The variety of drumsticks can seem baffling the first time you shop, but once you get the hang of things it's quite simple. The number assigned to a drumstick refers to its circumference; the lower the number, the larger the circumference. Chunkier sticks are favored for styles of music where you want loud, driving drums, such as R&B, punk, and metal. Thinner sticks are better for genres where the drums should be quieter and more subtle, such as folk or jazz.You can also buy drum brushes, which are used when you want very quiet drums, for instance, when playing acoustic music.