Everyone Needs Brushes | Season Five, Episode 10

If you’re a drummer, you really should have a pair of brushes and know how to use them. We’ve compiled some basic information for anyone who hasn’t experienced brushes yet. It doesn’t matter what style(s) you play most of the time, just about everything you do with sticks will benefit from time spent with brushes. That said, brushes aren’t just for jazz and we’ll share why.
PATREON:
This season is made possible by our Patreon supporters. Join us on Patreon for access to exclusive content such as Cymbal Sounds, our long awaited cymbal series, and MUCH more: sladl.ink/Patreon
PRODUCTION PARTNERS:
GIK Acoustics (sonic treatment): sladl.ink/GIK
AKG Audio (microphones): sladl.ink/AKG
Evans Drumheads: sladl.ink/EvansDrumheads
ProMark Drumsticks: sladl.ink/ProMarkDrumsticks
Signal chain:
Mics - Focusrite Clarett 8Pre USB & OctoPre - MacPro w/Pro Tools 2022.5
Recorded at 48kHz / 24bit
Overheads: (Matched Pair in Glyn Johns - Cardioid) AKG C314 sladl.ink/C314Pair
Snare, Toms: AKG C518M sladl.ink/C518M
Kick Drum: AKG D12vr sladl.ink/AKGD12VR
No EQ or compression in use with drum demos unless otherwise noted
Acoustic Treatment:
GIK 242 Acoustic Panels: sladl.ink/GIK242
GIK 4A Alpha Pro Series Diffusor/Absorber: sladl.ink/GIK4aAlphaPro
GIK Evolution PolyFusor Combination Sound Diffuser/Absorber: sladl.ink/GIKEvolutionPolyFusor
GIK Tri-Trap Corner Bass Trap: sladl.ink/GIKTriTrap
Drums:
Pearl Masters Maple Custom Extra + 1970’s Ludwig LM400 Supraphonic
Cymbals:
22” Jesse Simpson Clone of old Zildjian A, Zildjian 15” ‘Fat Hat’ Prototype hihats
Brushes:
ProMark TB4 Telescopic Wire Brush
Drumheads:
Snare: Evans G1 / Snare Side 300
Toms: G1 coated & G12 coated / G1 clear
Kick Drum: Evans UV EMAD / EQ3 Coated White Reso
Hosted by: Cody Rahn
Production & Consulting: Ben O'Brien Smith @ Cadence Independent Media
👂🏼👉🏼🥁
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*NOTE: Troll comments will be deleted. You're welcome to disagree with whatever you like but let's keep the conversation civilized and focused on drums.
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[@boomerguy9935]

Yes!, " ...brushes can open up a world of possibilities" is an understatement. I've been playing since the 60's and I still haven't learned all I want to about brushes. They are amazing. Using the right brushes on the right heads and with the right cymbals is a never-ending adventure. They force you to actually PLAY the entire kit instead of just banging on them ("less hitting, more touching). I don't mean to discount sticks but brushes are just, like you quoted Jeff Hamilton, a more intimate way to communicate with your drum kit.

[@mountainhobbit1971]

I like brushes a lot too and I have discovered that I get more chances to play with others since there are many musicians who enjoy a quieter drummer, especially in acoustic settings...I alternate between brushes that are metal and nylon depending on the song.

[@boomerguy9935]

Another advantage of brushes is that the length of the wires is adjustable which makes the width narrower and the bounce more responsive. The notches in the handle are already there. Then there are the many different brands, models and styles of brushes which are available. The sky is the limit. Some people may even dump their rods for this option.

[@edsterling5258]

I can guarantee you that the band will be impressed when you pull out brushes for writing sessions on the next mellow or downtempo song.

[@BadChizzle]

Guys… Idea for crazy episode: Snare wires on the bass drum. You could even put em on every drum. you may need to create some custom wires and Use some cheap shells if adding throw offs is a must, cuz you can’t rig something that works for that part, without making holes. I think it would be cool to hear the overall sound tried in different ways. Call me nuts… I can take the heat. Ha ha! Thanks for all you do… and making KZbin a better place to be. Chuk

[@vacuumelite2065]

Splendid stuff. Don't stop at brushes.....there is a cross over into the extensive family rods. Rods: at on end of the spectrum, are very brush like. At the other end of the spectrum, they are so close to sticks that you would be pushed to tell the difference. I loved it when you said : there is no such thing as "you can't do that" . You the Guv'nor. 😎❤️

[@MatthewBishopCounsellor]

I've been practising on brushes exclusively the last few months, and they provide exactly the thing I was looking forward for. They enable the drum kit to become a more contemplative and beautiful instrument. I really like your point about one's personality coming through; there's an intimacy with this instrument. As a further benefit, while I was starting to get called more often for gigs this year, that has noticeably further increased recently due to my brush playing. Many musicians love them for the sounds they offer. A challenge I'm facing, now that I'm mostly using brushes, and for various styles, is of course volume. Especially when I'm sweeping, say at a pub, I'm getting lost even against a mixed acoustic guitar. Slaps are fine, sweeping is not, at least not with any detail and subtlety. It's clear that I need to start amplifying myself. I'd love to see a video about doing that for brushes, and whether it's the same as with sticks, eg close micing, or whether other techniques are better, such as relying rather on an overhead mic.

