I broke my first pair of sticks!

Just in case you haven't done so already, angle the bottom hi hat cymbal a bit with the screw below its plate
THAT is what that is for?!?!?!?
Learn something new every day...(For me it's like every three days or so).

I have Mastersound i Zildjian, with the wrinkled bottom edge.

Also want to know the best way to lessen the sustain on these without giving away on sound. (I like how they sound but they last forever)
EDIT: I do know how the pedal works so I am not sure I'm explaining it right.
 
Let me formally invite you to the club!

I think actual club membership is not official until we see a bucket with the broken reminds of many sticks in the picture...right? Isn't hoarding broken, useless sticks part of the deal? 😛 Or have I been doing it wrong....
 
no worries about the hi hat damage to the sticks. It is going to happen...

these are my 6 month old VF 3A's that I use for rock, punk and metal. I use the tips, shoulders etc on the hi hats depending on what sound I need (and play rimshots on most snare strokes) I practice/play at least 6-10 hours a week. That is why you buy multiple pairs!!! A typical set of sticks, playing at the average amount of 8 hours a week, will last me about a year. In fact, the tips usually wear away before the stick actually breaks. It just depends on your technique!!

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Thank You for bringing "Voices Carry" by Til Tuesday to my attention. I just played along with the Youtube recording a few times.
 
Just in case you haven't done so already, angle the bottom hi hat cymbal a bit with the screw below its plate and loosen the top felt a little bit. That way you'll get more sound out of the hi hat without hitting as hard. That should reduce stick wear a little bit and usually sounds better.
Thanks! I did learn that early on when I got my kit.
 
And maybe put the stick shoulder a little more on top of the cymbals rather than into the side edge. As GruntersDad said, lowering the hats can help with this too. I suppose some hat are more destructive--ones with a little "flair" along their edge, like Sound Edges.
Thank you! I will definitely try to utilize this tip!
 
Congratulations, you did it!

If I were to diagnose, I'd say that wear pattern is mostly from the hi hat.

Unless you bashride the ride a lot. If you're playing Till Tuesday...I'm guessing it's from the hi hat.

Check and make sure you aren't holding your sticks too tight. Your fingers are the shock absorbers. If the stick is mashed up against the palm, like holding a hammer, then the fingers can't absorb the shock. That will cause problems down the road. Look into this sooner rather than later. Hey I could be totally wrong, but it won't hurt to analyze your grip to be on the safe side since you're fairly new at this. Learning a bad technique could be worse than not playing at all. Shock absorption using the fingers..that's the goal. Don't let the shock transmit into your wrists and forearms through the palms. Use the fingers like springs to absorb the shocks.

I can't believe that stick didn't break earlier, judging from the surviving stick.

As a PSA, VF uses a 6% moisture content for their sticks. As per the furniture manufacturing industry.

Vater uses an 11% moisture content for their sticks, as per the striking tool industry. Which makes more sense, considering that we definitely do strike things with them.

The result is that Vater sticks last twice as long as VF. All while maintaining the same balance feel as VF, important.

Former VF user here.
I've tried from day one to hold my sticks "properly". I definitely don't death grip it like a hammer. I've watched numerous YT videos on stick grip, etc. but I don't think my technique is spot on. I'm going to try and find an online teacher to look over my technique some, as I haven't been able to find a local teacher.

Interesting difference between the VF and Vater sticks. I would have never discovered this.
 
I think actual club membership is not official until we see a bucket with the broken reminds of many sticks in the picture...right? Isn't hoarding broken, useless sticks part of the deal? 😛 Or have I been doing it wrong....
LoL, well I threw the stick in the trash. I guess I can dig them out and start saving them in a bucket.
 
no worries about the hi hat damage to the sticks. It is going to happen...

these are my 6 month old VF 3A's that I use for rock, punk and metal. I use the tips, shoulders etc on the hi hats depending on what sound I need (and play rimshots on most snare strokes) I practice/play at least 6-10 hours a week. That is why you buy multiple pairs!!! A typical set of sticks, playing at the average amount of 8 hours a week, will last me about a year. In fact, the tips usually wear away before the stick actually breaks. It just depends on your technique!!

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That's about how much time I have to dedicate to practicing each week. I'm thinking based on some of the posts here that I might need to adjust my technique a little.
 
That's about how much time I have to dedicate to practicing each week. I'm thinking based on some of the posts here that I might need to adjust my technique a little.

would be interesting to see a video of you playing...alot of us could probably help
 
Broke my first stick today. I got these maybe a month ago, had only few practice sessions with them. I'm not a hard hitter but I do play rimshots. Played it till it was flat on one side, so I tried to play the opposite side only and it popped. Kept playing and it snapped off. The stick is technically still usable, it gets the point across.

Unfortunately, I promised myself that I wouldn't buy anything else drum related till December so I'm gonna have to do without my Marco Minnemann siggys for a while 😢(I'm gonna mismatch the other stick in the pair until it meets the same fate as it's twin.)
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I don't see any blood on the sticks-haven't you seen Whiplash there must be blood before the stick breaks. I usually just break a tip. I guess we all have our signature break zone. Way to stick it to it-you showed that stick whose boss-it may beg for a break-which is just sick but Ok give it a break. Congrats looking in my Tater head crystal ball my eyes see more stick breaks in your future.
 
There is something undeniably great about the first broken stick. A little bit sad, also a little bit proud.
A rite of passage! Now you are a real drummer.

Congratulations! Now get more sticks and keep going :)
 
Play them closed with the stick tip to get a tic/tic/tic sound. Play them open, then close quickly. Play them closed while opening at the same time.
Play on the bell. Play them from the bottom. Play the hi hat stand as well as the cymbals.
Just give the pedal a quick, sharp tap with your foot for a splash.

There's endless ways to play hi hats, but the only way they really sustain sound for a long time is when you play them open.
IMO - they're the most versatile part of the kit.
It's worth it to take some time to play around with them to see what they (and you) can do together.
I just said this in another thread, but I'll say it here too:
This place is THE MOST INFORMATIVE PLACE on the internet!
 
I've been using these VF sticks exclusively since I picked up my starter snare drum I think at the end of September/early October 2020. I was working on 'Voices Carry' by Til' Tuesday when this happened. I don't know if I should be proud or sad.

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Congratulations StephaniB! Your drumming virginity is now over. We're proud of you! Let us know when you break your first drumhead. That will be your next step towards drumming manhood. Cheers!
 
I've been using these VF sticks exclusively since I picked up my starter snare drum I think at the end of September/early October 2020. I was working on 'Voices Carry' by Til' Tuesday when this happened. I don't know if I should be proud or sad.

View attachment 104832
Have you considered calling Orkin for termites?. Whoa..that is some serious whittlin girl!. Just use the other end for your metal band. You get some good use out of those V.F.'s.. I'm thinking on trying some Benny Greb sticks from Vic. Take those sticks back and tell the drumshop you only used them for 15 minutes and look what happened!.
 
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