You've probably seen lots of different drum set ups used by professional musicians. Some prefer small kits with lots of cymbals, while others go for monster sets with banks of drums. But what drums are in a drum set for a new drummer? I would recommend new drummers start with a 5-piece drum set. The drums in this set up are:
- Snare drum
- Bass drum
- Tom-toms x 2
- Floor Tom
A 5-piece kit is ideal for beginners as it allows you to play any genre of music from jazz to funk, rock to metal.
There are enough drums to play solid grooves and accents but it's not overwhelming or confusing for novices. If you want to expand your kit later, you can always add more drums, but they’re not essential to get started.
Below, we'll go into more detail on each of the drums in a standard drum kit.
Snare Drum
The snare drum is the heart of the groove in numerous genres of music. It provides what many people think of as the 'back beat' to many pop and rock songs.
The bottom head of the snare drum has a set of wires tightly strung across it. When the drum is struck, they rattle against the bottom drumhead producing the distinctive staccato sound. This ‘crack’ is loud enough to cut through the sound of all the other instruments when playing a gig.
In addition to playing the snare drum flat-on, you can also produce distinct sounds by varying your technique. These include:
- Rim shots - a particularly loud accent produced by hitting the rim and drumhead simultaneously
- Cross sticks - hitting the rim of the drum with a thick part of the stick. This style is popular in reggae and ska music.
- Ghost notes - These are quieter notes, played in between accents. This produces a more sophisticated sounding groove.
The snare drum is positioned between the bass drum and the drummer, between their legs. As this is the most important piece of the kit that drives the beat, it’s positioned centrally so it’s easy to reach.
The most popular size for a snare drum is a 14" diameter with a 5" depth, but you can get smaller or larger sizes depending on the sound you require and the type of music you play.
While other drums in the kit are almost exclusively made from wood, snare drums are available in wood or metal shell construction. Metal shells produce a brighter sound whereas wood shells will be warmer.
Bass Drum (Kick Drum)
The bass drum is the largest drum in the kit. It provides a deep, low tone to drive the rhythm and provide accents.
The typical size for a bass drum is 22" in diameter with a depth of 14". The larger size helps produce a deep sound that is felt as well as heard. Alternative sizes are also available - larger size bass drums would suit a drummer playing in a death metal band, whereas smaller sizes suit playing jazz.
The bass drum is played with a foot operated pedal. For new drummers it takes some practice to coordinate the hands and feet.
It's common to place a drum muffle or cushion inside the bass drum to reduce the ring of the bass drum. This also helps produce a more balanced sound.
The type and size of muffling used depends on your personal preferences. Most drummers will use either a shop-bought muffle or an old cushion or blanket, just something to deaden the sound while allowing free movement of air through it.
The bass drum is also known as a kick drum. This terminology comes from sound engineers that need to distinguish between this instrument and the bass guitar in the mix.
Toms (or tom-toms)
In a 5-piece drum set, there are two toms mounted above the bass drum. These are typically either 12" and 13" or 10" and 12" in diameter. This set produces a lo- and mid-tom with two different pitches.
There's quite a bit of variation in the size of these drums depending on the manufacturer.
Toms are often fixed to the bass drum using a mounting post and tom holders. Alternatively, they can be mounted on other pieces of hardware to allow the bass drum to resonate freely. Regardless of how they are mounted, these drums over the bass are often referred to as 'rack toms'.
Toms are typically manufactured from wood. This produces a warm, resonant sound. Popular woods include birch, mahogany, oak and birch, with each wood having a slightly different timbre.
Many people associate toms with playing fills, rolls and extravagant drum solos. But they are much more versatile than that. They're great fun to incorporate into the main groove of songs and can change the feel of the tune significantly.
Floor tom
As its name suggests, the floor tom is mounted on legs on the floor. On a right-handed kit, it is placed to the right-hand side of the drummer.
A typical diameter for this drum is either 14" or 16", which produces a deep sound due to its larger size. When played together with the rack toms they should produce a pleasant descending progression of tones.
When setting up, you can alter the position of the legs, so the drum is angled slightly towards you. This makes it easier to play and reduces the chances of mishitting the rim instead of the drumhead.
The height of the drum should be adjusted so that it's easy to play chops around the kit and move to make a cymbal crash.
Like other toms, floor toms are typically manufactured from wood.
When you're ready to extend your kit, adding an extra floor tom is one of the easiest ways to give yourself more playing options.
What's next?
In this article, we've covered what drums are in a drum set that's suitable for beginners. A 5-piece kit is the recommended set up for a new drummer.
If you're looking for a new kit, you don't have to worry about knowing all the different sizes of drums. Just opt for a beginner kit where drums are size-matched and will sound good together. For instance, a popular set of sizes are 14", 22, 12", 13" and 16" for the snare, bass, rack toms and floor toms, respectively. Another popular set of sizes is 14", 20", 10", 12", and 14".
Now you know the drums in the kit, you just need to add cymbals. A hi-hat, crash and ride cymbals will be enough to get you started. And now you're ready to rock!