How To Set Up A Snare Drum

A drum set is never complete without a snare drum. This musical tool, although often on the sidelines, has such a vital role to play in making great sounds or music. But what does a snare drum do exactly?

What are its components? Is it difficult to learn how to set up a snare drum? If you are new to the world of drums, then here is a basic guide on the snare drum.

What Is a Snare Drum?

A snare drum, also popularly known as a side drum, produces sharp staccato sound when it is hit with a drumstick or mallet.

It is part of the drum kit of drumlines, marching bands, concert and rock bands, and parades.

It consists of two drum heads which are made from either animal hides or plastic.

It is the smallest drum of any drum set. As mentioned, one only needs a drumstick or a mallet to play the snare drum.

A snare drum is often placed on an adjustable stand. This allows the musician to adjust the angle of the drum as well as its height.

The Snare Drum’s Components

The drums, including the snare, have different parts.

• Snare Wires

It is called a snare drum because it has somewhere between eight to 18 snares made of plastic, nylon, sill, and metal that are extended across the drum’s head.

These snares are the ones responsible for creating terse sounds.

• Shell

Contrary to popular belief, the shell is more than just an enclosure as it greatly affects the sounds. Shells are usually made of mixed or single wood species such as mahogany, birch, maple, ash, and poplar.

A snare drum’s shell material can also be from metals like bronze steel, brass, and aluminum.

The kind of material used for the shell also affects the sounds produced by the instrument.

• Hoops or Rims

Most snare drums these days have triple-flange metal hoops or die-cast. The former allows the drummer to ring longer thus producing more overtones and get better snare sensitivity.

On the other hand, the die-cast hoops offer a sturdier feel, particularly for loud rimshots. They also normally make the drum produce fewer overtones.

There are also snare drums on the market that use wooden hoops, which tend to warm-up the sounds. Wooden hoops also change the spectrum of the overtones.

• Tension Rods and Lugs

A snare drum either has a tension rod or lugs, and the design of the tensioning system greatly affects the sound the drum produces. Most snare drums on the market use the lug design.

These designs are either tube lugs or split lugs. The former means there is less contact of the metal with the shell, which improves the sustain and gives a slightly different sound.

Split lugs, on the other hand, have more contact with the drum’s shells.

• Heads

There are many options when it comes to the head. There are single- and double-ply coated batter heads and pre-muffled models.

• Snare Beds

The snares would be uncontrollable and buzzy if there are no snare beds as it is a crucial yet subtle part of the drum.

It is the part of the drum that allows the snare wires to lie flat against the drum head.

What Should You Look for In a Snare Drum Stand?

Before learning how to set up a snare drum, one must first choose the best stand possible for the instrument.

Failure to procure a good stand may cause difficulties in playing the drum really well.

There are different designs to choose from when purchasing a snare drum set stand.

There is the basket-style, classic three-leg style, and L-Styles. In choosing a snare drum stand, one has to keep in mind the positioning of the player.

After all, it would be hard to play in one gig to another if the musician is in an uncomfortable position for most times.

• Adjustable Basket

The first thing to look for is a stand with an adjustable basket or a basket that can easily be resized using a single wingnut to fit a variety of snare drums.

Most snare drum stands on the market have this feature. However, some products are easier to adjust compared to others.

• Universal Basket Tilter

It is also essential to find a stand that has the universal and gearless basket tilter. Having this feature allows the player to fine-tune the exact position of the snare drum easily for ease of hitting.

Most mid- to professional-grade snare drum stands have the gearless friction tilters these days.

• Adjustable Dimensions

Finding a stand that has the width and height adjustment is also beneficial.

Keep in mind that the stand has to be able to go low enough for those with a deep snare or high enough for those with a piccolo.

For those who often play in cramped spaces, it is best to have a snare drum stand with adjustable width.

How To Quickly Set Up A Snare Drum

Setting up a snare drum and attaching it to a stand are easy. It is advisable first to read the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the stand to ensure a fast set-up.

The first step in setting-up a snare drum is to remove the drum from its case. Once done, set-up the stand. Make sure that the stand is stable on the floor while the snare drum’s basket is parallel to the floor.

Slowly place the snare drum to the stand. The snares must be on the bottom while the release lever is facing in front of you.

Gently adjust the drum’s basket to ensure that it is fitted well and not moving.

Look for the drum’s height adjustment so that the snare’s top rim is slightly below the waistline.

Use the angle adjuster to tilt the drum a little bit towards you. Now, grab the two drumsticks and stand straight in front of the drum.

Your forearms should be almost parallel to the floor as you bend your arms at the elbows.

The upper arms must be close to your sides but never touching it. If this is not the case, then proceed to adjust the drum again using the angle adjuster.

No Rocket Science Required

Understanding what a snare drum is and how to set it up is not rocket science. The comfort and position of the player are the things to keep in mind when choosing a snare drum stand as well as in setting it up.

How Do You Mic a Drum Set?

