Staying Organized Having a Vic Firth Marching Stick Bag
If you've ever been in the middle associated with a high-energy present and felt your own grip slip, a person know precisely why having a vic firth marching stick bag attached in order to your drum is usually a non-negotiable. There is nothing very like the anxiety of a stick flying out associated with your hand throughout a fast-paced feature, only to recognize your backups are sitting in the pile ten foot away within the sideline. For anyone who's spent a summertime on a humid asphalt parking lot or under the particular bright lights associated with a stadium, this particular little piece associated with gear is basically your best buddy.
Why This Bag Is a Drumline Staple
When you're out on area, everything is about performance. You don't have got time to clutter around with zippers or flimsy shoulder straps. Vic Firth provides been in the game for a long period, plus it shows within how they developed their marching luggage. They aren't attempting to reinvent the particular wheel; they're just making sure the particular wheel doesn't fall off while you're hitting a rimshot.
Most drummers I know trust by the conventional vic firth marching stick bag since it's built to take a beating. Marching band and drum corps are infamously hard on equipment. You're throwing your own drums in plus out of trailers, dealing with rain, heat, and the particular occasional accidental give up from a fellow artist. The heavy-duty nylon each uses for these bags doesn't just look professional—it actually holds up over a four-month tour or even a long high school season.
The Magic of the MSBAG and MSBAG2
If you've appeared into these, you've probably seen 2 main versions: the particular single-pair bag as well as the double-pair bag. Let's break down exactly why you might select one over the other, because honestly, this will depend on your own specific role in the line.
The single bag is sleek. If you're a snare drummer who seldom breaks sticks (lucky you), having only one backup right right now there is usually enough. It keeps the carol light and doesn't add a lot associated with bulk to your profile. But, let's become real, most of us gravitate toward the MSBAG2 , which is the double-pair version.
Why 2 pairs? Well, "one is none and two is 1, " as the particular saying goes. In case you're playing tenors or an especially aggressive snare part, having two extra pairs of sticks at the ready is just smart. In addition, the double bag is ideal for those occasions if a teammate manages to lose a stick plus you can function as the hero who fingers them a spare throughout a transition.
How It Really Attaches
A single of my favorite items about the vic firth marching stick bag will be the mounting system. Each uses these adjustable Velcro straps and tow hooks that make this incredibly easy to protected the bag in order to the tension equipment of your drum.
There's a specific art to mounting your bag. You want it close up enough to your hand that you can grab a stick within a split 2nd, although not so near that it interferes along with your playing zone or gets in the way associated with your legs while you're marching. Many snare drummers install theirs for the right side, tilted somewhat toward them. The Vic Firth bags stay put as soon as you tighten all of them down, which is usually huge. I've seen cheaper bags that bounce around or even sag, which is usually incredibly distracting when you're looking to focus on a complicated 16th-note run.
Keeping Your Stays Quiet
A common complaint with a few stick bags is usually the "rattle" factor. If the bag is too loose or the material will be too thin, the sticks inside may vibrate against the cover of the drum. It's a little thing, but it's annoying. The vic firth marching stick bag is definitely padded enough in order to dampen that stoß. It keeps the particular sticks snug so you aren't sounding like a bag of marbles every time you hit the particular drum.
It's Not Just regarding Sticks
While it's literally known as a "stick bag, " most associated with us end upward using it as the mini survival kit. I usually keep a drum key tucked into the particular bottom of mine. You never understand when a mind will start loose or a lug is definitely going to rattle loose.
Some people also tuck a little piece of stick tape or the cleaning cloth in there. Because the bag is made associated with that tough, water-resistant nylon, you don't need to worry too much about your "emergency gear" getting destroyed if it starts to drizzle throughout the third one fourth of the football game.
The particular Style Factor
Okay, let's talk aesthetics for a second. Marching music group is as much a visual art as it is usually a musical one particular. You want your gear to appear sharp. The classic black look along with the white Vic Firth logo is definitely iconic. It matches in with just about any uniform style, whether or not you're in a traditional military-style outfit or even a modern, fancy drum corps outfit. It looks like you mean company.
Tips for Making Your Bag Final
Although these types of bags are difficult, a little treatment goes a lengthy way. Following an especially rainy rehearsal, don't just leave your vic firth marching stick bag attached to your own drum in the particular locker room. Take it off, draw the sticks out there, and let it air dry. In the event that you leave it damp, the nylon can start to smell a little bit funky, and your sticks might even warp.
Also, check the Velcro every now and then. Over a few seasons, bits of grass and felt can get stuck within the hooks, making the grip the little less protected. Just a quick cleaning will keep it sticking such as new. If you deal with it right, a single bag can quickly last you through all four years of high school and well into your college or independent yrs.
Comparing This towards the Competition
I've tried the few other brand names over the years, and while there are some decent alternatives out there, I keep coming back to the vic firth marching stick bag . Some of the "budget" choices use plastic hooks that snap pressurized, or the sewing starts to fray right after just a couple weeks of heavy use.
Vic Firth seems to understand the particular physics of a marching drum much better than many. The way the bag hangs—maintaining the shape even when it's empty—makes this much easier in order to re-insert a stick for those who have an instant of downtime. Some of the floppier bags collapse on themselves, meaning a person need two hands to put the stick back within. For the field, you rarely have two hands free.
Is definitely It Worth the Money?
In the grand scheme associated with percussion gear, the stick bag is among the more affordable investments you'll make. In comparison to the price of a set associated with tenors or even a high-end snare, the vic firth marching stick bag is a drop in the bucket. For the particular associated with a several pairs of stays, you're getting serenity of mind.
Knowing that will your backups are exactly where they need to be allows you to perform with more confidence. You aren't playing "safe" because you're scared of dropping a stick; you're playing out, knowing that in case the worst occurs, you're in the sport in less compared to two beats.
Final Thoughts
In the end of the day, a vic firth marching stick bag is a basic tool that will exactly what it's intended to do. It stays out associated with the way, this keeps your stays accessible, and it survives the grueling schedule of the marching percussionist. Whether you're a freshman just starting out there or a seasoned vet in a world-class corps, it's one associated with those items you'll be glad you have in your stick case.
It's about being ready. Every great functionality is made on a foundation of planning, and that consists of getting your gear arranged. So, the following time you're gearing up for a long rehearsal or even a major competition, make sure that bag is buckled tight and loaded with fresh stays. You'll thank yourself when you're halfway through the show as well as your hands are sweating, the tempo is pushing, plus you're ready for whatever the music throws at a person.