Drummers who want the sound experience of real calfskin heads without giving up the benefits of modern synthetic heads face a limited but interesting choice. Two names stand out: the Evans ’56 Calftone and the Adoro Heritage. Both promise a warm, organic tone — but real-world use reveals clear differences.

Evans Calftone: Sonically Convincing, but Durability a Persistent Problem

The Evans ’56 Calftone has been popular among jazz and vintage drummers since its introduction in 2016. The 7-mil Mylar base head with its synthetic fiber coating delivers a warm, focused tone with reduced overtones — ideal for classic bebop tuning (MusicRadar). Sonically, the head definitely has its merits.

The big problem is durability. Drummers have been reporting bubbling and wrinkling for years — sometimes after just a few gigs (Drum Forum). One user describes how his Calftone head on the snare started bubbling after just one hour at the first gig, increasingly interfering with brush playing. Even warranty replacements led to the same result — the problem appears to be inherent to the design. Anyone who plays a lot with brushes risks the surface catching the bristles.

Christoph Schmieding

Growing up as a church musician, Chris now plays in various projects around Singer/Songwriter, Gospel, Jazz and Independent Music. Chris is part of the Mosaik Community Düsseldorf, which regularly organizes concerts with well-known artists in a living room atmosphere as part of their “Kulturbühne”.

A true innovation in quiet drumming – With the “Silent Sticks”, Adoro Drums has a special drumstick in its lineup that enables particularly quiet drumming without any compromise in playing feel.

Why play quietly? – some might ask. Maybe you don’t want to play quietly at all, and you play drums precisely to hit hard. Sure, in a metal or punk band, the topic of “quiet drumming” or “low volume drumming” might raise a smile. But in many contexts, drummers are expected to adapt to the given acoustic conditions.

In jazz, for example, you often play completely unplugged gigs in the classic tradition. That means you need to bring your drum sound down to the level of a double bass, a grand piano, or a saxophonist. In the singer/songwriter world, you’re often playing in very small, living-room-style venues. The audience is right there in front of you, so you need to manage your dynamics and volume carefully to avoid overwhelming your listeners. If you play a lot in churches — in gospel choirs or contemporary Christian music settings, for instance — you frequently deal with strong reflections that shape the acoustics of the room and often make loud drumming simply impossible.

There are various ways to play more quietly. The most important ones naturally concern your technique. Low volume drumming isn’t about power drumming — it’s about a relaxed approach that puts only the necessary energy into the heads. Thinner, lighter sticks are one option for playing noticeably more quietly. In certain styles, brushes or rods also work well, reducing volume while offering a different playing feel compared to sticks.

Adoro Silent Sticks play just like real sticks — only quieter!

What makes the Adoro Silent Sticks special is that they genuinely play like real sticks. That means they offer comparable rebound and balance, which means your playing is far less compromised than when using rods or brushes. With Adoro Silent Sticks, well-defined double stroke rolls on the hi-hat are easily achievable, as is a fast uptempo swing driven primarily by rebound. You don’t need to adjust your technique or your grooves in low-volume situations — you can play everything exactly as rehearsed, just significantly more quietly.

On top of that, Adoro Silent Sticks also sound noticeably more transparent on drums and cymbals than rods or brushes. Finer notes are not lost, and the dynamics of your playing can be controlled very well. Thanks to the robust materials, the sticks are also rimshot-capable. When accents on the snare or cymbal bell are called for, you can strike with the shaft without worrying that the sticks won’t hold up. Compared to regular sticks, rimshots with the Silent Sticks sound considerably more restrained — they set good accents while remaining within a pleasant volume range.

A construction you have to come up with first.

The noticeably quieter sound and excellent playing feel of the Adoro Silent Sticks are made possible by the unique construction of the sticks. Thanks to the low weight of the plastic tubes, the energy transferred to the heads is consistently reduced, while the special flexible nylon inserts enhance the rebound of the sticks.

When the stick hits the head, the nylon strips flex and absorb the energy of the stroke, but also spring back strongly, launching the stick back to its starting position. With a little practice, the behavior of the sticks can be controlled very well, and the rebound can be used deliberately for double strokes and fast notes.

The plastic tubes feel very robust. I play a lot with rimshots and can’t always resist doing so with the Silent Sticks either. Despite many hours of playing with rimshots, I never had the impression that the Adoro Silent Sticks were wearing down noticeably, or that I needed to worry about them suddenly breaking under a harder stroke.

Of course, like all sticks, Adoro Silent Sticks are a consumable item and will eventually need to be replaced. The lifespan, however, seems to me to be extremely respectable compared to regular rods or sticks, which is why I would also rate them as offering excellent value for money.

A true secret weapon

“Every drummer should have a pair of Silent Sticks in their stick bag.”

In my opinion, the Adoro Silent Sticks are an extremely innovative idea and a true secret weapon for quiet drumming. That’s why every drummer should really have a pair of Adoro Silent Sticks in their stick bag.

Sure, rods and brushes have their place too — in many styles, that kind of sound is exactly what’s called for — but the Adoro Silent Sticks are a genuine alternative wherever you actually need sticks to pull off your rehearsed grooves satisfactorily.

Of course, even with the Silent Sticks there’s an adjustment period, but ultimately it’s surprising how well the concept works and how relaxed and satisfying the sticks are to play.

With the Silent Sticks, Adoro Drums has — just as with their drums — taken a truly convincing idea and executed it skillfully, consistently, and to a high standard. Give them a try!

Available at www.silent-sticks.de

Christoph Schmieding

Growing up as a church musician, Chris now plays in various projects around Singer/Songwriter, Gospel, Jazz and Independent Music. Chris is part of the Mosaik Community Düsseldorf, which regularly organizes concerts with well-known artists in a living room atmosphere as part of their “Kulturbühne”.