A great live music listening experience starts with a proper set-up, from guitars and its myriad amps to the complicated drum kit and its different mics.

This is why it is important for sound engineers, drummers and roadies to know how to mic a drum set and how to set up the entire soundstage for the audience.

Stage sound and lighting, as well as the proper positioning of instruments and everything else on the stage including the band members, get together in providing the best sound that audiences pay for.

This is why you would notice that the quality of sound gets better as your favorite band becomes more popular, and they start to hire sound engineers and roadies that can take care of these things for them.

Of course, some bands are just great, to begin with, everything and everybody else just adds to their awesomeness.

Setting Up the Stage

The basic stage for a live band doesn’t need to have amps and speakers that go from floor to ceiling, nor does the band need to have racks of spare, well-tuned guitars and stock drum sets.

Here are the basic requirements for a live sound stage:

• Two sets of speakers and speaker stands
• Monitor speaker
• Powered Mixer
• Power Amplifiers
• Speaker Cables
• Microphones with Stands
• Instruments
• Cables

Before you attempt to set-up a live sound stage, you may need to read up on how the different parts of the sound system relate with each other.

In principle, speakers should be placed on the side and raised from the stage so that the sound it generates can efficiently disperse over a crowd, no matter the size.

Microphones are then placed towards the center and away from the speakers as this spells a recipe for feedback disaster.

Some other items are used to avoid placing any objects that can block or feed audio signals back to the speakers, which is why you would notice that the band is playing further back than the speakers in a concert.

Towards the back of the soundstage is where you should place the powered mixer as it makes it easier to monitor and adjust the sounds as needed.

Photo by Manu M. on Unsplash

Monitor speakers are then placed right on the stage with the speaker side facing inward and facing the band. A sound stage may have one monitor speaker per band member, depending on the current need.

Amplifiers are placed close to the monitors, and the rest of the speaker system is cabled towards the mixer, acting as the central hub for manipulating the audio signals that are to be blasted towards the waiting audience.

Guitars and other instruments that can be carried are, of course, carried by the player and wired towards the amplifiers and the speakers.

The keyboards and drum kits are often placed on the sidelines or in the background where they can’t get in the way of the other members of the band.

How to Mic a Drum Set Step-By-Step

This does not mean that keyboards and drum sets do not have an important role in a band, especially in a rock band.

This purposeful separation of the percussions and the strings allow listeners to distinguish the audio signals from each instrument set.

While most instruments are wired directly to their amplifiers and speakers, a drum set requires that you, your roadie or sound engineer should know how to mic a drum set. But how do you do it?

1. Set Everything Up

Before you place microphones on a drum set, you would need to set up everything correctly. Make sure to lay the pedals on the right angles and position the snares, toms, and cymbals to where the drummer can reach them.

Lastly, check the height and measurement of the drums, in relation to the drummer’s anthropomorphic features.

Be sure to check out our Drum Mic Kits Guide here!

2. Bring the Mics Out

At a minimum, you would need about six-eight pieces of microphones, including clips and mic stands, as well as cables, of course.

Whether recording at home or for live performance, microphones for drum kits vary in size and models, with specialized microphones for the kicks and the toms. Overhead booms may be needed as well to capture larger cymbals.

3. Clamp the Mics Down

There are a few ways to maximize the positioning of microphones to capture the best beats from a drum set. Different microphone models can be used for the same drum kit to get a fuller sound while doing proper positioning, ensuring that everything is captured.

Here is how you can position microphones for your drum set.

• Kick Drum

The biggest piece in a drum set has a deep, low sound that can’t always be heard unless properly mic’d. Most setups would involve placing one mic in front of the bass head while placing one up front and another inside the drum can produce greater results.

• Snares

Microphones for snares are usually placed slightly over the snare surface, although some would place another mic underneath to get a fuller sound. Ideally, snare microphones can be placed an inch or two above the skin of the snare drum.

• Toms

Typically, there is a corresponding microphone for each tom on a drum kit, usually, placed a little over the surface of the tom. Tom microphones are smaller than the usual microphone size and are placed on the edges of the toms.

• Cymbals

Hi-hats are usually the ones that need microphones among the myriad cymbals in a drum set. The microphones can be placed above the hi-hat, about 3-4 inches.

• Overhead

Overhead microphones provide a clearer sound and act like boom microphones situated over the drum set. These microphones capture the sound coming from the entire drum kit, especially the larger cymbals.

Setting up a sound stage is but the beginning of a musical journey and knowing where to place the different components of the soundstage contributes to the overall listening experience.

However, for musicians and sound engineers, this is just the start as they also need to know how to clean everything up and ensure that the instruments and the soundstage are stored properly.

Between electric musical instruments and acoustic ones, there has always been a heated debate between which is better. There are good arguments for each.

Acoustic instruments are often associated with classical, intellectual and elite while electronic instruments are often related to new age, young and the likes. This applies to electronic drum set vs acoustic too.

