help with technique.

[spacehorse]

hey i know this might not be so appropriate for this board but i dont know where else to ask. you see i got these new drum sticks (the kind with rubber grips) and they keep blistering the hell out of my thumbs. is there anything i can do about this, or is it just a result of my wimpy thumb skin?

[Nik D]

Probably it's the rubber grips. Have you gotten blisters with normal sticks? Getting blisters is normal too, it's just part of being a drummer. I haven't had blisters in years, just because of where I used to get them I have monster callouses now.

[austexman]

i would say it's definitely the rubber grips that are causing the blisters...too much friction...with normal wood sticks you have some slipperiness with the coating applied to the wood...if you're having trouble holding on to the sticks try regular wood with grip tape instead of the rubber stuff...

[seryozha]

Gorilla snot is a very effective additive to prevent friction between your thumbs and drum sticks.

I used to use stick tape but i got wierd looks when i stopped playing and my fingers where completely black.

I switch beetween aluminum and wood sticks. wood if i want to pund the hell outa it and break some sh!t,aluminum for practice.
(aluminum have plastic screwed on tips that are easily un-screwed if hit hard and often enough)

So i would say try gorilla snot, no way to prevent blisters, unless you stop playing.

[VTgreen81]

drummer's gloves are another option, some loss of feel is a trade off.

[seryozha]

Boo! Gloves, shame on you.
Im sorry, but I look down on any drummer that wears gloves (Yes, i know many great drummers where them). Its like "I want to be a drummer but not take anything bad that might come from it like, losing a stick that impales a fan's skull, or massive painful blisters or skin that is ripped of your knuckles from the snare or the painful butt syndrom when you play for 4hours straight.

I say get tough wussies.


(not speaking to anyone particular here, and this is ment as comedic entertainment, for personal use only, not for resale, not to be sold seperatley,parental advisory......)

[spacehorse]

well thanks guys, i think i'll just be sticking to wood sticks for now... at least until my skin gets a little less vagy. : )