drumming secrets

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You're about to buy a drum kit? I would say think twice and considder all you options before you pull that cash out of your wallet! I'd like to share a few thoughts with you about this topic, as I know from experience that sometimes you're so looking forward to get a set, that you totally forget where to focus on. And to prevent you from being dissapointed coming home with a setup that doesn't sound good or is not really what you had in mind, here's some tips!

What's your budget?

Make shure that you know how much cash you want to spend on a set, before you actually look at any set! That's the best way to protect your budget! Once you step into that world of shining glamour and polished hardware, it's easy to forget about your budget with all risks of getting home with a set that you have to pay off with a loan or a mortgage...... 

What brand do you feel attracted to?

It's a bit strange maybe for me to put it out like this, but in these days there is simply almost no brand that isn't good! If I think back of the time when I was young, there weren't so many different brands in the first place, and also the quality wasn't as good as it is now! I considder the drum world of products to be evolved to a level of consistant quality! I think you need to start somewhere, and I think it's best to start with a brand you actually feel comfortable with, that really attracks you; from the looks, the sound, the artists that use them.... In fact it is almost as if you join a certain community. After having chosen for a brand, you have plenty of time to find out and learn about the service of the brand, the typical sound of the shells, what drum heads to put on them and so on.

Don't start to big!

Start with a small set up that you can always extend by getting more hardware or toms and cymbals. I will always suggest to start with a five piece kit: 22" bass drum, 14" snare drum, 10" tom, 12" tom and a 14" floortom, the hardware (stands) for 2 cymbals, a hi-hat stand and a snare stand, a drum seat (throne), and a bass drum pedal! For cymbals (they always come sperately!) start with a set that many brands offer in the following configuration:

• ride cymbal, crash cymbal and a pair of hi-hats.
• And never forget to invest in maybe 2 pairs of good quality drumsticks.
• I would suggest for teenagers and adults to choose sticks that hang around 5A, for kids7A sticks made of USA hickory wood, no nylon tips!