What Equipment Should You Buy if You Decide to Become a Drummer?

If you’re just starting out as a drummer, chances are you have dozens of drumming equipment on your wishlist. But drum equipment can be expensive and it can get hard to choose which ones to buy first. First, you must start with the basics and continue to build your drum set as you get better. So here’s a list of all the essential equipment you’ll need as a beginner drummer to get started. 

Practice pads and drum sticks

A pack of practice pads is the very first thing that beginner drummers must buy. You can go pads in the cheaper range but they might start breaking after long use. Drums sticks come next and you shouldn’t try saving money in this case. 

Drums sticks can last you a long time and cheap ones can cause splinter cuts or simply break during practice. A set of Vic Firth 5A is good to start with. Try to do your own research and learn how to select the best sticks. This will help you a lot as a future drummer. You can even use this time to draw inspiration from revolutionary female musicians and great drummers.

Metronome

You must buy a metronome as a beginner. As a drummer, learning tempo and beats builds the foundation. With the help of a metronome, you can train yourself to play at various tempos. Over time, you won’t even need one and would start playing at a requested tempo without help. 

You could either buy a metronome for as little as $20 online or get a metronome app on your phone or laptop. You could start with an app but you’ll find the use of a physical metronome later on. 

Bass drum pedal

Once your hands have gotten used to sticks and you feel confident to progress, the next addition to your equipment should be a decent bass drum pedal. Buying a cheap or second-hand pedal at first will be sufficient. 

According to dissertation writers UK, once you have practiced enough and are ready to build your drum set, you can purchase a new pedal. They can be quite expensive but a second-hand should be cheap enough to practice and improve with.

Drum throne

Drum thrones need to be incorporated into a drummer’s practice as soon as it becomes regular. A good quality drum throne provides great back support and movement to the drummer. Try and prioritize quality over price and buy a drum throne that will help you avoid lower back problems in the future. 

Do lots of research and find one that has good reviews and is recommended by seasoned drummers. If the drum throne you bought doesn’t feel comfortable enough, don’t hesitate to return or replace it with a better one.

Drum Kit

As a beginner, you should only invest in a used drum kit. You’ll find plenty of sellers online and even find a set in your neighborhood music store. Buying a drum kit is a big commitment that you must make once you have practiced and grown confident over practice pads. 

While buying a used drum kit, you will have to check it for its shell condition and any holes or defects that could ruin the sound. Purchase only when you have checked the kit thoroughly and know there aren’t any defects. 

Drum heads and dampers

Before you start incorporating Cymbals into your play, you will have to become comfortable with the drums. Used drum sets can have weak tones, so the next step is to buy new drum heads and dampers. 

The sound of the drums will improve significantly so you will need to buy dampers for times when you are simply practicing and don’t want to be too loud. While changing the heads, make sure you tune the drums correctly. Oil the tuning equipment if necessary. 

Cymbals

Cymbals are the next big investment to make as a drummer. If you’ve spent a lot of time practicing on used drums and plan to buy a new drum set soon, you can wait a little longer and buy new cymbals with your new drum kit. 

Otherwise, you can find a set of used cymbals to add to your drum set. The incorporation of cymbals comes after a lot of practice with just the drums. So take time to master the drums before you buy a set of cymbals. 

Drum Carpet

Drum carpets are a must for those that live in apartments or dorms. They absorb the vibrations that move to the ground and muffle the overall sound without affecting the tone of the drums. 

Don’t worry too much about finding the right carpet. If you have a normal rug lying around the house, that will do. Otherwise, you can buy a decent drum carpet that keeps your drums in place for the price of $50.

Upgrades

You should only consider making drum upgrades once you’ve fully committed yourself to drums and plan on recording or performing. If you have the funds, make a complete drum set upgrade or upgrade one piece at a time. 

Start out with your snare, then the rest of the drums, then the pedals and finally the cymbals. If a piece of equipment is damaged, prioritize that over others while making upgrades.

Conclusion

Follow this list to buy the equipment you’ll need as a beginner as you progress with your practice. Don’t rush into buying drum equipment as they cost a lot of money. Start with used equipment and as you start to get good, make upgrades one by one. Practice every day and give each part of the drum set its due time. Don’t rush your progress and learn at your own pace. 

Author Bio:

Thomas Jackson is a professional freelance content writer and essay helper working for Top British Essays and known for his paper writing service review. He’s an active member of some top writing clubs in New York. He has written some famous songs and has been interested in songwriting since he was a child. He gets inspiration from live music concerts and when he performs in front of his close friends and family members.