Overview of batchi

There are a variety of drum sticks, or batchi, used to play the different types of Japanese drums. Because no single pair of batchi is suited for all Japanese drums and playing styles, most players will have a number of different pairs of batchi. In general, larger, heavier batchi are used with larger drums and vise-versa. Batchi are mainly chosen to match the properties of each drum, but there is some variation for different styles of play and for musical purposes. The different weights and densities of batchi produce different sounds, both in the drum they are striking, and from the tone produced by the batchi itself. The tone of the batchi is most noticeable when striking a hard surface, like the rim of a drum or another batchi, but is still distinguishable in a drum hit as well.

There are three main woods used to make batchi. In increasing density, they are hinoki, hou, and kashi. Hinoki is a very light, fragrant Japanese cedar. It has a subtle but distinctive high-pitch tone. The light-weight wood damages easily and is not often used to play hard surfaces like the rim of a nagado-daiko or a metallic instrument. Hinoki batchi are often used in Edo-bayashi, hougaku, and other traditional musics, and thick, long hinoki batchi are often used in o-daiko playing. The porous grain of hinoki absorbs sweat well and gives a good grip. This grain, however, is subject to splitting at the striking end with hard use. The large diameter o-daiko batchi are not as prone to this deterioration but will still need occasional replacing.

Hou is a variety of Japanese maple, slightly more dense than hinoki. It is harder, allowing light strikes to hard surfaces, and more dense, losing some of the crisp sound of hinoki. When playing multiple drums of different sizes, a tsukeshime and a nagado together for example, hou batchi are sometimes used as a reasonable compromise between light hinoki, which sounds "slappy" and body-less on larger drums, and kashi, which sounds dull and heavy on smaller drums. Although hou will dent with hits to the rim of a drum, it is very much recommended over the harder, more durable kashi because the slightly softer wood helps reduce the risk of damaging the drum's rim. It is much preferable to replace batchi occasionally than to try and repair a drum's rim.

Kashi is a Japanese oak and is the densest of the three standard woods. Its heft is used to produce a smooth, forceful tone in larger drums, namely thick-skinned nagado in sizes above 1 shaku 6 sun. With it's greater weight and hardness, extreme caution must be exercised in hits to the rim of a nagado-daiko as even moderate-strength hits with kashi batchi can dent and eventually destroy a taiko's rim. Kashi batchi will darken over time from sweat and oils from the hands and exposure to air and moisture, but will last years when used properly.

Other types of wood have also been used for batchi. A type of Japanese maple called kaede, as well as another wood known as "kaba" in Japanese, have also been used by some taiko players.

All three wood types are used in batchi of varying lengths, diameters, and tapers. Hinoki batchi tend to be shorter and thicker with only one end rounded or beveled. Hou come in longer sizes with two usable ends, as well as one-sided, tapered versions. Kashi batchi are usually rounded at both ends and range in diameter from 18mm to 30mm and in length from 32cm to 42cm. There are specialty batchi, like the short, thick, heavily tapered hinoki batchi used in Yatai-Bayashi and the long, slender kashi batchi called nagabatchi used in Kabuki theater. Some taiko manufacturers also produce custom shapes and use custom woods.

Choosing batchi

When choosing batchi, intended use is the first consideration. The drum with which the batchi will be used, the intended sound, as well as playing style and visual aesthetic are all possible considerations. Smaller, lighter, batchi are often used with smaller drums, allowing fast playing with less strain on the wrists and arms. Larger batchi are often used with larger drums to produce powerful hits and to visually accentuate movements. There are no set rules to batchi selection but one must be careful not to overplay a drum with batchi that are too heavy. Playing a small, namitsuke (thinnest skin - level 1) tsukeshime-daiko with dense, kashi batchi will dramatically hasten the deterioration of the skins. When playing a set of multiple, different-type drums with a singe set of batchi, a compromise must be made. In these cases one should err on the side of lighter batchi, making sure not to overplay the smallest or most fragile drum. Tapered batchi are sometimes used for fast playing, giving slightly longer batchi the feel of lighter, shorter sticks. Tapered batchi are rarely used for strong, big-movement hits as their light weight at the tip carries little momentum.

Due to the natural inconsistencies of wood, batchi of the same type, and even from the same tree, can have very different characteristics. When purchasing batchi, it is common to match a pair approximately by weight with a small scale or by feel, and then to match them by tone, flicking the center of the batchi with a fingernail or tapping the batchi lightly on a relatively hard surface. (Lighter woods like hinoki can be damaged very easily and the utmost care must be made when testing various batchi. Never hit batchi against a bare table or other unprotected, hard surface, especially when evaluating a number of batchi for purchase.)

Any batchi can be broken from long, heavy use, but properly balancing batchi densities with drum types can lengthen batchi life. Trade-offs sometimes have to be made when playing multiple, different sized drums with a single pair of batchi. Tapered hou batchi, for example, in a set of drums including tsuke-shime, okedo-daiko, and nagado-daiko, might be preferable to kashi batchi which might damage the smaller tsukeshime-daiko. Musical or visual demands might also require non-standard batchi. A song might call for crisp sounds from small hinoki batchi on the rim of a tsukeshime, and those batchi would have to be replaced more often than a more durable, but duller-sounding batchi. Poor hitting technique can also contribute to batchi wear and tear. Hitting with too small an angle between the batchi and the drum head can fracture or snap batchi. Hard mis-hits to the rim or edge of the drum face can do the same. Many performers attach batchi bags to the back side of drum stands or place extra batchi on stage in case one is broken or dropped.