A baton is a stick that is used by conductors primarily to indicate the musical beat of a piece through horizontal and vertical movements. They are generally made of a light wood, fiberglass or carbon fiber which is tapered to a grip in a 'pear' shape, usually of cork or wood. Professional conductors often have them made to their own specifications based on their own physical demands and the nature of the performance: Sir Henry Wood and Herbert von Karajan are some examples