Let’s dive into this subject and figure which one of them is a better choice for you.

Electronic Drum Set vs Acoustic: What Are The Basic Differences?

Before you decide which type of drum set to buy, you must first understand what you are getting your hands on.

Electric Drums

Electric drum sets basically is a collection of pads that are set in a similar manner to the acoustic drum kit.

The pads are designed to produce a similar sound like the acoustic counterpart and have very little of their own acoustic sound.

This drum kit has to be attached to a speaker, an amplifier, or a pair of headphones in order to be heard.

This is brilliant especially when you are practicing and want to keep the sound level to a minimum.

Alesis Nitro Kit | Electronic Drum Set with 8″ Snare, 8″ Toms, and 10″ Cymbals

Electric drum sets have almost burst into the drum kit market and have gained quite a bit of popularity in a very little time. The biggest benefit that comes out of it is the size.

They take up less than half the space a traditional drum set would, and can be easily carried around.

This kind of drum kit is also great when you are in the beginning stages and want just to practice it. Its maintenance is not much of a hassle since you do not have to tune it regularly.

What is more amazing is that you can save the music you played and edit it later on a computer.

However, let us admit the fact that technology advances at a lightning pace, which means that in a couple of years, you might have to buy a whole new set.

Also, playing electric drum sets for a number of years may give you a hard time when trying to learn an acoustic drum set. They may sound incredibly close, but the feel is very different.

Additionally, electronic drum sets don’t require previous knowledge of the instrument and put you at a disadvantage when you want to learn to play an acoustic drum set.

Acoustic Drums

Acoustic drum sets consist of cymbals and drums that are all designed to be played with as a single instrument.

A standard acoustic drum set is composed of a snare drum, bass drum, hi-hat cymbals, set of tom-toms, crash cymbals, and a ride cymbal.

By striking the cymbals and drums with a drumstick or mallet, it produces the sound.

Playing the acoustic drum set is almost a prerequisite for playing music genres like rock, jazz, funk, blues, and the likes. So, this is advantageous if you are an aspiring musician.

Also, for live concerts that require a ton of energy and high volume, the acoustic drum set is a perfect choice.

Ludwig Junior Drum Kit

Acoustic drum sets allow the drummer to play the instrument with great touch and feel, the finest tactile feedback to your senses is still an elusive commodity on an electric drum set.

Additionally, learning an acoustic drum set is a skill, which requires a lot of hard work.

Unfortunately, the most obvious downside of an acoustic drum set is that it occupies a significant amount of space.

You cannot also practice when you feel like as there is no option of putting on headphones, and playing the drums will make a lot of noise.

Another concern with acoustic drums is that you might need a professional to constantly tune it.

Further, a decent sounding acoustic drum set, especially the cymbals, can cost you a significant amount of money.

Electronic Drum Set vs Acoustic: Our Recommendations

• For Beginners

If you are a beginner, it is best to opt for the electric kit. For starters, these are cheaper and take up little space.

It has an option for headphone attachments which means you can practice whenever you would like without driving anyone in your family nuts.

Features like recording, looping, light up pads and so on can help you learn to play it faster.

• For Professionals

If you are already accustomed to using an acoustic drum set for a long time, then, adding or moving on to an electric drum set is a terrible choice.

As a professional drum player, you are likely to be playing in a particular music genre like jazz, metal or rock.

These kinds of genres are best played with an acoustic drum set, and even if you are a beginner planning to play such genres, it is always better to get the hang of an acoustic one.

• For Customization and Flexibility

Acoustic drum sets allow you to customize it quite a bit. You can buy and add extra snare, different cymbals and even change the configuration.

The downside to this is you are adding more gear to the existing lineup and, thus, have to carry around more if you perform constantly.

With an electronic drum set, what you buy is what you have. However, it is quite flexible too, so you can change the snare with just a few buttons and even change the genre.

• For the Playing Experience

Ultimately, nothing beats the experience of sitting behind an acoustic drum set and hitting it. Plus, it looks the best when you perform live. Basic electric drum sets definitely won’t provide you with the same experience.

However, extremely high-end electric sets offer a similar response to that of an acoustic drum set.

Conclusion: Which One Is Right For You, Electronic Or Acoustic Drums?

Between electronic drum sets vs acoustic, each of them has come a long way. So, the best question that you need to ask is that “Is an electric drum set a replacement for an acoustic one?”

Definitely not, and manufacturers do not say otherwise. In fact, they do not market an electric drum set as a replacement for an acoustic one.

Each type of drum set has its own entities. So, choosing one amongst the two entirely depends on your skill, interest, and lifestyle.

All we can say is know exactly what your plan is, and then accordingly decide which one suits your needs the best.

How to Set Up a Double Bass Pedal: Getting the Most Out of Your Double Kick!

The use of a double bass drum pedal typically adds more power to the sound, produces more consistent output, and allows you to play more patterns that you cannot do when you use a single pedal.

