Vic Firth has released a new signature stick created by WGI Hall of Fame member Mike Jackson. The design features a reverse taper, meaning it is larger in the middle and thinner on the ends, creating a higher-pitched sound and rim shot.
“I think the way that the weight is distributed and the mass of the stick is what makes it special,” Jackson says. “There’s a reverse taper that makes it slightly thinner where you grip; that’s something Vic Firth has never done before with a snare stick.”
Jackson currently serves as percussion caption head for the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps; in the past he has worked with Santa Clara Vanguard and Mission Viejo High School.
“As an instructor, being able to hear that pitch through the ensemble— I always gravitate towards that sound,” Jackson says. “And when I teach and write, I use that color more than a full-bodied rim shot, so I wanted to create a stick that would achieve that same tone.”
According to Jackson, he was inspired to create this stick when he found an old pair packed away in a box. He blended the elements of old and new to design a stick that works for everyone.
“The intent of the design is to get the best sound possible,” Jackson says. “It doesn’t matter the level of the player or where you use it, indoors or out.”
For more information and to order, visit www.vicfirth.com.
