Drum Buyers Guide for the First Time Drummer

Playing drums

So you’ve decided to start playing the drums? Awesome! But where do you start? How many drums should your first kit have? What cymbals? And do you really need more cowbell? This drum buyers guide hopes to take some of the stress out of buying your first drum kit.

THE BASICS

One of the most frustrating things when buying something new is getting home and not being able to use it because you didn’t get everything you need- like forgetting to buy batteries. Make sure that you have everything you need in order to start playing  the moment your kit is setup. Drum Essentials:

The Shells – The drums themselves

The hardware – The cymbal and snare drum stands

Cymbals – The essentials are the Hi-Hat, Crash, and Ride cymbals

A drum stool – also known as the throne

Drumsticks

FULL KIT OR SEPARATE COMPONENTS?

A full basic drum kit set-up should have: bass drum, snare drum, floor tom, toms (x2), hi-hat, crash cymbal and a ride cymbal. You will also need a chair (drum throne) to sit on as well a bass drum pedal. And don’t forget drumsticks!

Buying a full pack that is inclusive of all these components is both the most cost effective, and easiest option for your first kit, as all the guess work is removed.

Our recommendation would be to start with one of these sets, and slowly upgrade parts down the line.

ELECTRIC VS ACOUSTIC DRUMS

A simple electronic kit is a beginners dream! You get all the drums and cymbals you could ever need to start playing right away… all in one package. Don’t like the sound of a kit? Change to the next one in the set! Want to record your drumming? Just plug it into your computer! Easy.

The biggest upside of electric kits is that they are virtually silent, making them perfect for the home when trying to not make too much noise.

So why would anyone want an acoustic kit over an electronic one?

The simple answers are price and feel. An electronic kit can cost more than an acoustic kit. Many new students are reluctant to part with too much money when they are just starting out. The feel of the electronic kit is also very different.

Top of the range electronic kits have a similar feel to an acoustic kit, but these fall into a much higher price bracket. The student line electronic kits are made with hard rubber pads, so they have a completely different feel to an acoustic kit.

So if you switch from an electronic kit to an acoustic kit, you might encounter a new learning curve to overcome in the transition.

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