Do drumcorps tape their sticks? If so why? Does taping it really increase the life of the sticks? Because in my perspective taping the sticks only makes them uglier later on. More specific to my means, would anyone happen to know if the cadets tape their tenor sticks? Cuz i just got some tom aungst tenor hybrids and i am opposed to taping sticks (because it makes them uglier) but i will if it makes the sticks last longer.

How does it make the stick uglier? If the tape gets a bit chewed up, you can always retape the stick.

I can't think of a single corps that has not taped their sticks or tenor/bass mallets since at least 1990.

If you tape wrong it'll look ugly, for the hybrids i tape to the top the the part where it gets thicker(where you hold it). It does increase the life of sticks, end of story.

The Cadets quad line does tape their sticks. I don' really care if my sticks are ugly. If I can play some sick beats, no one will be paying attention to my sticks. With that said, I usually tape my sticks have way, with the tape going from the bead to halfway down the stick.

Dont they use Mt1A-S?

Whats the point in taping metal sticks?

I'm very sure they use angust hybrids

depends on what they are playing, I think theyve got 4-5 differnt implements right now.

1) make them white
2) reduce the impact of rim shots, thereby saving rims. when you play like a man, rims crack.
3) prolong stick life.

they also re-tape thier sticks often, show sticks every show, and practice sticks ever couple days.

Oh yea, that would make sense would'nt it

But he just made those this year, I was thinking of 2007 season, they used aungsts snare stick, but MT1A-S

nope, they ues the hybrids last year too. When youre the guy designing this stuff, you get to prototype them with your drumlines.

Tape definitely prolongs the life of sticks, particularly wooden ones. If you wrap the tape snugly, the compression from the tape squeezing the stick seems to help keep the wood from splintering on rimshots and whatnot.

Lol

"When you play like a man, rims crack."

Classic. And the Cadets did use the Hybrids in 2007. Taping the stick definitely helps the life of your rims and sticks.

i was saying it makes them uglier because our line is lazy and doesn't like to retape and so tape becomes frayed and ugly. Based on this i guess i will tape my sticks though. I mean i never really thought about the impact on the rim, i just figured it was metal and last longer than any stick of mine.

Oh, well if they don't tape the sticks again once they become frayed, then that isn't ideal. Because the tape will peel and expose the stick. Just take the old tape off and put some new tape on.

very true, i had a rim on one of my schools drums i use crack this year.

but anyway...tape will definatly pro-long stick life, and i personally think will offer a clenaer look if the whole line uses fresh white tape for each show

Cadets did use the MT1A-s as well as the Hybrids and snare sticks.

Insomniac hit it on his first post. You tape Metal shafted mallets for the same reasons. It extends the life (stick/mallet and rim), adds some weight, and appearance. Just because the shafts are metal does not mean they are more durable. just more consistent. I had better luck with wooden shafted mallets then metal.

I have seen many different ways of taping sticks. but my favorite is the overlapping method.

either way its a good thing. And when Cadets tape the hybrids they tape from tip to handle.

Is the "Overlapping method" Like "double taping"? Where ideally the stick is covered by two layers of tape?

I think that is the method he is referring to.

overlapping means exactly what it sounds like. with every revolution around the stick, the tape overlaps the spiral above it by a little bit. i hope this makes sense.

I didn't overlap, and my tape was destroyed by the end of the 4th of July parade.

Tape definitely helps preserve the stick, and I think it makes the stick cooler if you can do a good job at it. What we do at my school is that we tape one pair of sticks for stand tunes and cadences, and have a pair of untaped sticks for the show

sarcasm in a girly voice: it makes the sticks ugly

normal: get over it

Yes, taping your sticks does increase the life of your sticks. You asked if we taped our tenor hybrids. Yes. We started at the top, taped down about 2 inches past the first taper, went back to the top, and then down the stick and stopped right after the second taper. If we didn't keep our sticks freshly taped, those Yamaha rims would chew right through them and they'd be done for by the end of a rehearsal day.

If you can afford to buy tape, keep your sticks covered with fresh tape. When the tape is all chewed up and the stick starts to show, don't just tape over it. Peel the tape off and re-tape the whole stick. It'll keep them looking and feeling great, and mostly this will keep you from gnawing up your sticks and having to go drop however many dollars on a new pair.

It would be cheaper to just buy tape and replace the tape when it gets chewed than to not tape and replace the sticks when they get chewed. Just to add on to what you said.