[@LuvskiDrums]

Hey Matthew, I found the same issue with live gigs as well. What worked for me was close-micing the snare. This means that you wouldn't have to dig in so hard to be heard. The only thing is if you were to change to sticks, you would need to adjust the levels.

[@MattSR500]

@@LuvskiDrums Thanks Anthony, I appreciate that advice, I'll give it a go. PS I love your brush book; I'm slowly working through it in tandem with a number of other brush exercises.

[@LuvskiDrums]

@@MattSR500 that’s great to hear, thanks Matthew

[@KTHKUHNKK]

I am not a player. But I do love to hear brushes when they're played well like you play them. Keep it up buddy it sounds great

[@xylosforkids5357]

Jeff Hamilton brushes w Meinl Extra Dry Thin 18" Crash is a beautiful thing. Stiffer bristles really get that "tah" and rasp at all tempos.

[@ivybeard8337]

Thanks for a great episode. I play mostly with brushes in my jazz-band and try to find ways to use them in my prog-band. One thing I discovered in this episode is that (using brushes) you can make the hihat sound something like a shaker. This is awesome because in a lot of music there is a shaker/tambourine-track that can “cover” the sound of a hihat. So if you want to sound like the song has a percussion-egg but hate using it…try brushes :)

[@jarrodbiesmann]

Brushes are also great for digging out the bits of drum sticks wedged in between the snare head and hoop. I find that brushes tend to bring out the harmonics or overtones of drums. I use them when tuning for that purpose regardless of what I'll be hitting them with for a gig. An interesting topic might be experimenting with putting different things inside a bass drum. Simon Phillips uses paint cans! Or, experimenting with internal dampening of the reso heads using cotton balls, paper, etc. Love this channel! Keep the great content coming.

[@markblanch2905]

One of the very best drumming channels on KZbin, and I LOVE seeing that Red Rock snare in the background every time. It's like home 🥁💙💛

[@williamfotiou7577]

Very versatile implements. I still practice them and use them very frequently

[@TsunamiBeefPies]

I'm one of the people for whom you made this video. Haven't owned a pair of brushes in ages. I guess I'll go out and get some now. When I was a kid, my folks were always happy to buy brushes for me--it meant that I would have at least some time during my practicing that would be quieter! I found something back in those days that I liked, and that was to retract the brushes about halfway. This gave a little bit of usable rebound, and also changed the sound of the brushes: a bit sharper attack, but still very much a "brush-y" sound.

[@catfishmudflap]

Never leave home without them!

[@grundydan1]

These grooves all sound so cool with the brushes! Feeling inspired!

[@jonashellborg8320]

I started playing with brushes earlier this year (2022), it was really to practise super quietly - brushes on an Evans RealFeel pad is very, very quiet. Then I started discovering the horizontal plane, making grooves on just a snare drum, sweeping, and finding the different sounds you can do with brushes that you can’t do with sticks. I now love playing with brushes, and I view them as just another set of sounds I can make. Plus they can be quiet and that has helped me land a gig or two.

[@davidperez5089]

You know it! I love the textures you can get on Coated heads. My favorite Brand Is regal tip rubber handle wire brushes.

[@nathanielwilder3634]

this channel is so helpful and inspirational! it inspires me to experiment with my drum kit and playing style! thanks so much!! god bless

[@brent3760]

Brushes, brooms, hotrods, etc. All are great for different effects.

[@trae1965]

So grateful 🙏 for this post!!!

[@LuvskiDrums]

Fantastic video! I've always felt a disconnect with the Alan Dawson ritual and brush techniques, but you've put into words what I've been thinking. The ritual is amazing for developing wrist technique, but I think it's more related to sticks rather than brush technique. When I have brushes in my hands, I take it as an opportunity to develop something that cannot be done with sticks - that's where the expansion of vocabulary happens for me.

[@TheOrangeSwag]

Oh hey Anthony, didn't expect to see you here. Love your videos! They have really helped me with the lateral approach to brushes :)

[@LuvskiDrums]

@@TheOrangeSwag haha, I'm always on the lookout for brush stuff! Glad you like my stuff mate!

