Buying your first drum-set can be a confusing experience. It’s possible to find drums ranging from $300, all the way up to $10,000. The first drum-set I bought cost me $70. I bought it at a garage sale. It was in horrible condition, and I have absolutely no idea what brand it was. However, it was all I could afford at the time. I felt that it was better to have something to practice on than nothing.
Hopefully for your first drum-set, you can afford something a little better than that. Honestly, when you’re first getting started, the type of set you buy doesn’t make that much difference. One qualifier I would add though, is don’t buy a drum-set at Walmart. Those really aren’t instruments at all, they’re toys. Other than that, buy what you can afford. The important thing is that you buy a full kit. This usually includes 5 drums-a snare, bass drum, and 2-3 toms. It includes a pair of high hat cymbals and a ride cymbal. It usually also includes a crash cymbal, although some kits contain a crash-ride that doubles as both. It should include a high hat and ride cymbal stand along with a crash cymbal stand where applicable. It also includes a bass pedal.
Some kits include a drum throne (stool), and some do not. However, you really do need this when you’re getting started so you can adjust your seat to the best height for your body size. If the kit doesn’t come with a drum throne, you can always buy it separately.
It can be difficult when looking at drum equipment to know what kind of value you’re getting for your money. Just because the drums are a recognizable brand does not necessarily mean they’re a great set of drums. For instance, Zildjian is probably the most popular brand of cymbal. Their cymbals are considered by many drummers to be the absolute best you can buy. However, even Zildjian offers cheap, low grade cymbals, designed for beginning players. Therefore going by brand alone is not really a good indicator of the quality of cymbal you’re getting for your money. Instead, you have to look at various models in each brand and determine whether this is an entry level item you’re looking at, or a pro-grade model. If you’re shopping at at retail store, you can just ask. Otherwise you need to go online and do some research to see what you’re actually buying. Again, my advice is get what you can afford. Just get something you can practice on. You can always sell it and upgrade later. Generally you do get what you pay for when it comes to equipment. However, there’s really no reason that a beginning drummer needs to spend $10,000 on drum equipment. It’s not going to help you learn to play any faster. It is possible to buy a new set with everything you need for $300-$500.
Sometimes I have students ask me if they should buy an electronic drum-set. In most cases, it’s because they’re living in situations where volume is a problem. I’m not a big fan of electronic kits for new students. It’s difficult to develop a sense of touch on an electronic drum kit. If volume is a problem, invest in a pair of ProMark Cool Rods. These are similar to brushes, but they feel more like a drum stick. You can still do rolls pretty easily with these. Buy a pair of these and use them to practice when volume is a big issue. You can probably still practice with sticks, at least part of the time. Just limit the amount of time you practice with sticks to maybe 15 minutes a day, or when your neighbors are at work.
Following these suggestions should take most of the mystery out of buying your first drum-set. I welcome your comments and questions.
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