ELEMENT C

PRESENTATION AND JUSTIFICATION OF

SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS
Problem Statement

Since the birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll in the 50s, drummers have been fueled to play
heavier, heart-pounding beats that are higher energy and more powerful. This
aggressive style of playing frequently brings collateral damage upon the tool used
to hit the drums, the drumstick. Because of this, many drummers find themselves
having to replace their drumsticks as often as once a week, adding up to significant
costs in the hundreds of dollars every year.

Introduction

This document will list the necessary criteria that needs to be met in the creation of
the solution. In order to create an effective product for consumers, the stakeholders
must be considered to determine the requirements of the design. The criteria was
chosen based on the needs of key consumers. The specifications are listed by
highest priority to the stakeholders.

Primary Stakeholders

The main consumers for this design will be drummers of all ages and experience
levels who are looking to spend less money on drumsticks. Buying a more durable
drumstick will save these drummers both time and money by lasting longer and not
forcing them to go out and buy new ones every time a pair breaks. Additionally,
less experienced drummers are more likely to have a use for this product since less
experienced drummers are more likely to break sticks with incorrect drumming
technique. Drummers in hard-hitting music styles, such as rock, metal, and punk,
also appear to greatly benefit from this design as their sticks would break more
frequently than those of other genres.

Collected Survey Data

A survey was distributed to primary stakeholders via several online social

organizations and forums regarding drumsticks and preferences. The data collected
in this survey was used to determine the design requirements based on consumer
needs.

Drumstick Survey Data: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lPYfuGRSSF5v-

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Design Requirements

● Specification: Design must be more durable than the average, industry

standard drumstick.
○ Rationale: The survey showed there is a significant percentage of
drummers who break their sticks every few months or even weeks,
spending large amounts of money on sticks every year. Drummers
need more durable sticks. This is difficult to quantify as stick
durability depends on a number of unique factors(how hard/often
someone practices), but the design should be more durable in general
than conventionally used sticks.

● Specification: Design must be similar in weight to conventionally used

drumsticks, between 1.5-2 ounces per stick
○ Rationale: Survey respondents overwhelmingly said they would not
sacrifice the feel of the drumstick for more durability. Weight is a
prime element of drumstick feel (Drumstick Anatomy. (2017, July 20). The
Vault at Music & Arts. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from
https://thevault.musicarts.com/drumstick-anatomy/).

● Specification: Design must have solid balance.

○ Rationale: Survey respondents overwhelmingly said they would not
sacrifice the feel of the drumstick for more durability. Good balance is
a prime element of drumstick feel (Drumstick Anatomy. (2017, July 20).
The Vault at Music & Arts. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from
https://thevault.musicarts.com/drumstick-anatomy/).

● Specification: Design should have a pleasing tone, similar to standard

drumsticks.
○ Rationale: Survey respondents were generally not willing to sacrifice
tone for a more durable drumstick. Durability doesn’t matter if the
sticks don’t sound pleasing to the ear when played.
● Specification: Design should cause no additional damage to cymbals and/or
drum heads
○ Rationale: Survey respondents were not willing to sacrifice the
lifespan of their cymbals and drum heads for higher durability sticks.
Stronger, more durable materials such as metals and synthetics may
end up dishing out more damage to a drummer's more expensive gear
(Different Types Of Drum Sticks | 2022. (2021, March 7). Drumming Tips.
Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://www.drummingtips.com/different-
types-of-drum-sticks/).

● Specification: Cost of production must not exceed $20 per pair.

○ Rationale: In order to make the product appealing to the consumer,
retail price should be somewhere between the cost of a cheaper,
average drumstick, and the price of more expensive options, such as
carbon fiber. Thus the cost of production must be even less to turn a
profit on the product. The average price for a standard pair of
drumsticks, such as the Vic Firth 5A, is about $11 (American Classic®
5A. (n.d.). Vic Firth. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from
https://vicfirth.zildjian.com/american-classic-5a.html),
and the price for high-
end, synthetic drumsticks, such as the Ahead Rock, is around $35 per
pair (ROCK. (n.d.). AHEAD Drumsticks. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from
https://www.aheaddrumsticks.com/drumsticks-rk.html#.Y20stKbMKGp).

● Specification: Design must be similar in texture to conventionally used

drumsticks
○ Rationale: Survey respondents overwhelmingly said they would not
sacrifice the feel of the drumstick for more durability. Texture is a
prime element of drumstick feel (Drumstick Anatomy. (2017, July 20). The
Vault at Music & Arts. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from
https://thevault.musicarts.com/drumstick-anatomy/).

● Specification: Design should reduce stick vibrations.

○ Rationale: Excess stick vibrations can cause more fatigue and less
comfort for a drummer while playing, according to Ahead Drumsticks
(E-Training. (n.d.). AHEAD Drumsticks. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from
https://www.aheaddrumsticks.com/e-training.html).
Conclusion
To appeal to the primary stakeholders, our new drumstick model shall incorporate the
specifications listed above. The drumstick will be marketed towards drummers of all ges and
experience levels, but specifically those who play hard-hitting genres of music and newer
drummers. The drumstick will save all of these stakeholders both time and money by lasting
longer and not forcing them to drive to buy drumsticks or spend that extra money on more pairs
of drumsticks.

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