What is the best way to choose a conducting baton?

Answer 1

Ultimately, the best way to select a baton is by trying several and going with what feels best to you and also gets the response you want from the musicians.

Generally speaking:

• the baton should be just about the length of your forearm to the middle joint of your middle finger. That's between 12-14 inches for most folks. You can go shorter for smaller ensembles, longer for larger. There's no defined rule though - it's a matter of what feels right to you personally.
• the baton should be well balanced. Ideally it should balance perfectly on your finger when laid across where the handle meets the shafts.
• plastic handles and plastic shafts are inexpensive but will tend to "feel" cheap too. Fiberglass and carbon fiber shafts last better than plastic or wood. Wooden shafts are prone to splinter but are very light. Cork handles are light but prone to wear with age. Wood handles are heavier but "feel" luxurious. Balance is more important than composition.
• handles come in a variety of shapes. None is "better" than the others. They're options to make the baton fit best in your hand and to become an extension of your gestures. Try several. I find that a pear shape doesn't escape my grasp as I get tired.
• a top quality baton will exude and inspire confidence. Though most musicians won't know the particulars of any specific style, material, or brand; you will. A fine wooden handle and shaft makes you feel very different than does a $4 plastic. Especially if you're the type who values quality in other areas of your life.
• If you need the baton for conducting class in college and you have no intention of ever being a conductor or school ensemble director then it doesn't matter nearly as much as if you're going to be waving it several hours every day. A heavy or unbalanced baton can and will cause rotator cuff damage with repetition. If you're going to be waving it for hours per day for the next 40-50 years, buy very good quality such as Mollard.