Thursday, February 2, 2012

How to Choose the Right Acoustic Drum Kit

!9#: How to Choose the Right Acoustic Drum Kit

Buying your first drum kit can be a very exciting experience indeed. However, that does not mean that you can just go out and buy the first kit that the salesperson offers you. Impulse buying is not going to get you a good drum set. Some information, a little bit of research and some patience will help you do the right thing here. So, here are some points that you should consider while buying the right drum kit for yourself.

The first thing that you should know is what a drum kit should include. If you are a beginner, you should consider buying a starter drum kit, which includes a bass drum, a snare drum, a floor tom, and one or two mounted tom toms. One thing that will be missing from a starter drum kit are the cymbals - a hi-hat, ride and crash are the usual set. You will need to buy these as well to complete your drum kit. This kit should also be considered if you are looking for something that is relatively portable and does not take much floor space.

There are also kits with six, seven, and even eight pieces, and you can go to town with extra percussion items. These are more expensive, however, they offer a wider variety of sounds. Whether you choose to buy a five-piece starter kit or a six to eight piece set, will depend on how you will be using your drum kit and you own personal musical preferences.

The drums in the kit should be considered carefully. The deeper the shells of the drums, the louder sound. On the other hand, if you are looking for a better sound tone and not something as loud, you can go for shallower shells.

The material used in shells also makes a difference to sound quality. Wood is the best material for toms and the bass drum, whereas metal is best for the snare drums. For beginner kits, poplar is the chosen wood, whereas for professional kits, maple is the most popular.

The hardware used with shells should also be carefully considered. The lugs which make it possible to tighten the head should preferably be low mass lugs. These tend to increase the vibration and the sound of the drums. Hoops are also used to attach the drum head and flanged hoops are considered to be the easiest to tune.

The quality of the hardware is an important consideration while choosing between kits since these will be supporting the kit and cymbals. Cymbal stands are usually not available with kits and you can choose to buy either a cymbal stand or a cymbal stacker. A stand will hold one cymbal, whereas a cymbal stacker allows the cymbals to be stacked one on top of the other. Ideally, the stands should be double-braced since they are stronger and more durable.

Snare stands are included with all drum kits, however, you may need to buy stands for toms and legs for the floor tom. You can also choose to buy curved bars on which the cymbals, drums, and percussion are mounted. These are referred to as racks.

A professional quality bass drum pedal, some sticks and a proper height-adjustable drum seat will complete the hardware set of the drum kit.

Your budget will also determine the kind of drum kit you buy. If you cannot afford a new drum kit, you can also consider buying a used set which is much cheaper. However, make sure to check the quality of the material and look for any repair signs along the edges.

Take some time trying out different stores, brands, and different drum kits before you finally pick the right one. It should be one that suits your musical aspirations and also falls within your desirable price range.


How to Choose the Right Acoustic Drum Kit

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