Drumsticks are an essential part of any drum kit. And for electronic drums, you cannot use just any drumstick.
Well, now that you have bought a new e-drum set, perhaps for practicing in your apartment, you need to understand how best to use it. Most important, you should learn how to keep your set safe.
Electronic drum pads can be very expensive. Hence, you don’t want anything to happen to them because of your own mistake.
So, what are drumsticks should you use? They don’t usually come as part of the kit.
There is not much difference between drumsticks for e-drums and the regular ones for acoustic drums. But still, you should know that some e-drum pads are much lighter.
Some drum sticks will tear right through them before you start playing, which is never a good feeling after spending all that money to buy.
This article will review some of the best drumsticks for electronic drums. I will also show you how to choose the right one.
What drumsticks are best for electronic drums?
There are two most important things to consider when choosing sticks for your e-drum pads.
- How you feel when using those particular drumsticks. In this case, it comes to personal preference and how your sticks make you feel.
- Choosing the drumsticks that will not damage your drum setup. Investing in a nice drum setup goes with taking good care of the same.
As stated above, there is not much difference between regular drum sticks and those for electronic use once you have considered the two factors above and that drum pads seem more vulnerable to breakages than drum heads, you can make a decision that gives you exactly what you want.
Apart from this, here are some other factors for choosing the best drumsticks for electronic drums.
Understand Playing electronic drum kits
Electronic drums are much smaller in size and may feel a lot different from regular ones. If you are going to use them, it’s crucial to know what makes the differences.
E-drum kits have come a long way. There is a lot of information about them out there, and it all comes down to getting the best sounds.
You must know that they are very different from acoustic, even though they have greatly improved. Playing drums made from rubber or mesh will never feel like using real heads.
And this is one of the factors many buyers consider when looking for good drumsticks. Electronic drums are usually great for quiet drumming.
Drumstick sizes
Drum sticks come in many different sizes. Sometimes it gets confusing to understand all those letters and terms, especially if you are a beginner, which is understandable.
2B drumsticks are the heaviest compared to other sizes. They can be a good option for adult players working on heavy music like rock, metal, and worship. These sticks do a lot in terms of getting the volume from drum cymbals. But they are not the best idea for electronic drumming. It is very easy to puncher by hitting it too hard.
5B drumsticks come as fewer heavy sticks than 2A. They are among the most common sticks for adult drummers all over the world. A good choice like Anti-Vibe 5B from Zildjian is great for electronic drum kits. They reduce the vibrations, which can be harmful to the player and their drum if they are working for a long lone.
Apart from 5B, you can use 5A drumsticks, which are relatively lighter. It’s a size that you will find most common with both acoustic and electronic kits drummers.
They are light and yet versatile enough to work with a wide range of drumming styles.
The lightest drumsticks on the market are 7A. This size is most common with jazz drummers and beginners. Due to their lightweight, they are well suited for electronic drumming. They will not damage your set, no matter how hard it hit them. Also, this is a good size for younger drummers who may not have much endurance.
Tips
You either get nylon tips or wooden tips with most drumsticks. Wooden sticks are the most common, made from hickory, oak, and maple.
Nylon-tipped drumsticks are more durable. They give a relatively different sound to wooden tips on acoustic drums.
Playing on an electronic drum does not make any difference. This is because the sound is triggered internally. Most e-drum sets can even be played with bare hands.
Brand
Once you know the drum stick you want, the brand is another consideration you should put in mind. There are so many drumstick makers on the market today that it can get a bit confusing.
Top manufacturers include Promark, Vic Firth, Vater, Zildjian, and Ahead. You can always rely on these brands.
Best drumsticks for electronic drums in 2020
Knowing how to choose the right drumstick for your electronic drum set is key to choosing the perfect solution. With so many options to choose from, you may still be wondering about the best sticks you can use to hit your electronic pads without damages.
Here are 5 sticks that will not disappoint you.
Zildjian 7A Nylon Anti-Vibe Sticks
Zildjian is a market leader when it comes to cymbals. And now they have also joined in making super sticks.
The Anti-vibe series comes and an innovative product line created to reduce vibrations, protecting your hand. They have done this by adding a piece of rubber to the back of the sticks. You should feel more comfortable holding the sticks from the start, but it also matters how you personally feel about them.
Zildjian crafted them from hickory with nylon tips, making them strong and useful.
If you play a lot, then these are the sticks for you. They come in an excellent size, shorter, thinner, and lighter than most sticks, which makes them good for long-time playing.
Heavy hitters will be disappointed, but Zildjian still makes the same models with 5A and 5B sizes. However, 7A is an ideal choice for electronic pads. Nylon tips here respond better than wood tips.
Vic Firth American Classic eStick
Vic Firth is one of the brands that have been well established as reputable manufacturers for drumsticks and other accessories. Here is one of their products that display great innovativeness.
This design was inspired by playing an electronic drum with convenience and still working well with an acoustic drum. It is, therefore, one of the most versatile drum sticks you can find put out there.
According to the designer, the foundational idea came from Vic Firth 5A and 5B extreme models. The result is a drum stick with similar dimensions but a longer taper. This helps to lower its weight, ensuring a different balance that allows the sticks to bounce faster than the others.
Heavy hitters will not appreciate such features, but they are ok for an e kit since you only turn the volume knob up, and you are good.