It’s mostly used and heard in hard rock, punk, and heavy metal music although some country styles, Latin, and jazz use it as well.

So, whether you’re a professional drummer, a beginner, or just someone really interested to learn how to play the drums, it is imperative to know how to set up double bass pedals, too.

The double bass pedal works just like a single pedal, and the only difference is that a second plate is connected by a rod to another beater mechanism while working with the primary beater, and it will require the use of both feet.

It allows you to obtain a consistent sound, plus the transport and set up on stage are easier. And when you start playing a double bass pedal, you will want to get faster and better. Let’s find out how!

The Basics of Setting Up a Double Bass Pedal

To attain a higher double-bass speed, you have to set up your pedals and bass drums successfully. Remember, keeping all of the parts well-balanced is the main focus and the ultimate goal.

This means the balance applies to the angle of the footboard, the placement of the beaters, and the spring tension.

To have similar sounding strokes, you have to set up similar settings on your feet playing pedals. The beater can be hard to control after it strikes the drumhead which also makes it hard to gain speed.

To help tone it down, you want to tune it a little looser or put the necessary amount of muffling on the batter head.

What Do You Need to Know About Fine-Tuning?

A great-sounding bass drum is something that can give you satisfaction when listening to music. And so, here’s what we need to know about fine-tuning.

The head type, the drum size, and tuning all contribute to producing a great sound, but how does the pedal affect everything, and what is its relationship to the other parts? Go ahead and read on!

• Beaters

Bass drum beaters have different features, and it comes in a variety of styles too. Its shape and size affect the sound it produces.

A larger head can, of course, produce more volume compare to the one with a flatter surface. Apart from the shape and size, the material the beater is made up of also affects the sound.

A plastic or wood surface will give you more attack, while a quieter sound is produced by a softer surface like felt or rubber. There are also beaters that can rotate and have different playing surfaces.

These types give the drummers a variety of options to use on their gigs which can have different volume requirements. Weight affects the sound too, and modifying the weight from heavy to light will allow you to change the volume.

• Footboards

If you are after a more responsive action, then longboard pedals are easier to execute and offer lighter action. On the other hand, a split-board pedal offers more power and volume.

The texture of the footboard is also another consideration since some drummers prefer to play barefoot, and a rough surface will surely not feel comfortable.

• Action Adjustments

Using a strap or chain, a cam connects the footboard to the beater assembly. Its shape adds great impact on the pedal’s action.

A large round cam turns more easily and feels lighter, while a smaller round one gives a predictable response. On the other hand, an oblong cam produces the louder note and quicker action.

• Drive Systems

Most pedals use a belt, a direct drive, or a chain to attach the cam to the footboard and beater assembly. Leather belts have a tendency to break and wear sooner.

The chain ones, on the other hand, became popular due to their durability. Although, they may feel heavier and they can be hard to clean too. Direct drive pedals eliminate lags which are present with the other types.

• Angle Adjustments

The beater’s distance and angle from the head directly affect the power and the volume from each stroke. Most drummers want a close setting to trigger a bass drum sound that is aggressive.

A 60-degree angle can be used for quiet acoustic or jazz, while a 45-degree angle produces more volume and is ideal for pop and rock music.

• Rebound Settings

Bass pedals require some form of resistance to pull the beater back after it strikes the batter head, and this is where the spring comes into play. The spring puts the beater to the original position and releases the footboard after striking the head.

Final Thoughts: Just for Double Kicks

After the discussion above about how to set up double bass pedal, we can say that it is critical that we understand what part produces what kind of sound, and how these sounds affect your music as a whole.

It’s also good to know the ways and options on how you can modify the sound that each part produces, so you would know what to do when playing different genres.

The double bass drum pedal setup should always correlate with how all the other parts are positioned to produce your desired sound or results.

There may be technical adjustments and a lot of positioning changes that you need to focus on, but you also need to keep in mind that a great setup is what makes you feel comfortable while playing your music.

And so, go ahead and sit in front of your drum set and make adjustments until you feel comfortable.

There are no blanket rules with music, and no matter how much you research and ask professionals for help with any other setup, you are the only one who can say what will work best for you.

Because let’s all be honest, it will not be successful unless you are comfortable and happy making music with your drum set.

A drum set is a beautiful instrument that leads the band’s playing tempo. A drummer with impeccable timing skills can maintain the right rhythm of the song no matter what drums are in a drum set.

Whatever type of music you play or listen to, it is always the percussionist who regulates the beat.

Don’t you want to be just like that? Don’t you want to be the one with that unmatched wit to tell if the song is going too fast or too slow?

Perhaps we are asking too much, but we know you are here for a couple of reasons: You want to try out if a drum set is for you and find out if you could rock it.

These are not at all impossible! But before you do, let’s take a closer look at the components of a drum set first.

What Drums Are In A Drum Set?