[@willmcbride4435]

For my first drum set in 1979, the drum shop gave me sticks and brushes. I think it was still quite common. I took kit lessons but we never talked about brushes. It was kind of a slow but meaningful process to understand the brushes. I’ve since played them for years, to add new coloration, as you say.

[@thomasfraioli361]

great video one of your top 10 ! we can talk about drum gear till the cow's come home, but things like this are what make you a drummer !! thanks

[@mattildahubbardo]

Love this channel

[@GoranRista]

What a great brushes video. I love the grooves you played. Really profoundly put together.

[@markielinhart]

Sold‼️thank you so much ✌️

[@roganmcgarry7455]

Yet another Good video I've been watching your videos since lockdown in 2020, and it has had a positive effect on my life as a drummer. :)

[@hitherescotty]

cody im lovin the hair

[@drummercarson896]

This is an impressive topic

[@jimbinha]

I'm a lefty and with sticks I play the "right" way, now that I'm finally trying to learn brushes it's clear I can only learn those if I try leading with the left hand first. They really do not let you lie to yourself, or to anyone else.

[@famitory]

great companion piece to this vid are the ones jojo mayer did as a vic firth sponsorship series a little bit ago. he shows off some interesting brush-like things that allow some of the same techniques as brushes but at the same sort of dynamic-to-effort ratio as sticks. definitely a worthwhile watch.

[@joshuabpolys]

👍🏼thx!

[@nate6692]

Definitely cool -but 1) wish you'd spent more time on cymbals. I'm in the camp of don't have much use for brushes, but this was interesting. But I always feel like brushes let me down on the cymbals. 2) The brush + stick really got my interest. Got any more? Tried a few searches but didn't come up with useful search terms.

[@The_Other_Ghost]

I got into brushes through technical death metal (it's a jazz fusion sub-genre). Needless to say I think I misheard what the drummer was using on the intro to the song.

[@Eatulater]

Good Stuff! Hope you'll get around to mallet techniques in the future.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Mallets on drum set?

[@Eatulater]

@@SoundsLikeADrum Absolutely! I use mallets for special effects, softened tones, cymbal rolls and washes.

[@johnkavaudio4695]

Check out how @CarterMcLean uses them, often transitioning to sticks later on to build intensity 😊

[@DrBackBeat]

I've done quite some work with brushes over the years and have always loved playing them whenever the music and context warranted them. But I have to admit, I struggle playing the ride cymbal with brushes because that's the only instrument that I can't bend to my will with brushes. And while I was hoping for some good advice for this, and while at 10:50 Cody talks about how there definitely is articulation on the ride, it's completely absent when he plays it. I'm slightly disappointed and still looking for good advice on this. Plastic brushes ('Whiskers' by Regal Tip's definition) have some more definition, and using the metal ring on the back of the brush gets me there when it really needs to (and I can get away with an uglier sound), but it's not quite what I want. Rods do an even worse job of sounding musical to my ears and the drums suffer in that respect as well. Anyone who has a great tip for me? What kind of specialty brush can make the ride sound articulate while still making everything sound musical and low-volume?

[@LuvskiDrums]

Hey Sander, what I've found to work is striking the ride with the brush at a flat angle, similar to a rim shot on the snare. But depending on the ride you have, it can get a bit washy, so use sparingly!

[@aphexon.]

Use brushes in metal band sounds great :)

[@nate6692]

Get the flap wheel on the drill!

[@jeremystig98]

Brushes have rebound. Vic Firth 8D's dont have a lot of rebound though lmfao

[@bacbladerunner]

I'm a new drummer without a lot of experience. Do you have a brush recommendation or two that we might purchase? Thanks.

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

The ProMark TB4 is a great all-around brush (that's what's being used here). If you're ever interested, here's a giant comparison we did of brushes and broomsticks a while back: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5CmpHares14d8k

[@mr.145]

Vater Heavy..actually not that heavy, but the easiest to play fast singles etc with.

[@matthewt.donnelly2493]

Does anyone have any good resources for learning brushes? I love playing them but my knowledge is fairly limited

[@LuvskiDrums]

Hi Matthew, I have some videos you may like! Check out my 30-day brush kickstart if you like

[@ducktape7178]

What if I play hardcore punk

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

If it gets you the sound that you’re looking for, that’s what counts.

[@HidefVince]

El Estepario Siberiano says otherwise & he's the new law in town

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

k

[@scottgarvey3253]

Thanks for the inspiration !! What is that snare ?!

[@scottgarvey3253]

Ludwig supraphonic

[@scottgarvey3253]

New !