At first, “playing quietly” often means one thing: playing with rods instead of sticks. That’s the first move you learn when you grow up as a young drummer in a church environment, where live music typically happens at a much lower volume than a regular concert. You’ll hear the request pretty quickly: can’t you play with rods?

Of course, there are many other ways to play more quietly besides rods, but I’d like to dedicate an article to the topic. Not only because everyone has probably had their own experiences with them, but also because I feel that rods are often unfairly viewed negatively by drummers.

Sure, Rods Aren’t Sticks

Of course rods play differently than sticks. Of course they sound different too — finer notes in particular don’t transfer as well. Your playing inevitably becomes more accented and dynamic. And naturally, rods transfer less energy to heads and cymbals, causing them to vibrate less, which means not every kit sounds truly full when played with rods.

That said, rods are certainly a good option for playing significantly more quietly and unobtrusively — once you’ve made friends with the special sound and behavior of the kit. Especially in singer/songwriter or folk/country music, the unique sound of rods often fits the musical context very well. So here are a few tips on how to achieve a full, warm drum sound even when playing with rods — one that’s fun to play, easy to control, and transfers finer notes well.

1. Use Single-Ply Heads

With rods, you transfer less energy to the drums. Toms with double-ply heads simply won’t sound good when played with rods, because they need more energy to start vibrating. If you want to get the maximum tone and warmth out of your drums, always use single-ply heads that are well-tuned. When playing with rods, a good tuning rewards you with solid sustain and plenty of warmth in the sound. Coated heads help minimize overtones and the clicking sound of rods on the heads. In very small rooms, dampening rings can also help bring out the tone of the drums and minimize attack noise. The rings shouldn’t be too wide, though — they should only slightly reduce the lightest (highest) vibrations of the head, without dampening the fundamental tone of the drum.

2. Don’t Tune Your Drums Too Low

Generally, low tunings are expected to provide more body and depth. But you also need more energy to really get the heads moving — energy you often don’t have when playing with rods. This can lead you to play louder just to get some sound out of the drums. It’s therefore worth tuning the heads a bit tighter than you normally would, as they’ll respond much faster and produce noticeably more tone — especially when playing rimshots. It also makes sense to tune the batter and resonant head to the same tension, giving the drums maximum resonance.

3. Play Rimshots — Even on the Toms

Normally, rimshots are associated with strong accents and more volume. That’s true when playing with sticks. But rimshots played with rods have a much warmer and more restrained character. The material of the rods is very “soft,” producing almost no additional overtones, and instead significantly amplifies the tone of the drum itself — frequencies that aren’t perceived as particularly harsh or loud.

That’s why it’s especially worth using rimshots more deliberately when playing with rods. Try playing your toms with a rimshot and you’ll be surprised what kind of sound is possible. With a little practice, doubles and fine ghost notes can also be played as rimshots. Depending on how deep into the head you strike, you can also play with dynamics — rimshots vary in volume and fullness depending on where you trigger the head. If you play nearly all strokes as rimshots, you’ll also get the increased dynamic range back under control. It’s important, however, to play rimshots as loosely as possible when using rods, since they wear out faster – so don’t put too much energy into each stroke.

4. Bring Your Bass Drum Back Into the Mix

When playing with rods, the bass drum often falls out of the mix. It can quickly start to sound too loud and boomy. Using a smaller shell that already sounds more focused and compact can help. But also choosing the right beater, or a pedal that prioritizes control over power, can restore a balanced overall sound. I’ve previously shared some practical tips on how to make the bass drum quieter.

5. Use Light, But Not Too Dark Cymbals

Similar to playing with brushes, rods also pair well with cymbals that respond quickly but don’t sound too dark. Particularly light thin and paper-thin cymbals in a traditional finish — ones that also bring silvery tones on the attack — work well here. This way, even with a very light touch, you get a defined attack and a quickly opening wash. Many handmade Turkish cymbals, such as the Vintage Bliss series from Dream Cymbals, meet exactly these requirements. Heavy medium cymbals, on the other hand, tend to sound glassy and sterile when played with rods, because they need more energy to reach their full potential.

6. Not All Rods Are Equal

When it comes to rebound and feel, there can be a world of difference between rod products. Many rods are very heavy, making loose playing nearly impossible — they’re really only useful in moments where you specifically want that rod sound. Others may be too stiff, producing too many overtones and making the drums sound harsh rather than warm and round. Personally, I’ve had the best experience with classic maple rods that are bound fairly loosely. They tend to be lighter and therefore offer enough rebound to play doubles — something I couldn’t do without as a drummer. Of course, maple rods don’t have a particularly long lifespan, and given the prices manufacturers typically charge, playing quietly can come with quite a cost. Bamboo or fiber rods are more durable, but usually don’t offer a particularly good playing feel.

Summary

Playing with rods requires a different technique to manage the increased dynamic range. Players who use rimshots frequently can also put them to good use with rods to compensate for exactly this issue. Since rods transfer less energy to the heads, single-ply heads are the way to go. Additional dampening that emphasizes the tone of the drum can also be useful. It’s worth experimenting with slightly higher tunings when playing with rods – depending on the drums, this can yield more warmth and tone. Very light cymbals with plenty of silvery overtones that open up quickly sound far less glassy with rods. If you want a good rebound feel similar to sticks, pay attention to the balance and weight of the rods. Rods absorb a lot of the energy you put into them – so the lighter the rods, the better the rebound.

Thank you for reading!

Christoph Schmieding

Growing up as a church musician, Chris now plays in various projects around Singer/Songwriter, Gospel, Jazz and Independent Music. Chris is part of the Mosaik Community Düsseldorf, which regularly organizes concerts with well-known artists in a living room atmosphere as part of their “Kulturbühne”.