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Help! My child is drumming on everything…!
At SoundStoreXL we’ve spoken to a great many parents over the years who have faced the task of buying a drum kit for their child. If you’ve never had your hands on a drum kit yourself, it can easily feel a bit overwhelming – there are many parts, and what is most important to look for? And what are the parts even called? That’s why we’ve made this guide, where we’ll take you through the questions we most often come across.
What are those round metal things called?
Unlike many other instruments, a drum kit consists of several different parts, and it’s a good start to know what the parts are called. So we’ll begin with a very basic overview! There are three types of drums:
Bass drum: The big one that stands on the floor, which you play with a pedal. Usually 18”–24” in diameter, sometimes smaller on drum kits for children.
Snare drum: The shallow drum in the middle of the kit. Usually 14” in diameter, but it can be smaller. It has a set of springs underneath the bottom, called a snare – that’s what gives it the characteristic snare sound.
Toms: tom, tom, tom-tom, toms – a beloved child has many names! The remaining drums in the kit go by different names. Most kits have one or two mounted on top of the bass drum (10” and 12” or 12” and 13” are the most common), as well as a larger one on legs to the drummer’s right (often 14” or 16”) – this is called a floor tom.
Cymbals: These are the round metal things mounted on stands. There are three types: a hi-hat consists of two cymbals and is mounted on a stand with a pedal, so you can open and close the hi-hat with your foot. Usually 14”. A crash cymbal sits above the hi-hat and is usually 14” to 18”. The ride cymbal sits on the right and is called a ride (pronounced in English) because you “ride” it. Think of a classic swing tune. Some beginner kits only have a hi-hat and a single cymbal, and that’s absolutely fine to start with!
Hardware: The easy part… hardware is all the stands that hold the cymbals, as well as pedals and the drum throne.
Drumsticks: There are countless options to choose from. The most common sizes are 7A and 5A, where 7A is thinner – and usually a good starting point for children of all ages.
Drum rug: it’s a good idea to put a rug under the drum kit, as pedals and bass drum spurs can otherwise leave marks on the floor.
As you’ve probably noticed by now, drum and cymbal sizes are always in inches. The size of a drum is measured inside the rim – the ring that holds the drumhead in place.
Electronic or acoustic?
There’s a huge difference between an acoustic and an electronic drum kit – not least in terms of volume! Both have advantages and disadvantages, which you can read about here:
Pros: feels really great to play, produces lots of lovely sound, and it’s also what most people play in the rehearsal room and on stage.
Cons: high volume.
Pros: low volume, many fun sounds, electronic drum kits have become really good over the last 5–10 years, doesn’t take up much space.
Cons: it feels very different to play compared to an acoustic kit.
So what should you choose? There’s no easy answer. An acoustic kit gives more feel with the drums – you get the joy of playing a physical instrument where the sound comes from wood and metal – it’s something you can’t recreate and probably can’t fully describe either. The big advantage of an electronic kit is, of course, that you can plug in headphones so the whole house doesn’t have to enjoy the rhythms… In addition, an electronic drum kit has loads of fun kits, with e.g. dance sounds, percussion sounds, afro sounds, etc. In the end it depends on where you live and what your child thinks is the fun part of playing drums. If it’s the physical aspect – hitting something that makes a sound – which ultimately can become music – then an acoustic kit will make the most sense. If you live in an apartment with neighbours, an electronic kit is definitely the way to go!
Will they outgrow it?
If we’re talking about smaller children, it’s worth considering the size of the kit. If you’re looking at an electronic drum kit, people don’t really talk about kids’ kits as such. The drum pads themselves are so small that an electronic kit can easily be adjusted to a child-friendly height. With acoustic kits, most children can start reaching around a normal kit from the age of 7–8. Look for a drum kit with a 20” bass drum and smaller toms. Of course, it’s also possible to get a kit in child sizes – for example, we have a Basix Junior kit, which is well suited for smaller children aged 2–6.
What’s included when you buy a drum kit?
Please note that many drum kits are sold without, for example, cymbals and hardware. This applies especially to more expensive kits, but it’s also seen with some beginner kits. Since the picture often shows a complete drum kit, it can easily be misleading – on SoundStoreXL.com it’s always specified what’s included, so remember to read the entire text.
When it isn’t a complete kit, you’ll often buy a shell pack (the drums themselves), a cymbal pack, a hardware pack, a throne and sticks separately.
Protect your ears!
We always recommend buying a good pair of earplugs with an acoustic kit. Drums can be loud, and it’s important to protect your ears! There’s a reason many professional drummers also use earplugs.
What’s the best?
There are many brands to choose from, and most also make good beginner kits. The most important thing, of course, is to buy a kit that can withstand being used. Within acoustic kits, some of the biggest are Yamaha, Pearl, Gretsch, Tama and Mapex, while you’ll often see Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl or Paiste on the cymbals. Within electronic drum kits, the biggest players are Roland, Yamaha and Alesis. It’s almost impossible to say what is best, as it depends a lot on taste, but if you stick to the biggest brands, you definitely won’t go far wrong.
Budget
Of course, with drums as with everything else – you get what you pay for. It doesn’t pay to buy too cheap, because then the new drummer will want a better kit far too quickly – and the desire to play can also suffer from a kit that doesn’t sound great. We recommend spending at least 4-5000,- on an acoustic drum kit and at least 2-4000,- on an electronic drum kit. It’s possible to get semi-professional drum kits from around 12-14000,-, and that applies to both electronic and acoustic kits.
A few good things for the wish list
It’s always good to have something for the wish list. When a drum kit has so many individual components, it allows you to replace parts over time and gradually upgrade your kit. It can be anything from a pair of new sticks to a new cymbal or bass drum pedal. On electronic kits you can also upgrade, for example, the snare pad so it feels better to play.
Get in touch with us if you have any questions
We hope this guide has helped and that you’re now better equipped to choose exactly the right drum kit. Of course, you’re always welcome to get in touch with us by email, Facebook or phone if you need advice and guidance – we know it can feel a bit overwhelming!
