What drumsticks should my child use?

The first thing that I learnt about drummers, is that they don’t just play a single instrument, but rather that there is an endless array of things to hit. And just artists as use many different brushes, pencils, and tools to create their final artworks, drummers need to learn how to use various types of sticks to achieve a desired effect. Note: many young drummers will also be interested in the broader world of percussion, and this is a whole new exciting world to explore - full of culture, language, and dance. For the purposes of this article though, I will focus mostly on drum sticks that are used with a traditional drum kit, or electronic kits and try to give my recommendations based on experience.

When it comes to choosing a pair of drumsticks for your child (or yourself), there are a lot of factors that can influence the decision. Your child’s teacher should know ultimately what is best, so best to start there, but as someone who is also learning a lot about this for my son (we spend a LOT of money on sticks), I thought this article might be helpful for other parents and new drummers. To save you reading though, my son (now 11) uses hickory 5As, that have a special (yellow) coating, and a tear-drop wooden tip? Sound complicated? Yup, it can be.

How Drumsticks are Made

It is impossible to talk about drumsticks, without first learning more about how they are made, and what they are made of. Don’t worry though, my son and I have done all the research for you, and we have a box of sticks to prove it.

Wood Species

Just like drum shells, there are various species of wood that drum sticks can be made from. This impacts a number of variables including the weight, bounciness (rebound) , and most significantly the durability. Oak and hickory drum sticks are considered the most durable, and will last much longer than other types. They are however, heavier and prone to splintering at the tips - which can quickly render sticks useless when used inappropriately. Maple sticks, however, tend to be lighter and less durable. For younger drummers who are less likely to pound the kit as hard as an adult, maple sticks are not a bad option, but to be honest, if hickory are cheaper - go with that.

Taper, shape, and tips

For more advanced drummers, or kids who have been playing for a few years, the shape (or taper) of drum sticks becomes increasingly important. It is largely dependent on the genre of music your child plays, but in general a thicker taper is best for loud, intense beats - hard rock; while a more narrow taper is better for lighter sounds and nuanced playing - jazz and funk etc. For younger children, under the age of 10, go with a narrow taper - they are lighter and give you more control.

There is also a big difference in the sound produced from different shaped tips. Oval tips are more common, and are said to give a well-balanced sound. Acorn shaped tips are said to provide a rich sound, and barrel tips are all about the highest possible volume. You can also get drum sticks with a teardrop tip and a round tip. My son uses a stick with a teardrop tip, this is said to give better definition when hitting different parts of cymbals, and while I cannot personally hear the difference, my son can - and that is the most important thing.

So What is with Nylon Tips?

In short, it is personal preference. Nylon will give you a more consistent sound, while wooden sticks rebound better from a snare drum - which makes it easier to play fast rolls, and rudiments. Also due to the grain of the wood, I am told that wooden tips give you a slightly different sound depending on the rotation of the stick. The sound of wooden sticks can also degrade as the tips get damaged or worn.

That isn’t really something you need to be worried about for a beginner. If you're playing rock or jazz music with a lot of cymbal work, it is easier to get a consistent sound with nylon tips. Nylon tips also last a lot longer, and if you have a child like mine - who throws away sticks at the first sign of a cracked tip, it will end up a LOT cheaper with nylon tips.

Don’t buy cheap nylon tipped sticks. This is a false economy, and cheap ends are prone to flying off. Also don’t be tempted to re-glue these ends back on, as some forums suggest. You are asking for trouble, and more specifically a pointy plastic thing in your child’s eye. Just don’t do it.

Nylon tips are also easier to see, which sounds trivial, but with young kids and fast moving bits of wood, this can mean the difference between a near miss, and a poke in the eye. Speaking from experience, nylon tips are definitely my choice with younger learners. Now, however, my son prefers the raw wood “bounciness”, this as described above, is because he is focused on mastering rudiments, and snare work/fills.