The basic components of a drum set starts with the drums themselves, a hi-hat, and one suspended cymbal. Well, we know this is too basic and won’t compare to the kits you see your favorite artists play with.

But for starters, the “three-piece set” can be easier to study and play with as well.

In short, here are the basic drums found in a drum set:

1. Bass Drum
2. Snare Drum
3. Floor Toms
4. Tom-Toms

Let’s look at the details of each drum component:

1. Bass Drum

The bass drum, otherwise called the kick drum, is the largest drum you will see in a set. It is mounted on the floor vertically and sits in front of the player.

A mallet is attached to a pedal that is fitted at the bottom of the bass drum. When the player steps on the pedal, the mallet hits the drums and plays a low sounding thump.

Bass Drum

Bass drums are available in different diameters and depths. The 20-inch diameter with a depth of about 14-16 inches is the most common size that can cover most music.

Larger diameters of up to 28 inches are commercially available but not usually preferred. They are commonly used in other types of music land orchestra playing.

2. Snare Drum

The snare drum is the central part of every set. It produces a distinct staccato sound that is mostly present throughout the songs.

The stiff wires attached to the bottom skin of the snare, called snare, gives this drum its unique rolling sound. You may have seen snare drums in a marching band played in perfect unison and perfect timing.

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Snare Drum

The most common size of a snare drum is 14 x 5 inches. This is the usual size that comes with commercial drum sets. They are often positioned in front of the artist, between the legs.

Deeper snares have more wet and bassy sound. Smaller-diameter snares have a sharper and crisper tune which is preferred on hip-hop music. Advanced sets may include 10- or 12-inch auxiliary snare drums.

3. Tom-Tom Drums

Tom-toms are commonly called toms in drummer-lingo and have varying sizes. The basic three-piece set has one hanging tom mounted at the top of the bass drum.

Other modern models have the toms attached to other hardware stands instead to preserve the sound of the bass drum.

Mounted Tom

Commercial drum kits often come with a 12-inch-diameter tom that is 8 inches deep. These are versatile toms and are suitable for most types of music.

This drum has no snare fitted at the bottom skin and gives a fuller and rounder sound. They are often heard on drum fills as the music builds up and drum solos. A typical four-piece set has two hanging toms.

The smallest tom has a diameter of 6 inches and can be as large as 20 inches. Extended kits have multiple toms lined up in front and above the bass drum. Special mounting hardware may be required when adding three or more toms.

4. Floor Toms

As the name suggests, this tom is not mounted on the drum set. It is fitted with three feet that can be adjusted. The height of the floor tom can be adjusted to match the height and preference of the drummer.

The angle can also be adjusted for precision. Floor toms have a low-pitched thump that adds more depth to the music.

Floor Tom

Floor toms usually measure 18 inches in diameter and 14-16 inches deep. Their low-thumps, along with the thud of the bass drum, build music quite well.

Playing the Drums

The basic inclusions of the modern entry-level drum set include all of the pieces mentioned above. Rarely, they also come with one cymbal.

If you are a beginner, this basic set might take a while before you need a few auxiliary attachments. And although your favorite drummer makes it seem easy to play the drums, beginners may find it challenging.

It takes hours of intentional practice and mindful study. So before you dream of building a complicated drum set with varying tom sizes, cymbals, bells, chimes, tambourine, and other effects, mastering playing the basic set is a must!

On a lighter note, now that you know what drums are in a drum set, you are one step closer to becoming one of the greatest drummers of your time!

The next step is to find the type of drum set that suits your playing style. Remember, you will probably be using your first kit for a long while.

Your effort and time to look into the various types before you go ahead and purchase one will pay off in the long run.

How to Clean A Drum Set

A well-maintained and shiny instrument performs at its best, won’t you agree? As a musician or as an aspiring one, you know your instrument—your pride and joy—needs to be cleaned and maintained properly.

How to clean a drum set is a question often asked by beginners and even those who have just gotten to dream to own one.

Is there a special trick on cleaning a drum set? How and when do you clean it? What do you need? Let us find out!

What’s the Right Way to Clean a Drum Set?

Anything that is exposed to the air will eventually harbor dust! Even instruments on your tight shut music studio will have a thin film of dust over time. Taking the dust off is relatively easy. However, your drum set harbors more than just dust.

Have you noticed the tip of your drumsticks? If you are paying enough attention, then you are aware that they are worn out.

No matter how expensive your sticks are, splinters of wood would gradually chip off and fly somewhere when you smash them. Some of them land on the floor and others are stuck on the rims of your snare and toms!

Products You’ll Need:

Again, wiping off the dust is easy, but the stuck debris will take some effort to clean off. Before you get crazy in disassembling your drum set, you may want to prepare the following things first:

• Terry or Microfiber Cloth
• 1-inch Brush
• 0.5-inch Brush
• Lemon Oil Polish or any Wood Conditioner
• Non-abrasive chrome polish
• A Light Lubricant (like WD40) for Moving Parts
• Petroleum Jelly
• Masking tape

Steps to Cleaning A Drum Set

Step 1: Disassemble Your Drum Set.

