I just wanted something that would safely give a vastly different sound with effects cymbals. Not so hard as wooden sticks, not so soft as felt mallets. These are just about right as "Soft" rubber. Fine if you are playing percussion, a little more difficult to grab instead of a normal stick if you are the band's main drummer perhaps. No problem if you are adding effects to a recording! They were a little difficult to find in the Orff / Education section, but there are many goodies tucked away on this website if you browse enough!