Size

Drum stick sizes are described by a number, and a letter, with the number part indicating the circumference of the stick. It may seem counter intuitive, but for the most part, a lower number indicates a higher circumference, so the 7A is smaller than the 5A. My son plays 5As.

The letters help to identify the application of the sticks; the most common letters are “A” (orchestra), “B” (band), and “S” (street).

5A

The 5A is the most common type of drum stick, and are more appropriate for older children (say 10 years old and above). While they’re commonly used to play rock, you can use them for just about any type of drumming. The 5A is a middle-of -the-road drum stick, and a general-purpose tool for most. They can, however, be a little heavy for younger drummers which is where the 7A comes in.

7A

7A sticks are slightly smaller and thinner. Because of this they are quite a bit lighter than 5As, which makes them ideal for younger drummers. 7As are also commonly used by jazz musicians.

2B and 5B

If you are in a music store, you will also come across 2B and 5B sticks. These are much heavier than the other two types, and as a result, they are probably not appropriate for younger learners - unless your child is tall/strong for their age. Even then, as a young drummer, you want them to focus on technique and accuracy - which is better achieved through a 5A stick.

Types of Drumsticks

Ok so, that is the basics, and probably enough information to make an informed decisions for your child. But for those of you who want to go a bit deeper, here is a deep dive into various stick types, including childrens’ sticks (and why they suck).

Cheap Drumsticks

When your child is just starting out, and especially if you are not a drummer yourself (or even a musician) you will likely be overwhelmed by all the new gear. Now, we did not get my son a drum kit for nearly a year, and to be honest it isn’t required. Too often I hear of parents who immediately go out and buy an expensive kit for their beginning child, only to have them give up after 6 months. Instead of buying a kit right away, I recommend investing in a good pair of sticks, and a quality practice pad. You can even live without the pad (we did), and instead let them practice on their lap… which is what we did. I won’t lie. Good sticks are not cheap. Here in Australia, we can pay upwards of $28 for a pair of my son’s sticks. You don’t need to pay that much though, and you should be able to get a decent pair of 7As for around $20. Please don’t be tempted to use the sticks that come in cheap packs. They are often poorly balanced, too short etc, and can cause your child to develop bad habits. This, especially if they start young, can be hard to break later on.

Beginner Drumsticks

Beyond an affordable pair of drum sticks, many new drummers (or in our case parents of drummers) want to know if there are specific beginner drum sticks. Again, here’s where the letters and numbers come in. Many drum experts recommend 7As for beginners, especially kids, who are only just learning how to correctly hold their sticks. The importance of this cannot be understated, as it will impact technique and control, and this will in turn have a profound effect on a young learner as they progress.

After about the age of 10, some will prefer a slightly heavier feel stick, and many will move to 5A sticks. It is basically the standard size for most drummers. My son has only just done this in the last 12 months, though, so if your child is just starting, you have a few years, and they will figure this out on their own.

Kids Drumsticks

Based on the advice of our son’s teacher, we stayed away from Kids sticks. Why? Well they tend to be poorly balanced, and from an efficiency + ergonomic standpoint, can have a negative impact on a childs’ developing technique. It is also better to get children used to the length of a real stick early, as kids are super fast to adapt and develop their hand-eye coordination.

Electronic Drum Kit speciality sticks.

Wooden sticks allow for a ton of shock to pass to your hands and forearms. This is by design, and works great on an acoustic kit where you really need to work for speed and bounce. However, if your child is planning to play on an extra bouncy electronic drum kit, this can cause injury over time. Anti vibration sticks are designed to reduce the amount of vibration passed from the stick to the hands, and in turn minimise the shock to a player’s forearms. The last thing you want is for your child to develop a repetitive strain injury, as these are lifelong and can seriously impact their playing - especially as they get older. It is therefore worth having a discussion with your drum teacher, and/or a quality music store about anti-vibe drumsticks if you have any concerns.

So if you have read this far, you probably know what you need to buy. The best person to speak with should be your child’s teacher. A good drum teacher should be knowledgeable, and if they are not… probably best to find a new one.