What to Expect When You Buy an Entry Level Beginner Drum Set

When looking at your first drum set it is important to first consider what it will be used for and who it will be used by. For example, if it is for a child then you don't want to go out and buy a full size drum kit for two reasons. Firstly, it will be much more expensive and secondly it will be much harder to play. Another important thing before buying your drum kit is getting the right one, if you want to play rock music then that will have different drums in than an orchestral drum kit or a 'big band' style kit.

Once you have decided on this then comes the task of actually buying it which can be long winded if you don't know what you are looking for. The best drum kit to buy as an entry level one is your standard rock set up that you see on most music videos and live performances. The reason for this is that there is a bigger selection of these on the marketplace which means you have a better chance of getting a good deal. A beginner drum set generally consists of a snare, 20" bass, 3 toms, 14" hi-hats and a 16" crash symbol. This is your basic package that you should look for when buying your first set. Often when buying a full drum kit you can negotiate extras to be thrown in and/or money off, especially if bought from a small retailer rather than a nationwide one. Another benefit of buying from a smaller retailer is that they tend to give you impartial advice on what would be best rather than just trying the hard sell and trying to get you to buy the most expensive kit. The Stagg PAO-L 20 is a great starter kit.

When you have bought your first drum kit you will then face the daunting task of getting it home which isn't easy with about 5 big drums and 2 lots of symbols as well as all the stands. You should be able to fit them all in the car if you take them out of their packaging, if they are in boxes then you have absolutely no chance so make sure you ask the store to take them out of it before you pick it up. However, keep the cellophane on the outside of them so they don't get damaged in transport. Beginner drum sets are the same size as advances ones (unless you get a children's kit), the only difference is you may get a few more drums with the more expensive ones.

Some common problems with cheaper (entry level) drum kits are just niggly things that will probably gradually get on your nerves the more you play them. For example, things like after hitting the snare drum hearing a buzzing sound, you can't really stop this it is just because it is a cheaper drum. The kit recommended above which is an excellent beginner drum set costs around £300 ($450) and a good new snare would cost around £100 ($150) which give you an idea of what the step up is price wise between entry level and mid range. In general, all of the shell fittings, rims, lugs and bracelets should be of a decent quality, the only thing you may notice is that the stand that the hi-hat sits on is a little unsteady particularly when played on carpet rather than a hard floor. Drumsticks can make a massive difference to how your drum kit sounds just like a good plectrum does with a guitarist and often the sticks you receive with your drum kit are cheap. Retailers usually throw in a decent mid range pair though (which is very nice of them considering you've just given them about £300!).

Beginner drum sets come with a 'stool to suit all' usually which isn't much good if you are either very tall or small! It may be fine for you but it is always important that you have the right posture and feel comfortable when playing the drums. You need to be able to reach everything with ease and not have to stretch. The pedals you get with your drum kit will work no problem but you will notice pretty quickly that they aren't the best. They are a bit wobbly (from side to side) and don't really feel like you have that much power particularly when using the bass drum.

When it comes to upgrading your kit, you have two options, you can either gradually phase in different drums like with the snare drum before until you basically have a new kit. You can also just save your money, put up with the niggly problems and then just go out and buy a decent mid-range kit. The problem with the second option is that you often end up with a worse kit buying everything at once rather than individually. Think of it like a mountain bike, if you buy a mid-range factory built model it won't be as good as once built with better quality parts bought individually and put together by the owner. Therefore, I suggest that you definitely follow the first option and buy individual drums; the only downside to this is that unless you are careful and buy the right style and colour you can end up with a kit that looks like its mix and match which isn't much good particularly if you are performing with it on stage. As well as the snare drum the first things you will want to upgrade will be the cymbals, the crash cymbal you may want to change to a ride cymbal or have both and definitely the hi-hat because this is one of the most important parts of the whole kit.

Hopefully this has given an insight in to the world of drum kits and what to look for in an entry level set. Remember, the secret to becoming good at any instrument is practice, don't go out and buy all the best equipment thinking it will make you Keith Moon!