Improve Your Music

So… what do I carry in my my stick bag?

• Drum sticks of course! I take at least three or four pairs of the main sticks that I play with plus a heavier pair for warming up with and just in case I need to “up the volume” for a particular song.
• A pair of Hotrods or similar. These are quieter than sticks without going all the way down to brushes. I use these a lot for rehearsing too, just to save my ears a bit.
• A pair of brushes. This varies from band to band. I use them a lot in the jazz band but almost never in rock bands. Leave them in your bag anyway…just in case.
• A pair of mallets. These are great for subtle cymbal rolls or for Timpani rolls on your floor tom.
• Two drum keys. Stash these things everywhere so you can always lay your hands on one at short notice. I also carry one on my key ring.
• A Hi-Hat clutch with felts/rubbers. Hi-Hat clutches are very easy to misplace when you are packing up and you quite often don’t realise until you get to the next gig.
• Cymbal felts & plastic tubes. Like Hi-Hat clutches, these things are very easy to lose so you should always carry a stock.
• A pencil and eraser. Those of us who read charts quite often need to make notes or even write basic charts to get the best out of a gig.
• A few clothes pegs. These are invaluable at outdoor gigs where the wind always seems to pick up just as you start playing. Peg your chart to your music stand to keep everything in place.
• A Metronome. I generally don’t take this to gigs but they are very important for rehearsals.

No matter whether you are a paid pro or an enthusiastic amateur you should always give a professional appearance. Being prepared with a few spares can mean the difference between a great gig and looking like a goose.

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