There is no special trick in cleaning your drum set. However, you need to know at least how to assemble and disassemble your kit for a thorough clean.

The first step is disassembling your drum set. Loosen every piece of hardware and group them accordingly—separate the metal and wood parts. You will be using different cleaning materials to give your drum set a blinding shine!

Step 2: Brush Off the Rims.

Using your 1-inch brush, take out the chipped pieces of wood stuck around the rims of your drum set. Use your smaller brush if there are nasty pieces that won’t come off easily. Do this with all your toms and snare drum.

Step 3: Polish the Rims, Cymbals, and Hardware.

Before you polish the rims, line up the wooden parts and the skin with masking tape. Non-abrasive metal and chrome polishes may not be friendly on wood and may corrode the top coat of the wooden pieces. Dispense a small amount of polish on your terry cloth and spread it evenly on the metal parts.

Cover everything and add a few more drops of the polish as needed. After applying the polish, use a clean terry cloth to wipe and scrub the metal parts to bring them to a shine.

Do this on the top rims, bottom rims, and clamps. While you are dabbling on your chrome polish, leave the snares and continue with your cymbals and other hardware. Basically, it follows the same method of cleaning—apply the polish first and wipe it off with a clean terry cloth.

Pay close attention to the tight spaces. Polishing creams may leave nasty white debris in these tight spaces. When you’re done, you can setup the hardware back to your studio.

Can You Use Cheap Household Cleaners On Cymbals?

Here’s a great video that tests common cleaners, even ketchup!, on an inexpensive Sabian cymbal:

Step 4: Polish Your Toms, Snare, and Bass Drum.

Now, use a different cloth on the wooden parts of your drum set. You can take off the masking tape you placed to protect it from the metal polish. Any wood conditioner will do fine. However, lemon oil gives more protection, and it smells nice!

Lemon oil is relatively safe to use on wood surface and won’t leave uneven markings. You can safely apply it over the wooden surface and spread it evenly using a terry cloth. After an even lemon-oil application, wipe off the excess using a clean terry cloth and bring it to a luster.

Step 5: Reassemble Your Drum Kit.

After cleaning everything, the more challenging part is building it back. Use a little petroleum jelly on the lug screws to help prevent cross-threading.

Carefully reassemble your drum set and make sure you tighten everything finger tight at first to make sure it fits correctly.

Then use the appropriate tools to tension up the heads and reassemble hardware. Be patient and wipe off the fingerprints you leave with a clean terry cloth.

Step 6: Tune Your Drums.

While cleaning every tight nook and crevice of your drum set, you may accidentally detune your toms and snare. Before you invite your friends over to jam, tune your drums first. Now, take a selfie with your shiny drum set and show your bandmates that you are ready to rock!

How Often Should You Clean Your Drum Set?

To maintain your drum’s shine, ideally, you should wipe it off after you use it. A thorough clean should be done at least once a year to keep the splinters off the rims, and to renew the shine of your hardware.

Pro Tips for Maintaining A Clean Drum Set

The next time you change your drum skin, you may want to insert a packet of dehumidifier inside the toms, the snare, and the bass drum.

Some players recommend using steel wool to clean hardware. If you do, you must use polishing grade such as #0000 – more course grades will leave scratches, and be careful as it also throws off a lot of fine debris.

Place them on the sidewall of the drums to make sure that no moisture will build up inside as molds and mildew thrive in moist environments. Keeping the insides of your drum kit dry will ensure that no organism will live there!

Cleaning Old Drum Sets

If you have a worn drum set at home or you have bought an old one, cleaning may take quite a longer time than a properly maintained drum set, of course. The hardware can become rusty overtime when not properly taken care of.

The bottom line is not to leave your drum set unattended! It only takes a few hours once every year to clean them! And now that you know how to clean a drum set the right way, you can set a specific time of the year to clean it.

How about, every first week of the new year? That will make a good point to tick off your list of resolutions.

We certainly hope you benefit from the information we provide in this article! Just so you know, we may receive compensation if you use the links on this page. If you do, thank you so much!

What Are The Different Types Of Percussion Instruments?

Percussion instruments refer to musical instruments sounded by striking, scraping, or shaking against another similar instrument.

The materials used to make percussion instruments include metal, wood, or plastic, and they come in different sizes and shapes. There are two common classifications of percussion instruments:

Pitched percussion instruments, and unpitched percussion instruments. The later produce sounds and notes with an unidentifiable pitch, whereas the former produce notes with an identifiable pitch.

When it comes to percussion instruments, most people tend to think of the drum. However, there are different types of percussion instruments from different parts of the world. Examples of percussion instruments include sticks, shakers, tambourines, maracas, xylophones, blocks, and bells.

