In the giant scheme of things, when you are talking about gear the one and only true measure is your ear. You can try all the various drum, head, rim, and stick combination’s you read about the pros using, but until you go into a drum shop, or play on someone else’s kit to see what it sounds like, you will never really know what sounds “good”. Especially in the beginning you must spend time trying out different gear to see what suits you and what delivers the sound you are looking for. If possible, take a fellow drummer with some experience with you so he or she can point out things you may have overlooked or simply do not know about. I would love to be able to tell you the salesmen are there to help, but reality is that many times their recommendations are commission driven rather than helping you end up with what is best for you. Take the time to test everything. Even an entry level kit is a big investment that you will live with for quite a while. The worst feeling in the world is laying down your hard earned cash for some new gear and then systematically kicking yourself for the next year and a half because you are unhappy with your choice. Take some extra time in the beginning and you will be happy for years to come.
I truly hope this article helps get you the kit you want at a price within your budget. If you have any questions or would like some recommendations, please feel free to shoot me an email. Also, don’t forget to print out the “CHECK LIST” and take it with you when you are testing gear. This will help greatly to remind you of what to look for when you are ready to do some serious shopping!
Enjoy,
Chris
Leave A Reply (3 comments so far)
Aldo
Hey Chris, Thank you for a very informative and enlightening article. Very helpful.
Paul Cassidy
Thank you so much Chris, for the thoughtful,informative and detailed guide to buying drums and for your lessons-just so helpful and not just for the young but the young at heart too. Some brief background in case it is valuable to you to see who’s receiving from you…
I’m in the U.K. and only ever had one formal lesson 32 years ago at school,I’ve played privately though mostly in ecclesial settings or bands with some “spiritual” flavour for 25 years on and off. My closest drumming friend is now a teacher and Pro who has drummed for Tears for Fears and other equally famous bands sessioning but I know their knowledge and techniques are so closely guarded that they would not share that with me even if i paid them-and though I absolutely love the drums and appreciate and value all forms of music,I never met genuine encouragement in any attempts at lessons later on in life but your lessons have given me the courage to learn afresh- without the baggage of feeling a complete idiot among “experts”. So, if at 43 years old it can help me then I know that your generous lessons will be really helping others too! Therefore, your skills and lessons are generous indeed.
For clarity,I’m re-staring drumming after 8 years of leaving it alone because I was so discouraged but I hope deep down that eventually I might be able to earn a living as a drummer in some fashion,if I can improve enough? But either way, the investment in what would be my 2nd kit as I already have a Pearl birch BLX Sequioa red 6 piece from 1990’s would be an investment with those previous distant hopes in mind. So, after all the previous blurb- I’m torn between an Odery Eyedentity Maple kit- 6 ply (Mappa burl) in 8″,10″,12″ 14″ Toms with “20x 18” Kick, or a Yamaha recording Custom Birch 22 x 18, and similarTom sizes, which would you say is (if at all) a wise investment/most suitable/versatile? Thanks,Chris for you time and any advice you can offer as the shops here were very commision oriented when I visited-and have to say I loved the maple sound compared to my pearl birch kit. Hope my post isn’t too cheeky,best regards from U.K. Paul
Tommy Allen
Chris,
Thanx for the “guided tour”. I have been playing, on and off, since I was 15. This is the first really good explanation of sounds that I have run into. Learned to play by ear with a natural sense of rhythm and timing. So, no instructors! We can always use a good lesson, though.
Again, thanx and I’ll be waiting for the next.