The answer is....stick choice. Drumsticks are the main driving factor in what tonal qualities you can contribute. Aren't all drumsticks the same? No. Not by a long shot. As a proud owner and user of Vic Firth for many years, here's a list of a few sticks that can turn your playing into something more musical.

Extreme 5A - A longer stick for those who want a little bit more reach around the set. The X5A is a well balanced stick that offers a heavier shaft and a slimmer tapper that produces a clear response from the head whether playing to or through the head, and a nice cozy sound from your cymbals.

Rock - The Rock stick has a barrel shaped tip that produces a full and well rounded sound across the kit. Much more powerful than the X5A.

SD5 Echo - The Echo is a uniquely shaped stick with a small tapper at the butt, long thin shaft, and very fast tapper to a small teardrop tip. These things are GREAT for real light playing and exceptional cymbal responses that are incredibly tasty.

SD11 Slammer - The Slammer is just a hard driving stick that is excellent for playing rock. The arrowhead tip produces one heck of a cutting sound through the ensemble and really neat responses from the cymbals as well.

AH7A - A well balanced light stick that is absolutely perfect for Jazz, Light Rock, and anything that requires a LIGHT touch.

SDW2 - The Dave Weckl Evolution stick is by far my favorite to play with. It has a short slow tapper to a barrel tip that produces a light full sound from the heads and a brilliant full sound on the cymbals.

Rock Rake - Has stiff plastic bristles that have incredible sound range and projection. These are best used when playing with an upstroke.

Rute 202 - The Rute series are great for a light woody sound that projects well through the ensemble. Rutes are best used for a light tasty sound, but is still able to drive the band.

Steve Smith Tala Wand - Kind of like the rute but with bamboo dowels surrounding a foam core. Great balance and rebound and provides a lower note sound than rutes, but allows for heavier playing, instead of light and tasty.

Play around with different stick choices and you might be pleasantly surprised at the musical response.

That Tala Wand sounds like just the thing the drummers in my church need to use. They apparently can't hit the drums with less force, and Multirods and Rutes are still too loud.

Yeah Laklander I meant to send you a message about the Tala wands because I think that would definitely help out your drummers for sure, and it may be that they can't hit the drum with less force because their muscle memory hasn't been taught how to yet...

Indeed one of the most important decisions for a drummer. It took me awhile to find a perfect pair for drum playing style. After I tried Vic Firth's X5A the search was over.
Recently I got some very interesting pair, the broomsticks sold by pro-mark. They are very cool. Regal Tip also have a very interesting catalogue of sticks.

This might give some insights on this important decision. I wrote about three newly released sticks by Vic Firth. Check them out:

Live Wires - http://www.musicgearreview.com/article-display/3460.html

5AKF - http://www.musicgearreview.com/article-display/3426.html

5A Pink - http://www.musicgearreview.com/article-display/3406.html.

I also play X5A's! Goooood choice...

Ha great! I always try new sticks when I can, but still, none of them do the job as well as the X5A does to me. That "X" really makes the difference.