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The following are the basic types of percussion instruments:

• Tuned Percussion
• Untuned/Auxiliary Percussion
• Persian Percussion
• Latin/Afro-Caribbean Percussion

Tuned Percussion

Also known as pitched percussion, tuned percussion instruments, such as modern professional drum sets, produce notes when struck. Instruments under tuned percussion are capable of producing a specific pitch and notated with normal music notation. Tuned percussion instruments find application in performing harmonic or melodic sections of a composition.

The most commonly used tuned percussion instruments include the glockenspiel, marimba, xylophone, tubular bells, and vibraphone. The form part of the percussion idiophones. These form part of the orchestral percussion.

Other types of tuned percussion instruments include the timpani (struck membranophone), bell lyre, celeste, chimes, crotales, steel drums (percussion idiophone), and the antique cymbals (concussion idiophone).

Some of the top tuned percussion instruments are:

Xylophone

The only difference between a xylophone instrument and the glockenspiel is that it has wooden keys. Tuned to a specific musical scale like diatonic, pentatonic, and diatonic, you can play it using either two or four-mallets in each hand. They help children understand musical terms, therefore, used mainly in classrooms.

Tubular Bells

Also known as orchestra bells, they are piano-based percussion instruments that often play over two octaves. You strike them using soft-ended mallets and stop the unwanted overtones using a pedal. They are the main instrument in the Futurama theme tune.

Marimba

Made from wooden keys and resonators that amplify the sound when struck by mallets. The aluminum tubes hanging below are the resonators that create a rich tone known for the marimba.

Glockenspiel

Has a similar arrangement to the piano. It has metallic keys/plates. You can find them in orchestral percussions and marching percussion. They also come in different sizes.

Untuned Percussion (Auxiliary Percussion)

Untuned percussion instruments, also known as auxiliary percussion within the orchestra un-pitched percussion, are instruments that are incapable of producing a specific pitch.

They have a normal rhythmic notation, but each instrument is on a separate line. Untuned percussion instruments find application in performing rhythmic foundations of a composition.

These instruments maintain a rhythm and have unrelated sounds to the harmony and melody of the music.

Examples of untuned percussion instruments include the bass drum, snare drum, claves, gong, suspended cymbal, tam-tam, tenor drum, wood block, triangle, tom-toms, agogo bells, flexaton, and tambourines among others.

However, it is quite easy to mistake folk instruments and other world instruments as un-pitched. The failure to recognize the harmonic relationship of such instruments often leads to these instruments sounding bad at the hands of beginners.

Such instruments like the tabla and the dhol’s bass head require tuning to match the pitch of a particular music. Furthermore, there are instruments that find use as both pitched and unpitched percussion in varying music pieces and styles.

These include the different types of bells. The user tunes (not to achieve any perceived pitch) most untuned percussion instruments, for instance, the snare drum.

Latin/Afro-Caribbean and Persian Percussion

In addition to the two major types of percussion instruments, you can classify percussion instruments depending on the region of origin.

Latin/Afro-Caribbean percussion instruments have their origins from Latin and Caribbean nations. Persian percussion instruments have their origin from Persian countries such as Iran.

Percussion instruments from Persia often numerous and popular within the Persian nations. The rhythmic expression of these percussion instruments always laid emphasis on hand clapping, the earliest form of rhythmic accompaniment.

The Persian dulcimer and drum are some of the percussion instruments echoing the musical style of an age that instrumental sounds well capture. Persian percussion instruments include the following among others:

Tombak

Also known by many other different names, this is a Persian goblet drum. You diagonally position this percussion instrument across the torso as you use a finger or more and the palm of your hands to play it.

Daf

This is a large drum from the Middle East used in classical and popular music. It has a hardwood frame with numerous metal ringlets and a goatskin membrane.

It is common in the Middle East, Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. It accompanies other Middle Eastern instruments such as the violin, oud, saz, and tanbur.

HandPan

The handpan can be traced back to the steel pan and drum instruments developed in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1940s.

With an instantly recognizable and distinctive sound reminiscent of the Caribbean Islands, the handpan could easily be considered a cousin to the steel drum.

Dayereh

This is a medium-sized frame drum with jingles. The Dayereh is a popular and classical musical instrument used by the Iranians, Azerbaijan, the Balkans, and other Central Asian countries such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

On the other hand, Latin percussion is any musical instrument in the percussion, lamellophone, idiophone, or membranophone family used in Latin music. The musical style used is mainly from the Latin American region, which has its influence from African tribal music.

Some of the Latin/Afro-Caribbean percussion instruments include the bongo drums, cabasa, cowbell, conga, maracas, pandeiro, tamborim, zabumba, repique, djembe, dunun, and surdo among others.

Final Thoughts On Types Of Percussion

The classification of percussion instrument bases itself on the ability of the instrument to produce a pitch. Thus, the two major types of percussion instruments are the tuned (pitched) and untuned (unpitched) percussion instruments.

However, a few instruments fall into both categories. Instruments within the tuned and untuned percussion instruments can get their classification from their region of origin.

