similar weight to the Lightning Rod) soon followed from Pro-Mark. The rute stick for drum kit is now produced by most major drum stick manufacturers including also Vic Firth and Vater. Grip techniques The rute stick is held in the same way as a drum stick, and therefore is usually held either with a matched grip or a traditional grip. The "handle" of the rute is the plastic area, as the drum or cymbal is struck with the wooden "rutes" or bundles of wooden stick. References Percussion instrument beaters