Drums

Listen to the sound of the Drums

The Drum kit also referred to as a Drum set, Trap set or simply Drums is a percussion instrument and is played as a collection of drums and other percussion instruments with drumsticks held in both hands and feet operated pedals.

It is very popular with people of all ages. Kits are available for children from five years onwards. If noise is an issue, electronic kits are the answer; you just put on your headphones. If you wish to play a regular acoustic kit, you must consider the level of noise the kit generates. To control noise levels, most drummers soundproof the 'drum room’.

Hi-hat stand

The Hi-hat stand holds the two cymbals one on top of the other that can be brought together using a pedal on the stand.

Crash cymbal

The Crash cymbal produces a loud, sharp "crash" and is used mainly for occasional accents

Drum stick

A drum stick is the object used to strike drums and other percussion instruments to produce sound. There are several types of drum sticks. These include the beaters, yarn mallets, timpani mallets, glockenspiel mallets and brushes. The most commonly used drum stick is made of wood.

Bass drum

A relatively large drum that is not tuned to a specific pitch but its tone is very low and deep. It can sound loud and thundering, and sometimes quiet and almost inaudable. It is mainly used to accent the first beat of the bar in most western popular music.

Floor tom

The Floor tom is a double-headed tom-tom drum which usually stands on the floor on three legs. It is generally low pitched and can be used as a small bass drum by some (mostly jazz) drummers.

Hi-hat

The Hi-hat consists of two cymbals mounted on a stand one on top of the other. When the foot plate of the pedal is pressed, the top cymbal crashes onto the bottom cymbal (closed Hi-hat). When released, the top cymbal returns to its original position above the bottom cymbal (open Hi-hat).

Snare drum

The "Snare"is a set of wires strung across the bottom of the drum. When the drum is struck the resonance from the top and bottom drum heads cause the wires to rattle. They are especially good for playing "rolls." though they are used to play lots of other fancy rhythms.

Bass drum pedal

A Bass drum pedal operates when a "footplate" is pressed to pull a chain, belt, or metal "drive" mechanism downward, bringing a "beater" or mallet attached to a "shaft" forward into the drumhead. The pedal and beater system is mounted in a metal frame and a "tension unit" controls the amount of pressure needed to strike and the amount of recoil upon release.

Tom Tom

The Tom Tom is a cylindrical drum with no snare. It is generally tuned to a high pitch and used to play drum fills and expand drum patterns.

Ride cymbal

The Ride cymbal sits on a stand at an angle. It is struck with the drum sticks or brushes to keep a rhythmic pulse of a composition.

A Drum Kit (also called a Drum Set or Trap Set) is a collection of different sizes and shapes of individual drums that are arranged in manner for a single person to play. A full size drum set without any percussion instruments has a Bass Drum, Floor Tom, Snare Drum, Tom-Toms, and a variety of Cymbals including Hi-Hat Cymbals, Ride Cymbal and a Crash Cymbal. In addition, other Percussion Instruments, such as Cowbells, Wood Blocks, Triangles, Chimes, or Tambourines, can be arranged and included for convenient playing.

The individual instruments of a drum Kit are hit with a variety of implements held in the hand, including Sticks, Brushes, and Mallets. Two notable exceptions include the Bass Drum, played with a foot-operated pedal, and the Hi-Hat cymbals, which may be struck together using a foot pedal in addition to being played with sticks or brushes. The drummer normally plays in a seated position.

The different music genres dictate the appropriate drum kit's set-up. For example, in most forms of rock music, the bass drum, hi-hat and snare drum are the primary instruments used to create a drum beat, whereas in jazz, ride and snare patterns tend to be more prevalent and the hi-hat is played by the foot.

A person who plays the Drums is called a Drummer

History
Learn more about the history of the Drums thier timeline.

Buying a Drum kit
The first decision to make is whether to buy an acoustic or electric drum kit. Find out more by clicking on the tile below.

Accessories
Take a look at the different accessories within a drum kit and what they are used for.

Faults & Repairs
Guidance on some common faults and repairs for Drum kit owners.

Drums in a Drum kit

The drum has been in use for centuries in various forms in all different cultures and countries. They come in all shapes and sizes and are played in different ways – with the hands and with different sizes and shapes of brushes, mallets, sticks and wood.

