, but they will not gradually chip away like a wood tip. They give you a much brighter, more tinny sound making them great for any type of rock, pop, or metal drumming. Some complaints of nylons is that they leave marks on your cymbals, and even break cymbals faster than wood tips. Some also say that they dent, and wear out heads faster (I tend to believe that this is more a result of how you hit the drum) ultimately costing you more money. Also now in the nylon tip family is the entirely synthetic drumstick. Drum stick company Ahead, has released a synthetic drumstick with a plastic tip. They are geared toward metal drumming, but having never played them, I can’t comment on them.
Create Your Own “Poor Man’s Sizzle” For Just over a Nickel
Many styles of music can be greatly enhanced by the presence of a nice, smooth sizzle. The problem with incorporating a sizzle into your setup is having to drop the money on a new ride cymbal, and for those of us who are operating on a budget, this can be hard to swing. If you are not familiar with what a sizzle is, it’s simply a cymbal with rivets pressed loosely into pre-drilled holes in the cymbal. The rivets vibrate when you hit the cymbal creating a beautiful vibration (sizzle) that slowly tapers off, and has a long sustain. I have provided a picture of a Zildjian A Custom Sizzle Ride below so you can see what one looks like. Also, next to it you can see the rivets they use to create the sizzle effect.
As you can probably guess this is not a cheap investment, and even a used sizzle at a vintage shop, or bought from a private owner will still likely run you $100 or more. Well my friends, I have a solution that will cost you just over 5 cents.
Lets call this the “poor man’s sizzle,” and for this more than sufficient substitution, you will need nothing more than a nickel (yep, the actual US currency) and a piece of tape. I prefer medical tape, or some kind of tape that’s fibrous rather than plastic. It tends to stick to the cymbal better, and is more free moving to allow for maximum vibration of the nickel.
Now I’m gonna take you through the steps to create your very own “poor man’s sizzle.”
1) Tear off a thin piece of tape (I like to divide my tape roll in half, as pictured, to maximize the number of strips I can get out of one roll)
2) Attach your nickel to one end of the tape strip
3) Stick the other end of the tape to your ride, and your done!
The great thing about this sizzle solution, is that you can add or take away as many nickels as you want in order to intensify, or decrease the amount of sizzle (I have used up to 5 on mine before.) You can also move the nickels around the cymbal to get different amounts of vibrations, and sustain. Putting the coin closer to the outside edge will allow for maximum vibration/sustain, and closer to the bell will decrease vibration/sustain. Lastly, try getting creative and using different types of currency to create different sizzle tones. I sometimes use dimes, or even quarters for louder music. Heck, you can even throw some Canadian money on there, and see what you get.
Let me make it clear that I am aware that there are other sizzle substitutions out there. I own a ProMark Rattler that is basically just a beaded chain attached to a felt that dangles on top of your cymbal. I have found that these types of products are hard to control, and somewhat cumbersome. I have even gotten my stick tangled in the chain before and had to ditch my stick and grab a new one. I have included a picture just for reference.
So next time you are in need of a sizzle, just remember that you need look no further than your medicine cabinet, and your coin jar. To see this sizzle in action, check out yesterdays post (just below this one) where I play my “poor man’s sizzle” at Hotel Cafe with singer songwriter Kim DiVine. Have Fun!
Chain Drive vs Direct Drive
If you have played a few different models of pedals, you know that there can be a huge difference from one to the next. You can personalize the feel of your own pedal by adjusting the spring tension, rotating the cam, making the beater shorter or longer, and a few other variables depending on the make of the pedal. Aside from all of this there is one factor that you are stuck with, one way or another, when you buy a pedal, and that is whether it’s direct or chain driven. The decision to go direct or chain drive is one that needs to be thought through carefully before purchasing, as they are typically used in very different styles of music, and have very different feels.
I don’t of course mean to say that you can only play certain styles of music with one or the other, however the difference in feel usually makes both models more appropriate and applicable for certain genres. The difference lies primarily in the weight. Chain driven pedals (I feel) have more weight adjustment capability, and can be tweaked to feel very heavy, to moderately light. Direct drive pedals are very light, and extremely responsive. This makes them great for up tempo music such as Metal, Hardcore, and Punk. They are especially great for ultra fast double bass playing in conjunction with a bass drum trigger. These pedals are so responsive that you can move your feet as fast as you want without the seemingly weightless footboards ever leaving them. Obviously when using triggers you don’t need to worry about dynamics a whole lot, so the direct drives are a great way to minimize motion and impact, and increase speed as needed in this situation. Some of the most popular direct drive pedals out there are the Axis pedals, and trick pedals (as shown below.)
Trick Direct Drive Pedal
Axis Direct Drive Pedal
The most common complaint with these pedals is that they are too light, and so responsive that it becomes difficult to play with power and consistency. Unlike a chain driven pedal, they have no cam, and therefore it’s tough to generate the power and momentum that a cam provides, with the direct drive system. I have found this complaint to be true with certain types of direct drives (such as the ones shown above) but not others. Virtually every company has a direct drive model now, but I believe that Pearl has made some great advances with their Demon Drive series pedals. These pedals have greater spring adjustment than most direct drives allowing you to actually put some weight behind the pedal, which for most drummers helps generate more power. They are still responsive, but not to the point of being obnoxiously light. I would suggest checking these out to anyone purchasing direct drive pedals.
Pearl Demon Drive Pedal
Now on the other side of things is the chain driven models. These were the standard for a long time, and only recently have direct drives made a comeback. Advances are constantly being made on chain drive pedals, as they are still way more popular, and more widely used than their opposer. The main difference of course is the existence of a cam on which the chain rests and rotates, helping to create momentum in the stroke. The spring system, and most of the adjustments are pretty similar between direct and chain drives, but the cam allows for more freedom in these systems. The cam itself is adjustable, and can be rotated forward or backward depending on where you like the beater to rest in relation to the head. The spring system can also be tweaked more, and is able to create the feeling of weight or heaviness behind the pedal. I much prefer chain drives, because I feel I have much greater finesse and control over my playing with them. I also feel they provide a more powerful, and more consistent impact, and a greater freedom of motion. Some of the best chain drives are made by DW. I have found their 7000 and 9000 series’ to be fantastic (especially the 9000 as you can make them feel almost as light as a direct drive if wanted.) These are both pictured below along with some other great pedals including the Tama Iron Cobra, and the Pearl Eliminator.
DW 7000 Series Pedal
DW 9000 Series Pedal
Tama Iron Cobra Pedal
Pearl Eliminator Pedal
I hope this information about direct drive vs chain drive will help you make a more educated decision the next time you are in the market for a new pedal. Go try a few different types of pedals with each system, and determine what feels comfortable for you. After all, it is based on personal preference and comfortability. Thanks for reading!