The tip is another aspect that makes these sticks especially good. It looks more like vintage sticks, with a wider area on contact. Theoretically, this allows e-drum triggers to perform better than they would with regular sticks.
They are generally longer and feel relatively lighter than normal 5As. Hence, you can play faster. And it does not have a wood tip, which is good for e-kits.
Zildjian 5BNB Nylon Black Drumsticks
Well, Zildjian has never disappointed when it comes to delivering the best products.
Here is another pair of drumsticks from the manufacture that is not very different from the 5A nylon tip model they make, only that this one looks better aesthetically.
They are colored in black with gold letters. But these gold letters scratch off too easily, which could be the main downside of the sticks. This should, however, not be the reason they are any worse.
Since the letters are where you hold the sticks, it could be a correct measure to see how much you have been working with your drum kit. Practice more if the letters are still intact.
Size 5B is not a new option from many models. They are relatively thicker and yet light enough for easy controlling.
It may not be the right tool for players who prefer light, but many drummers will pick it.
The tip is nylon teardrop-shaped finished in black, which is another excellent touch. This is generally a wonderful stick, both visually and performance-wise.
Promark 5B Nylon Tip Hickory – LA specials
Promark is not a new name in the realm of drumsticks. Many famous drummers use their sticks, and they have never been disappointed.
LA Specials is a line of drumsticks made under their signature, but with different quality and standards from real sticks by Promark. They are not bad, but they lack the professional quality of the brand. Their wood quality and unmatched weight make them less effective in many situations.
However, they are useful in playing an e-drum kit and practicing. These are situations that don’t need too much hitting, even when you want to play hard.
You should also expect fast chipping from the edge or the hi-hats. This is an issue common with most lower-quality drumsticks, but one you can easily handle when playing an e kit.
Generally, these are semi-professional drumsticks. If you are looking for high-end performance, they may not be what you need. But they will not behave the same with an electronic kit.
They are not considered to be expensive drumsticks, which could be one wonderful idea to buy them. Pro drummers can use them for practice or other, less demanding situations.
Vater Vh5Ah Nylon Top 5A
If you have been drumming for a long, Vater should not be a new name. It is one of the best-known brands around and a go-to choice for many drummers.
These drumsticks come as a standard 5A drumstick crafted from hickory and with a nylon tip. It is 16-inches in length with a grip of 0.57-inches. It’s built with a great balance, although a bit heavy near the tip. As such, the sticks have just the right measure of precision that helps them rebound well from the pad. It is recommended for a light hitter, although heavy hitters will not be disappointed either.
There are not many drawbacks to this model. They are durable and easy to play with, leave a great feeling, just like you would expect from a professional brand, and they are not overly priced.
Many drummers would agree that these are the overall best drumsticks out there. Since they come from Vater, a reputable brand, you can always expect the best.
Its versatility makes it an ideal choice for electronic drum sets as well as an acoustic ones. Very few drum sticks can be used as such.
Best drumsticks for mesh head electronic drums
Mesh’s heads are considered the best in the world of e-drumming. They sound better than rubber heads, which is the best improvement to bring the e-drumming experience closer to real drum sets.
Hence, choosing the right drumstick matters just as much.
You can use a regular drumstick to play them like you would for an acoustic kit. But you will need to very careful not to tear through them.
Nevertheless, the best pair would be a Zildjian 7A Nylon Anti-Vibe Drumstick. These sticks feature nylon tips, which are most recommended for electronic drums. The Anti-vibe is most recommended.
Consider Vic Firth eSticks and Vater VH5B Nylon tip Hickory Drumsticks as well. They are incredible drumsticks made for electronic kit sticks.
Frequently asked questions
Do electronic drums need special sticks?
Yes and no.
Drumsticks come in different sizes and features that only matter to the taste of the users. Therefore, it could be easy to argue that you don’t need special sticks to play the electronic drum set. As long as you feel comfortable using them, you should be ok.
However, an e kit does feel or sound like real drums. Some of the pads are not very strong and can easily break.
Heavy sticks like 2A are not recommended for these pads.
And this means you will need specific sticks for playing these drum pads. The best news is, you don’t need to make any special adjustments to your stick choice for volume.
What drumsticks do professionals use?
There are no special drumsticks designed for professionals. Each drummer has something in their world that makes them feel more comfortable. Therefore, it all depends on personal preferences and your requirements.
However, you may want to avoid those cheap drum sticks if you have a high-end drum set. Sometimes the sticks do have a huge impact on the sound that comes from your drums. Therefore, be very careful how you choose.
Can you use brushes on electronic drums?
The simplest answer is yes. However, it never sounds great as it would when used on an acoustic drum. If you must use them, it’s recommended that you go for nylon brushes and choose the thickest. Metal can end up damaging the cymbals or puncturing the drum pads.
But then, should you use brushes on electronic drum kits? Many e-drum brands don’t put a lot of emphasis on brushes are they do with drumsticks. It’s not easy to integrate them effectively.
E-drum can be played with anything, even your hands. This is because their sounds are triggered from the inside electronically. However, prepare to have a disappointing experience with them.
Conclusion
Electronic drums have really come a long way. Today, many of them sound and feel almost like real drums due to the advancement in technology. Therefore, a great drumstick should be worth an investment.