To play this collection of drums and cymbals, drummers hold beaters, brushes or sticks in their hands and use these to hit the drums whilst operating pedals for the bass drum and hi-hat cymbals with their feet.

Standard reference to the drums today is reference to the 5 piece drum kit seen as the most traditional set of drums, though these can be varied based on the drummer’s needs. The drums you will find in the 5 piece drum kit / set are : -

Bass or Kick Drum

Bass or Kick Drum is the largest of the drums in a drum kit. It is smaller in size than a real bass drum and better referred to as the kick drum. The drummer uses a foot pedal to hit the inward face of the drum, producing a loud, low-pitched thump that anchors the rest of the band.
The drummer keeps time with, and is used on the first and third beats when playing most types of rock music. It can also take on a more harmonious part when played in jazz music or mixed with other parts of the drum set. The sound is often subdued in ways to shorten the sound.

Floor tom

Floor Tom is a larger version of the tom tom. It can either be suspended on a heavy cymbal stand, a dedicated floor stand or on three thin tubular feet inserted through the drum that attaches to the tom.
It makes a sound that is deeper than the two other toms, but not as deep as the bass drum. Most drum sets have only one floor tom, located by the drummer’s dominant hand.

Rack Tom / Hanging Tom or Tom Tom

Rack Tom / Hanging Tom or Tom Tom as they are referred to are two toms that are mounted over the bass/kick drum. They are normally located in front of the drummer, just past the snare drum and come in a wide array of sizes that feature two simple drum faces. The mounting is done through a tom holder which in most cases is inserted through the top of the bass drum.
Different mounting set ups have been used over the years and different kinds of hardware have been used to support these toms, actually separating them from the bass drum.

They make a thick, hollow sound that gets deeper as the drum gets bigger and many toms are tunable thanks to the use of hoops and tuning lugs to get the kind of sound required. Most drum sets have either one or two toms attached to the top of the bass drum.

Rack toms are constructed of many of the same materials as for the bass and snare drums, and they usually come in 12- and 13-inch sizes, but you can also get custom-mounted toms that can range in size from 8 inches to 14 inches.

Snare drum

Snare Drum sits at the center of a drum kit and is different from all the other drums. It started as a military drum used for signaling and has a short staccato sound which can be played with sticks or brush. It is typically placed between the drummer’s knees, directly in front and produces a rolling buzz sound that is heard during a performance. It’s also the drum that when struck with a stick produces a loud crack because it has a row of metal springs stretching across its bottom face called the shell.

It started out as military drums often used for signaling, has a short staccato drum sound and the “shell” is what gives it that vibrant and distinctive tonal sound. The shell is usually made from metals, such as aluminum, bronze, brass, or stainless steel and when hit they vibrate against the drumhead, producing the bright, high pitched sound. Wooden shells are also available, made from beech, birch, bubinga mahogany and maple

In addition to the drums the other elements that make up the drum kit include : -

Hi-Hat Cymbal is made up of two cymbals sitting on each other mounted on a stand and are connected to one another through a mechanism that allows the drummer to open and close them using a foot pedal. When closed, it makes a biting high-pitch sound that is quickly muffled silent. When open, it rings out, making a long lasting sound.
Hi-hats are frequently used for a beat or for accents within a rhythm, occasionally for effect accents. They can be played with sticks in the open, closed or half-open position.
Crash Cymbal is usually used for accenting important parts of a musical. They usually have thin edges that helps them make loud, explosive “crash” sound. Some drummers, particularly rock drummers, like to collect lots of different crash cymbals - Most drum sets have at least one or two crash cymbals.
Ride Cymbal is usually larger and thicker than the crash cymbal and makes a sustained, shimmering sound that complements other instruments without overpowering them. They are used in a similar fashion to high-hats, but since the ride cymbal is a single cymbal, its sound cannot be varied as much Rather than putting accents on musical phrases, it is designed to be played in a steady, rhythmic way.

Learn

The best way to learn to play the drums is to find an experienced and patient teacher in your local area. If you cannot find a local teacher, another option is to use online tutorials. There are many such resources available on the internet.

Below are just a few examples of what is available : -