Drum Kit Buyers Guide
Drum kit buyers guide
What you need to start drumming.
Many people start with a pair of drumsticks and play on cushions, pillows, boxes etc before getting their first kit.
The standard Drum Kit
Standard drum kits are made up of 5 drums, 2 cymbals and a hi hat. + stands for snare drum and cymbals.
A bass drum (The biggest drum, also referred to as a kick drum)The term 'bass' refers to the low pitched sound the drum makes. A pedal is depressed with the foot causing a beater to strike the drum head.
A snare drum (it has a set of wires called snares stretched over the bottom head) Snares drums are often of a chrome finish. Snare drums make a distinctive crack sound when struck, due to the snares vibrating on the bottom head when the top head is struck with a stick.
2 tom toms (high and medium pitch), mounted on top of the bass drum and called rack or mounted toms.
A floor tom (low pitch) which has legs and stands on the floor, or it is mounted on a cymbal stand without legs.
Each drum has a top and bottom plastic head. Heads can be tuned and changed if they split, as they do from time to time. They also lose their tone over time. A drum key is required to tune the drum and also loosen the tension bolts that hold the rim that keeps the head ‘in tension’ on the drum.
Standard sizes; Bass drum 22 x 17", Snare drum 14 x 5”, Mounted toms 12 x 8" and 13 x 9", Floor tom 16 x 16"
There is usually a crash/ride cymbal, a smaller crash cymbal, both mounted on stands, a hi hat pedal and 2 hi hat cymbals that are closed and opened with the foot and mounted on a stand.
Drum stool.
A drum mat - prevents the bass drum creeping forward on hard floors.
Drum kits can be set up for right or left handed players.
Questions to consider if thinking of buying a kit;
If your son or daughter has been pestering you for a drum kit and they have driven you mad tapping in the house on the furniture, on the dining table, in the kitchen etc, there are a couple of things to consider.
1. Have you got room for a drum kit?
2. Can you arrange with neighbours to allow practice at specific times? This is a good way to preserve neighbour relationships.
3. A set of drum dampers can be bought that fit to the heads of the drums and muffle the sound. You can make them yourself from rubber or underlay or place towels over the heads.
You can teach yourself to play drums. There are plenty of You tube videos, instruction books, DVDs and CDs available.
If you are looking for an online course or teacher near you check out our music lessons page by clicking here.