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Choosing your first drum kit can be a daunting prospect. Maybe you have visions of having a fully featured kit with drums of all sizes and all kinds arrayed before you while you sit in the middle thumping out a beat. It can be like that, but for most people the first kit is usually a lot more modest.

The basic kit of drums usually consists of a standard 4-piece set up. This is dominated by a large 22 inch bass drum. In front of that there will be a 14 inch snare drum. Two tom-tom drums will accompany the set up: a 16 inch floor tom and a 12 inch rack tom. As well as the drums there is usually a crash cymbal and a hi-hat to round off the basic set up.

Most bands today have a more elaborate drum set up than the standard basic one. However, that is because the drummer is a professional who has learned how to play drums the hard way – through many years of hard gruelling practice.

When it comes to choosing your first drum kit the best advice is to keep it simple. Don’t assume that in buying the fanciest and flashiest kit there is you will automatically become a great drummer. You might, but then again, you might not. It is best to buy the level and quality of drum kit that is as good as your playing is.

There are several reasons for doing this. One, if you discover that you don’t have a particular aptitude for drumming, then you won’t have wasted too much money, and two, you can grow your drum kit along with your level of expertise. In other words, as you get better you can upgrade to better drum equipment.

There is the question of which make of drumming equipment you should purchase. Should it be Mapex, Ludwig, Pacific or Pearl? Or should it be something more modest? Probably the best advice is to buy a kit that is cheap and simple. Also, try to get a kit where each component is made by the same manufacturer.

If every piece is made by a different company, there could be basic incompatibility problems. However, a fairly cheap and simple set made by some obscure manufacturer can be the best choice for a first drum kit. Use this set to practice, practice and practice. When you can afford it, and more importantly, when you think you are really ready, then upgrade to a better drum set up.

Another mistake that potential drummers make is to try and assemble as many pieces as possible. They see themselves surrounded by multiple toms and a dizzying array of cymbals and hi-hats, cow bells and octobans. Don’t do it. It’s a simple fact that if it’s there asking to be hit, you will hit it regardless of whether or not it’s a good idea.

Less is more in the case of your first drum set up. Learn the ropes first. Get your feet wet with a minimal kit, practice hard and become proficient, and then progress on to higher and bigger things. It’s a musical journey, enjoy it!

As a drummer, the most important thing is to have some good drums. Now, as a beginner, you might not know how to choose a drum set. Well, there are some key points you will want to look at.

First, when choosing a drum set you must think of how many drums you want. A beginner will probably want to start out with a five piece set as that is pretty much the standard. But a more experienced drummer will look for something based on the sound they are trying to achieve.

Material is pretty important as well. You want to choose a wood that the drum is made out of that you like. The differences are in the sound. Without a developed ear, this choice is really not too big a deal because most drum sets will sound the same. However, one good choice here is a maple kit.

Size is also important. Choosing the right diameter and depth is key for getting the sound you will want. Many manufacturers will offer varying sizes and the key is finding the one that produces the sound you are looking for from your kit.

One of the last things you want to look at is price. Obviously there are huge differences in price range and this can be a sticking point for some. As a beginning drummer you may want to look for something in the 500-1000 dollar range, which understandably is pretty expensive. While there are cheaper sets which can provide decent quality sound, they may not last very long.

When you choose a drum set you have to look at all of these things and combine them with your personal opinion of the kit.

Like with your drums, there are a number of cymbals you can use in your drum kit. The range of cymbals you have often comes down to personal preference and the type of music you are looking to play. However, there are a number of cymbals that can be considered essential in a standard drum kit. These are the hi-hats, ride and crash cymbals.

Hi-Hat Cymbals
Hi-hats are actually two cymbals facing each other horizontally and are usually between 13 to 15 inches in diameter. They are mounted on a stand that connects to a pedal at the bottom. The pedal controls the opening and the closing of the cymbals and is operated by the drummer’s left foot.

Crash Cymbals
Like the name suggests, the crash makes a crashing sound when they are hit by the drum stick. Their size ranges from 14 to 20 inches. It is a stand alone cymbal mounted on top of a stand.

Ride Cymbals
Ranging from 16 to 24 inches, the ride is bigger than the hi-hats and in turn make a louder sound. Like the crash, it is a single cymbal mounted on a stand.

