Buying a drum set and beginner help please.

khaleesi

Junior Member
Hey there im completely new to drumming. I would like to get a drum set but not sure what would be good to start with what size etc. Im a petite 5ft woman so wont be growing any more lol I don't have tons of space also in my house. How many parts does a drumset have to need I see so many with lots of drums and symbols then some with only one symbol and two drums. Does anyone have any advice as a beginner? Thanks for your time :)
 
Welcome. First you'd better learn to spell CYMBAL or be thrown out of the drumming society. As for drum sets you can get by with a bass drum, a rack tom, a floor tom and a snare. 1 ride cymbal, 1 crash and some hihats, Those are the basics. I would suggest perusing this web site or forum and the thousands of photos, charts etc showing almost every imaginal drum set. First set your budget and if possible buy used good drums and not cheap drums that you will wear out quickly.
 
Thanks for the advice much appreciated. I am dyslexic also so find that this community would shun me for that a little harsh but ok thanks for the heads up.
 
Welcome...we always love having more women drummers join the group!

My first question for you is...are you taking lessons yet? If not, here's my suggestion. Before investing in a kit, get a teacher and take a few lessons. All you will need is a practice pad (you can buy a decent one for under $50) and some sticks. Talk to your teacher about the type of music you want to play and see if you really like playing the drums. The first things you'll learn can all be taught on the practice pad. Then if you truly believe this is something you'll want to stick with start perusing Craigslist, Ebay, whatever for a good used set. Gruntersdad gave you good advice on the basic size set you will need. Also, don't forget a good throne...it's just as important as the kit or cymbals. Good cymbals and a good throne are where the money you invest should go first (in my opinion.) That and a good teacher.

Whatever you decide...good luck and happy drumming!
 
If I was starting all over again, I would go with electric drums without even thinking about it. They take up less space. There are many tools that available even on the most basic e-drum set that will help you with your timing. Most important is that you can plug in the headphones and play (mostly) quietly without disturbing your neighbors, pets. or family.

I am not an expert on e-drums, but there is an entire section on the boards dedicated to them. I have seen some very decent used e-drums on Craigslist and eBay over the years also. If you are going to buy new, Christmas is a good time to get deals on any gear.
 
Welcome...we always love having more women drummers join the group!

My first question for you is...are you taking lessons yet? If not, here's my suggestion. Before investing in a kit, get a teacher and take a few lessons. All you will need is a practice pad (you can buy a decent one for under $50) and some sticks. Talk to your teacher about the type of music you want to play and see if you really like playing the drums. The first things you'll learn can all be taught on the practice pad. Then if you truly believe this is something you'll want to stick with start perusing Craigslist, Ebay, whatever for a good used set. Gruntersdad gave you good advice on the basic size set you will need. Also, don't forget a good throne...it's just as important as the kit or cymbals. Good cymbals and a good throne are where the money you invest should go first (in my opinion.) That and a good teacher.

Whatever you decide...good luck and happy drumming!


Im not taking lessons yet. Havent looked into it to be honest. I haven't seen a practice pad I will go and see what you mean now :) Thankyou you gave some good advice much appreciated!
 
If I was starting all over again, I would go with electric drums without even thinking about it. They take up less space. There are many tools that available even on the most basic e-drum set that will help you with your timing. Most important is that you can plug in the headphones and play (mostly) quietly without disturbing your neighbors, pets. or family.

I am not an expert on e-drums, but there is an entire section on the boards dedicated to them. I have seen some very decent used e-drums on Craigslist and eBay over the years also. If you are going to buy new, Christmas is a good time to get deals on any gear.

Does learning on electric drums mean I would not be able to play on a proper drum set as easy if I changed to it though? That would be my only concern. It does sound like a better option for me currently though. Would a normal sized one be ok for someone who is very small? I'll have a good research on them. Thankyou so much for the help :)
 
Thanks for the advice much appreciated. I am dyslexic also so find that this community would shun me for that a little harsh but ok thanks for the heads up.

Some of the best people I know are dyslexic,so no worries.Welcome to the forum.

The thing is ,you'll need to set a budget.We can be more helpfull if we knew how much money you're working with.

Being that you're just starting out,you'll need to buy everything.Drums,cymbals,and hardware like stands,and a pedal,and a practice pad.

There are plenty of free video lessons on youtube to get you started.

You can in some cases ,double your purchasing power, by buying used gear,instead of new.

Steve B
 
Some of the best people I know are dyslexic,so no worries.Welcome to the forum.

The thing is ,you'll need to set a budget.We can be more helpfull if we knew how much money you're working with.

Being that you're just starting out,you'll need to buy everything.Drums,cymbals,and hardware like stands,and a pedal,and a practice pad.

There are plenty of free video lessons on youtube to get you started.

You can in some cases ,double your purchasing power, by buying used gear,instead of new.

Steve B

Thankyou :) Nice to meet you.

Ahh well at the moment I could say I would be able to probably go £300 tops but ideally under £200 would be good. I will probably have to go down the electronic drum set path because of the lack of space.

