drumming secrets

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As a drummer you always have to be prepared for suprises! Of course you're drum setup must be complete
and well serviced, but sometimes we forget to pay extra attention to our tools.....drum sticks. Of course we will take the extra pair before a rehearsal or gig, but what if the place you'll be playing has a loud acoustic, and it is absolutely nesceccary to play less loud than you are used to?.... 

Here are some tips I would love to pass on to you, to be ready for many 'drummer's suprises' on the road

How many drumsticks shall I bring on the road?

Of course it should be possible to bring more than one pair of sticks with you....but don't overdo it! I once made the terrible mistake to bring a dozen pairs to a gig. Great concert, but after the show, I forgot to put the box back into my car, simply because I wasn't used to having an extra item.....So I left 10 pairs of brand new sticks at the venue!!

When I found out about it, it was 3 days later.....ofcourse nobody found a single stick at the gig! Nowadays I take 3 pairs of new sticks to a concert....all in my stick bag and not any extra box anymore!

What other 'tools' must I bring?

Ok, to be honest I would always advise you to bring one pair of metal brushes, a pair of timpany mallets, rods, an extra tuning key, a little screw driver, Moongel™, duct tape, a mini flash light (for dark moments before the show on stage when the lights go down and you still have to find your way to the drumriser!) and a metronome!

You will be prepared for anything on the road, even in the unlikely event of your car running out of petrol!!

Any specialties?

If you have a closer look at my stick bag, you will also find Smax™, Broomsticks™ and timbala sticks. I think it is great to have more tools ALWAYS with you, so it's possible to experiment with different sounds on the drumset! It is unbelievable how inspiring it can work to produce different sounds apart from the usual sticks.