Simply put, a drum kit is a collection of percussion instruments played by a musician. When playing as part of a band set-up, the drummer sets the tempo and lays down the right backbeat, helping their fellow musicians keep time.
Acoustic Drum Kit Parts
The most commonly used drum set-up includes a kick drum, two rack toms, a floor tom, a snare drum, a hi-hat, a crash cymbal, and a ride cymbal. This load-out allows you to play virtually any style.
Cymbals
Cymbals can be divided into rhythmic and accent cymbals. Since both are used to play steady beats, hi-hats and ride cymbals are examples of rhythmic cymbals. Crash cymbals, on the other hand, are used to add clear accents at the right time. Crashes shape a bright, mix-cutting sound and are often struck to mark the end of a fill or a song.
Snare Drums
Snare drums are positioned between the drummer's knees and produce a distinctive sound with the help of a set of snare wires built into the drum. Installed on the underside of the drum, the wires shape a uniquely crisp sound every time they come into contact with the skin.
Toms
Toms give you the option to vary the pitch of fills but they can also be used to play rhythms. Depending on the size and build, toms shape a warm, deep sound, where bigger toms obviously produce a deeper sound than smaller toms. There's also a distinction between floortoms and rack toms. The floor tom is usually set up to the right of the drummer and is the lowest-pitched tom of the kit. As implied, rack toms are usually mounted on a rack or bar and sit above the kick drum. Most drummers mount their toms in order of size (so pitch), setting them up from high to low to make it easier to play fills.
Kick Drums
You might've guessed that the bass drum takes care of the lowest pitched sounds. Bass drums are also called kick drums, because they're played using a kick drum pedal .
Acoustic and Electronic Drum Kits
Acoustic drums can be quite loud and can easily annoy your neighbours or house mates. As such, if you live in a built-up area or an apartment, going for an electronic drum kit can be a better option, however, there is the point that acoustic kits are easier to expand. That said, it's important to know that an acoustic drum kit requires a fair bit of maintenance, and that the cost of fresh sticks, drumheads and cymbals only increase when you start playing louder and more often. The great thing about electronic drum kits is that the sky's the limit in terms of sounds. Most digital kits with come hundreds of different sounds as standard, and can be fleshed out further using a computer installed with DAW software.
Damping Your Drum Kit
You can dampen your drum kit in two ways. You can tweak it to lower the volume, or you can just dampen the unwanted overtones.
Limiting the Volume
The volume can be reined in by installing either special rubber pads or by swapping out your standard drum heads for mesh-heads . This, combined with damper pads and silent cymbals, can significantly reduce the volume of any acoustic kit.
Dampening the Resonance
The point of limiting the resonance is to eliminate unwanted overtones. This can be done by sticking small, special adhesive gel-pads to the drumhead to make sure any ultra-high overtones are effectively countered. Alternatively, plenty of drummers use duct-tape or damping rings for the same effect.
See our Drum Damping Gear Buyer's Guide for more information about lowering the volume and resonance of acoustic drum kits.
Playing the Drums
Playing the drums is easy to learn yet hard to master. Taking lessons is never a bad idea, but if you'd rather figure it out on your own, take a minute to check out our 'How to Become a Drummer' blog or get a drum book - the basics are simple enough to teach yourself. Young beginners can start off playing a special drum kit for kids .
Buying a Drum Kit
If you're a complete beginner, it's important to make sure to get a 'standard' kit, meaning a kit that includes a snare drum, two rack toms and a floor tom, plus a hi-hat, a crash cymbal and a ride cymbal (or a crash-ride combo). This set-up allows you to play any style of music you want. If you want more in-depth advice, check out our Drum Kit Buyer's Guide .
What Do I Need With My Drum Kit?
Before you order any drum kit, look at the accessories that come included. While most beginner-friendly kits will come with cymbals and stands, they often lack essentials like a drum throne, sticks and a kick drum pedal. A drum throne or drum stool is important not only because you need something to sit on, but because it can often be adjusted to support a good playing posture. A kick drum pedal is just as important. A basic, affordable model will do just fine for beginners, especially because it can take a while to find out what you like in terms of action, feel and response. When it comes to drum sticks , it's important to look at the weight and size, which are indicated by a number followed by a letter. If you're just starting out, a 'standard' pair of 5A sticks is advised. Young beginners are better off with a pair of 7A sticks, which are a bit thinner and lighter. If you're not sure what you need, you can always try a drumstick starter-pack that includes different sizes or a money-saving multi-pack. Also, don't forget about hearing protection - drum kits are loud enough to be able to cause permanent hearing damage
Frequently Asked Questions About Drum Kits
How do you tune an acoustic drum kit?
As you get more experienced, you might want the option to adjust the sound of your drums. This can be done by tightening or loosening the tuning lugs using a drum key. For a more in-depth explanation, visit our 'How to Tune Your Drum Kit' blog.
How does a drum kit work?
An acoustic drum kit produces sound when the drums are struck, causing the drumheads to vibrate.
How are drum kits made?
Building a drum kit starts with picking out the wood, which is then processed into thin plies, rolled into shape and glued into shells. The shells are then finished with hardware and drum skins.
How many decibels does a drum kit produce?
On average and depending on the drums played, acoustic drum kits generate between 90dB and 130dB.
