PurchasingSticksandMallets KeithLienertPurchasingtherightsticksandmalletscanmakearealdifferenceinthesoundthatoneproduces.BelowisalistoftypicalimplementsthatIrecommendatvariousstagesofdevelopment:

Drumsticks KeyboardMalletsOtherSticksor

Mallets

OtherEquipmentandthingstoconsider

ElementarySchool

ConcertSnareDrumSticks

DrumsetSticks

1pairMedHardCord

(Marimba/Vibes)

1pair–Med.Hardplastic

(Xylophone/Bells)

1pairofGeneralTimpanisticks

MetronomeStickBag(ora

stickbagpackage)DrumPad

Belland/orSnareDrumkit

MiddleSchool

2ndpairofDrumsetsticks(ensembleuse)

MarchingSnareDrumSticks

1setofHardyarn(Marimba)

1setofMed.Hard

Cord(Vibraphone)

Brushes(Drumset)

Drumset(Atypical5piecewithRidecymbal,crashcymbal,high-hats,andathrone)

HighSchool ConcertSnareDrumSticks

1SetofMed.SoftYarnMarimba

1pairofMed.HardRubber(marimba)

1pairMed.Hard

Plastic(Xylophone/Bells)

1SetMed.Soft

Cord(Vibraphone)

1pairofStaccatoTimpani

1pairUltra-

StaccatoTimpani

BlacktowelLargerStickBagTambourine

Trianglew/clipTriangleBeatersTuningfork

RecordingdeviceMP3player

*Larger

instrumentsasneededorareapplicable

EarlyCollegeAdditionalsticksasneededfor

study/ensembles

1pairofmetalmallets(Bells)

1pairofmulti-sticks

MusicmajorsshouldhavetheirownTriangle(w/beaters)andtambourine

PurchasingSticksandMallets KeithLienertDrumsticksConcertSnareStickshaveasomewhatdistinctbead(roundballatthetipofthestick)andarethickerindiameterthandrumsetsticks.IrecommendtheIP-LD(InnovativePercussionLaloDavilaModel)ortheIP-KW(InnovativeKennanWylieModel)forbeginners.VicFirthalsomakesanicegeneralstick,theSD-1General.DrumsetStickshaveavarietyofstylesdependingonthemusicalsituation.ForclarityoncymbalsIpreferusingastickwitheitherabarrelheadshapeoranacornshapetothebead(pendingonthestyleofmusicI’mplaying).IsuggesteithertheIP-L9AortheIP-ES1(EdSophSignature).MarchingSnareDrumSticksarenormallyprovidedbyaschool’sdrumline,butitisworthowningapairtobecomefamiliartothechangeinweightanddiameter.IsuggesttheFS-PRfromInnovativePercussion(PaulRennickModel).

PurchasingSticksandMallets(continued) KeithLienert

KeyboardMalletsDifferentmalletsshouldbeusefordifferentkeyboards.Usinganincorrectmalletmightnotonlysoundbad,buthasthepotentialtodamagetheinstrument.Malletsusuallycomewitheitherrattanorbirchhandlesaswellasavarietyofmalletheads(i.e.yarn,cord,unwrapped,etc.).Malletsareusuallysoldinpairs;however,inordertoplay4-malletmaterial,youwillneedtwopairstoforma‘set’.ForMedium-SoftPlasticMalletsforBellsandXylophone,IrecommendtheIPF12.ForaMedium-HardCordMallet(formarimba,xylophone,orvibraphone),IsuggesttheIP-F3.5.Forfour-malletplaying,IrecommendasetofMedium-HardYarnMalletsliketheIP-240.ForsomeMedium-SoftMallets,gowiththeIP-100.ForVibraphonemallets,IrecommendtheDanMooreseriesIP-DM26.Abrightersoundonthebellsandxylophonemaybeneeded;theIP905JamesRossseriesisagoodmallettohave.Lastly,Medium-HardRubbermalletsmaybeusefulformore‘attack’onmarimba(aswellasotherinstruments).IrecommendtheIP-ENS25MediumHardSeries.

PurchasingSticksandMallets(continued) KeithLienert

TimpaniMalletsApairofGeneraltimpanimalletswillworkformostplayingsituationsthroughouthighschool.However,asstudentsentercollege,IrecommendexpandingtheinventorytoincludeapairofStaccatoTimpanimalletsandapairofUltra-StaccatoTimpanimallets.IrecommendtheIP-CT3forGeneral,IP-CT5forstaccato,andtheIP-CT6forUltra-Staccato.Brushesareaverycommonimplementusedfordrumsetinjazzandsomeconcertsettings.Ihighlyrecommendthesteelwirebrushes(overtheplasticvariety),inparticulartheIP-WBR1modelworksverywell.OtherEquipmentandPurchasestoConsider:PracticePad–thisisaveryimportanttoolthatallowsstudentstoplayforalongperiodoftimewithouttaxingtheirears(orthepeoplearoundthem!).Ihighlyrecommendgettingagumrubberpadthatislargeenoughtofitonasnaredrum(about10-12”).Trytoavoidthe6”pads,astheytendtoslipwhileplaying.InnovativePercussionmakesagoodpracticepadaswellasEvansHQRealFeelpads.StickBag–Alsoaveryimportantcomponentinapercussionists’arsenal!Thisisgreatforkeepingallofthemalletsandsticksinoneplaceandhopefullyfrombeingdamaged(muchbetterthanabackpack).Irecommendasmallerstickbagatfirst;however,ifastudentisacquiringalotofmallets,alargerbagmaybeneeded.Forsmallerbags,IrecommendtheIP-SB-3;andforlargerbags,theMB-1.

PurchasingSticksandMallets(continued) KeithLienert

Metronomes–thisisprobablythemostimportantlearningtoolforanymusician!Thereareawidevarietyofstylesandpricesofmetronomesavailable(anythingfrom$5to$150!).FeaturesthatIrecommendtolookforincludeaheadphonejack,metersettings,subdivisioncontrolsandeasy-to-usetempocontrols.BOSSDr.Beatmetronomesarefantastic;however,theyareabitpricey.OnethingtoconsideristhevariouscellphoneapplicationsthatareavailableforAndroidandiOS–IpersonallylikeTempoAdvance.OtherItems:RecordingDevice–Zoommakesafairamountofrecordingdevicesthatareusedbyprofessionals.TheZOOMH2Nisaveryniceaudiorecorder,whiletheZOOMQ2Nisafantasticvideorecorder.RecommendedVendors:SteveWeissMusichttp://www.steveweissmusic.com/PercussionSourcehttp://www.percussionsource.com/LonestarPercussionhttp://www.lonestarpercussion.com/Sweetwater(forPro-Audio)https://www.sweetwater.com/Bestofluckonyourpurchases,pleasefeelfreetocontactmeifyouhaveanyquestions.KeithLienerthttp://www.keithlienert.com/

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