What are drum brushes used for? What are drum brushes made of? If you are curious about drum brushes and how you can use them in your playing, then you are in the right place as we are going to check out the best drum brushes in the market and how they can help you as a drummer.
What Are Drum Brushes Used For
So, what are drum brushes used for? Drum brushes are a type of drumstick that is typically used for playing where lower volume is usually required. They are perfect for playing in genres such as ballad, jazz, and acoustic. By using drum brushes, you can get a unique sound from your drum kit and cymbals, as they are able to deliver a subtle and mellow sound from your kit.
Drum brushes are also usually used in playing for smaller venues, as it allows you to play the drums with a reduced volume and more controlled sound. The drum brush is a versatile percussion tool that you can use any time when needed.
What Are Drum Brushes Made Of
Drum brushes are usually made of wire or nylon bristles and come with a handle. The bristles are usually made of metal wires, but some are also made of either nylon or synthetic fibers. There are even some that are made of broomcorn. With different materials, they also differ from the sound that it is going to give you.
Zildjian Professional Retractable Wire Brushes
If you are looking for an excellent pair of wire brushes that you can depend on anytime you need it when playing the drums, the Zildjian Professional Retractable Wire Brushes is the perfect choice to go. These brushes are very simple when it comes to their design, but they do the job in everything that you need from them.
They have a very comfortable rubber handle that gives you the feel just like you are playing with a regular pair of drumsticks. The wires don’t really bend as much compared to others, but they can come loose if you leave the brushes sticking out. That is why you should always pull them back when they are just lying around. They can also be expensive compared to other brushes in the market.
Vic Firth Heritage Brush
If you are looking for another top brand that produces excellent choices for drum brushes, then you should check out Vic Firth. One that we can highly recommend that you try is their Heritage Brush. These drum brushes come with a smooth rubber handle, which means that they don’t make a big, loud, and boomy sound when you hit the drums, and they are perfect for subtle and intricate playing.
These drum brushes are also retractable, which is a nice feature that allows you to alter the distance of the tip of the metal to its handle and how close the wires are together, so you can get a different sound that you can use for different styles of playing the drums. The metal wires are also made of high-quality material, and they have a unique sound. These drum brushes are really made to last for a long time.
Vic Firth WB Jazz Brush
Another drum brush from Vic Firth that you should check out is the WB Jazz Brushes. If you are a jazz drummer, I am sure that you are going to love using a pair of these drum brushes. The Vic Firth WB Jazz Brush has one of the thickest brushes in the market, and its wires are a little bit heavier compared to its competition, so they are really perfect if you want to play a little bit louder when using drum brushes.
These drum brushes come with a white grip that is known for brushes with heavy wires. The wires in these brushes allow you to play louder than what thinner brushes can give you. They are also for playing in more intense situations where you need to deliver a sweeping sound from the snare drum. The wires are also longer, so you can use them for playing on a wider surface. These drum brushes are also very durable, as you can expect from a drum brush made by Vic Firth.
Promark PMBRM1 Broomsticks
If you think that wires on drum brushes are only made of metal, then you are making a huge mistake about that. Made by Promark, the PMBRM1 Broomsticks uses broomcorn as its wires, which gives them a better aggressive attack compared to other drum brushes. You can compare its attack as in between what a regular drumstick and regular brush can offer to you.
These drum brushes come with an O-ring which allows you to adjust how tightly the sticks are held together, as the tighter you hold it together, the harder the sticks feel, but if you lose it, the looser the stick also feels. They are perfect for playing in situations where a lower volume level is necessary. Aside from drum kits, they are also great for playing with cajons. However, one of the disadvantages of using these drum brushes is that they won’t last long compared to regular drum brushes.
Vic Firth Steve Gadd Wire Brushes
If you are looking for an excellent signature drum brush from one of the best drummers in the world, then you should go for the Vic Firth Steve Gadd Wire Brushes. As two of the top figures in their respective industries, Vic Firth and Steve Gadd were able to create one of the best drum brushes in the market, giving you excellent playability, durability, feel, and value.
These drum brushes are perfect for playing jazz, and they have a fantastic sound when used for playing the toms, snare, and cymbals. They also have a retractable-pulling design, which allows you to choose a wider adjustment of settings if the situation needs different lengths of wires. So, if you are a drummer who always prefers those products from a brand’s signature artist, then the Steve Gadd Wire Brush from Vic Firth would be a great choice for you.
Promark TB3 Jazz Telescopic Wire Brushes
Another perfect option if you are a jazz drummer that is looking for a pair of wire brushes that can do the job, Promark’s TB3 Jazz Telescopic Wire Brushes is a great option that you should check out. Inspired by the original brush used regularly by the legendary Gene Krupa, these drum brushes give a bright tone when playing the drums, and are able to cut through mixes, which is exceptional for a drum brush.
These drum brushes are not that light, but they are also not that heavy, making them an excellent option for almost any situation where playing with a pair of drum brushes is needed. So, regarding versatility, the Promark TB3 Jazz Telescopic Wire Brushes should be one of the top on the list. However, one of the disadvantages of this drum brush is its wires tend to bend faster compared to other drum brushes in the industry.
So, what are drum brushes used for? What are drum brushes made of? Drum brushes are usually used when you are required to play at a lower volume with a more controlled sound, especially if you are at a smaller venue. These things come with a handle and bristles, either made of metal, nylon, synthetic fiber, or even broomcorn.