Drummers love customization, and there is plenty of room for customization even in this fundamental range of cymbals. There are different sizes, and even the brand of cymbal you choose can make a big difference to your sound. Some of the biggest manufacturers are Zildjian, Paiste and Sabian. Each company has a wide variety of the essential cymbals; not just in size but in width and product lines. The placement around the drum set as well at the height you set the cymbals at give another opportunity for personal preference.

Learning perfect drum kit technique takes a huge amount of practice and time. If you learn properly you will be able to achieve faster, more precise fills and solos with perfect control. Learning to have perfect control over the drums requires a strict daily practice regime. The greats didn’t ever slack off and neither should you. To have a good practice regime you need to practice rudiments on a daily basis, practice both traditional and standard grip along with those rudiments, and learn the science and theory of the drum kit.

Practising drum rudiments

Practising drum rudiments is the most important part of getting a perfect drum kit technique. You will eventually need to learn all forty drum rudiments off the top of your head being able to execute them instantly if asked, and using both types of grip. When you start learning all forty drum rudiments its very important that you don’t overwhelm yourself and only take on a select few at a time. Once they are mastered move onto the next two or three, and so on.

Practising traditional grip

Most drummers only learn to play the drums in standard (matched) grip, this not only cause problems learning certain techniques but can slow down the whole process of improving. When you are practising the drums I would recommend spending the first half using the grip you are the most comfortable with and then moving on to the other for the second half. If you practice evenly using both grips then you will have a much faster improvement rate.

Learning the science of drumming

By the science of drumming I don’t mean how to read music or learn how drums are made. What I mean is learning how to use physics to your advantage for example; where the pressure points are in your hand that will slow down or speed up your reaction time, or where to most effectively to hit a drumhead to achieve maximum bounce. This is the science of playing the drums. Using this in conjunction to your standard practice will greatly improve your overall technique.

Having a perfect drum kit technique is a long process. You have to be willing to put in long hours time and time again. No drummer will have natural stick technique without learning in advance. Make sure you don’t fall into the same trap most drummers fall into, start working now and it will pay off.

The traditional complete drum kit usually comes with bass and snare drums, two mounted tom-toms, a tom that sits on the ground, and hi-hat, ride, and crash cymbals.

The Bass Drum

The biggest drum in the set is the base drum. It is located in the middle of all the other drums and sits on the ground. There is a foot mechanism that is connected to a mallet that hits the drum when the percussionist depresses the mechanism toward the floor. In certain cases, this foot mechanism connects two mallets and will require two feet to produce the drumming sound. Bass drums are typically circular cases made out of metal or wood. A circular band is connected to the casing by 6 to 10 tension poles. Another circular band is then attached to the first one and the drum surface is then extended over the 2nd band. This surface, known as the head, will produced different sounds according to how tight or loose the tension poles are.

The Snare Drum

The smaller drum located near the percussionist’s left side is the snare drum. The percussionist hits the head with drumsticks in order to produce the sound. These drums are made just like bass drums except that the snare will have heads on both sides with wires stretched under one or both heads.

Tom-Tom Drums

Tom-tom drums are made of a circular casing with a single head. Most drum kits will include two tom-toms affixed to either side of the bass drum, and a bigger tom that rests on the ground.

Cymbals

The Hi Hat Cymbals

Hi hat cymbals come in twos and are attached to a foot mechanism that is operated by the percussionist’s left foot. When the foot depresses the mechanism, the cymbals will open and close. The percussionist can also hit the cymbals with a drumstick in order to produce a variety of sounds based on how close together the cymbals are.

The Ride Cymbal

Ride cymbals provide a soft sound, and are generally designed to provide an unwavering rhythmic pattern (known as a ride pattern) as the music is played. The size of ride cymbals can vary anywhere from 8 to 26 inches wide, but are typically on the larger side at 18 to 22 inches. They are set up near the percussionist’s right side.

The Splash Cymbal

Splash cymbals are meant to provide bursts of sound throughout the musical piece. The sound is quick and resembles a splash of water. These cymbals come in sizes from 6 to 12 inches, however they are typically mid-sized at 8 or 10 inches.

The Crash Cymbal

Crash cymbals are meant to provide a noisy, continuous sound. You will typically find this kind of cymbal used at the climax of a musical composition. The size of crash cymbals can range from 8 to 24 inches, however they are typically mid-sized at anywhere between 14 inches and 18 inches. Crash cymbals can be affixed in twos, or a percussionist can decide to use crash cymbals that vary in size. They can then be hit together in order to create an extremely noisy crash sound.