Therefore, we have Persian (from Persia/Iran and the Middle East) percussion and Latin/Afro-Caribbean (from Latin American countries with their origin in African tribal music) among other regional instruments.

Percussion instruments have been instrumental (pun intended) in adding color and rhythm to music over the years.

Question: Which Drum Set Should I Buy?

Let’s say you’re intrigued with music and its many forms, you want to try your hand at something interesting—and you love the deep bass of drums.

Given a choice in this situation, you’d choose drums, and let’s face it, for a beginner, buying a drum is not an easy task. Add to this the fact that when you’re a newbie, every drum looks the same to you.

Fortunately for you, if you look carefully, and check out certain characteristics, you’d be able to see the differences between each drum set.

You would also not be asking random people ‘which drum set should I buy’ and make a practical choice.  So let’s get started with the basics!

Types of Drum Kits

1.  Acoustic Drum Kits

If you are a part of a traditional live band or have been to one, the typical drum kit that’s used is acoustic. This is the conventional type of kit found and acoustically much louder than an electric drum kit. You’d also need more space to set it up and play it.

2.  Electric Drum Kits

Well, if you are a beginner trying your hand out at experimental music, then an electronic drum set is the perfect kit for you. It’s not too loud, so your neighbors won’t complain, and if they do, all you need to do is turn the sound down.

Also, you don’t need to set it up and have sound proofing installed. You should opt for this if you are enthusiastic, but have never played drums before this kit.

The Basic Components of a Drum Set

Any drum that you try out has three basic components. They are the backbone of a drum set and are upgraded once the musician’s skill increases. Check them out:

1.  Snare Drum

In simple terms, the snare drum is the main drum that you see in a drum set. It produces a sharp, loud sound and is mounted on a stand, just between the drummer’s knees.

2.  Bass Drum

This is also known as the kick drum. You can identify it by its size because it’s the biggest drum in the set. You need to play it with a foot pedal, and it produces the basic downbeats and the deepest notes.

3.  Hi-Hat

The hi-hat is a specific pairing made from two cymbals positioned beside the snare drum. All you need to do is clash these two cymbals together and then hit it hard with a pair of drumsticks, and you’d have the best sound around.

Cymbals

Just like drum kits, there are two major types of cymbals found in starter drum kits—crash and ride cymbals.

Crash cymbals come in different sizes and are mounted on top of toms, while the ride cymbals are kept near the floor. Also, crash cymbals are typically smaller than ride cymbals, and each of them creates a different sound.

Now that you have a basic idea of drum kits, and how they function, let’s check out what you should keep in mind before you buy a drum kit:

Other considerations

1.  Price

This is the determining factor when it comes to buying a drum set. Acoustic drum sets cost more than electric drum sets because of a variety of reasons.

With acoustic drum sets, you’d need soundproofing, and that requires a fair amount. Additionally, the brands differ, and that leads to a price range difference.

However, if you are a newbie in the drumming field, you should go with an electronic drum set, which is not only easy to modulate but also costs less.

2.  Size Matters

Although this would sound awkward to you, yet smaller drums can sound better if you use the right heads and toms.  Drum sets come in different sizes and configurations. The two most common configurations are fusion and standard.

The configuration depends on the drum diameters. For example, fusion features a 10” and 12” mounted tom and a 14” floor tom. Contrary to this, the standard drum set features a 12” to 13” mounted tom and a 16” floor tom.

A Fusion set with smaller tom diameters can provide a punchy tone, while the standard set can provide more volume and tone. Depending on your purpose, you need to choose the size and the set.

3.  Purpose

This is also one of the major determining factors. Are you buying it for a kid who is just interested in playing as a hobby? Then you would like a junior drum set, which is not only affordable but also comes at the size fit for children.

However, they are also built solidly, and not like the toy store variety and offer the sound equivalent of a full sized kit.

If you want to try out your hand at drumming, but are a beginner, you can try out the beginner drum set, which includes all the necessary stuff to play it as you like.

Lastly, if you are a pro and trying out a drum set for your professional needs, then the complete drum set would be the perfect choice for you.’

If for some reason, you have the hardware for assembling the drum set, try out a shell pack, which will save you some bucks, while providing you with all the necessary items on your checklist.

4.  Construction

The construction of the drum also matters because the wood of your drum set defines the tone of sound emitted. Maple is one of the popular choices and provides a warm and balanced tone.

Birch, which is tough and dense, provides a brighter and harder sound compared to mahogany or maple.

Mahogany, on the other hand, has an enhanced mid-range to low-end tone with reduced highs. The sound is a wee bit warmer than that of maple and has a vintage character to it.

Other than these, the different woods which are used to make a drum set include:

• Falkata
• Poplar
• Basswood
• Lauan
• Oak

So, now that you have little knowledge about how a drum set works, and what it is made up of, you can choose a drum set for your requirements. After that, all you need to do is get started with it, and practice!