Thanks for the help :)
 
The quality of e-drums has come a long way. I have played drums for over 25 years, and I have seriously toyed with the idea of going electric. They are small, so for you that is a benefit (not so much for me because I am a big guy). Plus they are going to sound good right out of the box. New accoustic drums come with terrible heads, and if you are working with a budget, the cymbals are going to also be subpar on the beginner sets. An e-drum set is going to give you a bunch of options, and there will be no learning curve in regards to tuning. There are several different preset drum sets on even the most budget priced e-drum set. You can find your sound without going through several different drum sets. Later, if you want to join a band, e-drums will give you an entire spectrum of sounds to experiment with. I still struggle with tuning after all this time. I just don't want to see you get frustrated and quit because you can't get your accoustic set to sound decent.

Drums are NOISY. I still thank my parents for putting up with my racket when I started. I have a 7 year old daughter who is showing some interest in taking up her old man's hobby. If she asks for her own drum set, she is getting e-drums.

IMHO (and most on this forum will probably disagree with me), drums are terribly boring instruments to practice on alone. I rarely practice without my band. That probably makes me a "undedicated" or something, but I just cannot get myself to practice without my band. An e-drum "brain" will have several metronomes and "bands" to play along with through your headphones.

I will eventually buy myself an electric drum set just to practice along with. Eventually I may even replace my accoustic set with electric drums. I love their endless sounds, the ability to tap into digital recording, MIDI, and song writing, and the fact that they have a volume knob (this is a big issue as I find the live music scene moving away from bars and into smaller coffee houses and wineries in my area).

Like I said, I am no expert. I have done some research, and have almost made the move to electric drums. I think it is just a matter of time. Visit the electric drums thread on this forum. Those folks will be better equipped to answer your questions.

And welcome to world of percussion!
 
Some good advice here on looking into e-drums to start. I currently have both acoustic and electric and find that the extra practice time provided with the "quiet' electronic has improved my skills considerably.

I started many years ago on an acoustic set but abandoned drumming for 30+ years due to other life priorities. When I started playing again, I went electronic first and with the added practice opportunities afforded I can play now better than before.

Playing e-drums is easier than acoustic drums but the skills you gain practicing are directly transferable.

Best of luck!
 
About starting out electronic...
I'd suggest going to a music store to try out your self the difference between drums and e-drums.

For me it never was and never would be an option.
I really have nothing against them, but they just absolutely do nothing for me.
It's a whole another instrument in my opinion.


This is all personal preference of course, but a lot of (propably most of) the drummers I know do not like playing on electric drums.

So try, try, try as many things as you can get your hands on before making up your mind.
 
....My first question for you is...are you taking lessons yet? If not, here's my suggestion. Before investing in a kit, get a teacher and take a few lessons. All you will need is a practice pad (you can buy a decent one for under $50) and some sticks. Talk to your teacher about the type of music you want to play and see if you really like playing the drums. The first things you'll learn can all be taught on the practice pad..


Good advice.

Sticks, practice pad, and a teacher, can take you a long ways. They can also help you gauge exactly how much interest you have in it, before you invest in a drum set.
It'll take a while to learn the fundamentals/rudiments.

A lot of the drums for sale locally are from people who 'thought it was a good idea at the time'.
 
Does learning on electric drums mean I would not be able to play on a proper drum set as easy if I changed to it though? That would be my only concern. It does sound like a better option for me currently though. Would a normal sized one be ok for someone who is very small?

Electric drums are good news/bad news, like everything else.

Good: Low volume. You will be able to play much more, without needing a rehearsal facility.
As mentioned, they sound good without any learning curve.
They can be set up practically any way imaginable; the pads have virtually no limit to placement.
You can select any sound (within the limits of the "brain") for any pad, and change as often as you'd like. Jazz kit, Bonham kit, modern rock, triggered technical metal, latin percussion are all available at a button press.

Bad: Low volume. It's simply more inspiring, more visceral, more fun to play with the air full of the sound of an acoustic kit.
The sounds are generated by the kit, whereas on an acoustic kit, the sounds are generated largely by the drummer, a skill that is not taught well by the more instant gratification of e-kits.
If you have a mind to play an acoustic kit eventually or occasionally, you have to mindful when setting up to choose an arrangement that realistically approximates what actual drums that occupy a fixed amount of space can match.
If you wish to resell an e-kit, you'll lose much more than an acoustic kit, as electronics quickly become outdated, or even obsolete. If you buy a used acoustic kit, you can probably get out of it without losing anything if you care for it properly. (Good: older e-kits are quite capable for a beginner, and the poor resale value becomes a positive).

And so-on. Personally, I started with an e-kit I could pound in my apartment, and when I felt I was definitely into drums for the long haul, I got an acoustic kit. I was already renting rehearsal space, so that wasn't an issue. I soon found playing the e-kit pretty unsatisfactory by comparison, and I'd haul myself off to the space rather than play the e-kit sitting right in front of me.

IMO/YMMV
 
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