Wood Tip

The wood tip of a drum stick can impact the sound and tones produced. They are probably the main variable affecting the sound. You can consider the different Drum Stick Sizes and Types of Wood Used in Wood Tip production and how they affect sound, but the tips are the greatest influence.

The picture above shows the five main categories of tip type. Below I’ll lay out how they can affect the sound and tone you hear. You can also click the links to find drumsticks of each type.

TEARDROP:Provides rich, dark tones with focused lows.

BARREL:For a full punchy sound. Great for louder volumes and projection.

BALL:Clean, bright and articulate. Regardless of how you hit the head, you will always have the same area of contact. Consistency of sound.

ACORN:Full, flat and responsive tone. Variations in attack will vary tone. Large contact area at wood neck, but smaller at tip. Wide range of tone.

OVAL:Broad mid range sound thanks to the length of the tip.

NYLON:A much brighter tone and a more durable tip than wood. Can also be replaced easily, unlike wood.

Can you identify the tips above? If not, you can learn more about Snare Drum Sticks here.



Learn more about drum sticks and drumming with these free Beginner Drum Lessons.