The Right Equipment For The Right Job

Drumming is an expensive hobby, and an even more expensive profession. Depending on what type or types of music that you are playing, your equipment investment can be very substantial. This is in addition to the money that you spend on lessons, pursuing a music degree, etc. Besides drumming, what if you also want to pursue work as a percussionist? Do you know what a good professional grade marimba or set of timpani cost? What about that $1200 brass shell concert snare drum? What about those four or five pairs of orchestral crash cymbals, those triangles and tambourines, and sets of castanets, log drums, whistles, pop guns, REAL guns that shoot blanks, shakers, maracas, etc.? As far as just being a drummer, and not also doing "legit" percussion work, you are still looking at a substantial financial investment in drums, hardware, cymbals, and "consumables" like heads and sticks. You will also need cases to protect your equipment as you transport the gear from gig to gig. If you are flying your gear or shipping it by truck, you are going to need "Anvil" style cases in order to protect your equipment. In addition, you can't fit a drum set into a Honda Civic. You will need at least a station wagon, and more than likely either a mini-van (don't worry, it's cool for drummers to drive a mini-van), a pick up truck with a cab on the back, or a regular full size passenger van or cargo van, which are now being discontinued by the various automobile manufacturers.

Building a drum equipment inventory is something that you should do little by little. You don't need to have six different drum sets when you are first starting out. You don't even need ONE drum set when you are first starting out. If you are going to start out right, you want to spend the first year with a practice pad and a pair of sticks learning how to read music and developing hand technique Once you are convinced that you really do want to pursue drumming either as a serious hobby or a profession, is the time to go out and purchase your first drum kit.

You've made the decision, and it's now time to get that set of drums. First of all, what kind of music are you planning on playing? Are you going to be doing rock, blues, big band jazz, small group jazz, hip hop, go go etc.? If you are not sure, and I'm sure if you are just starting out, you WON'T be sure, you want to get a good "general business" kit that can be used for a variety of gigs. You can always add more drum kits and different cymbals later if you start to diversify your playing into other styles of music.

Here's my recommendation: For a drum kit, you will want either a basic four piece or five piece kit with a ride cymbal, two crashes and a set of hi hats. You can get away with one crash cymbal, but I prefer two. That way I don't have to cross over as often from the floor tom to the crash on the other side. Personally, I like a four piece kit, however, there is nothing wrong with a five piece kit. The next decision you will make has to do with how much money you have to spend. Do you buy new or used?

There is nothing wrong with used gear if it's in good shape. In fact, one of my favorite kits is a 1960s Ludwig Super Classic that I purchased from a friend who was getting out of the business. It is such a nice drum kit, that I never take it out on gigs. It's in my studio and used for teaching and my own personal practice. The drum sizes are: 6 1/2 X 14 snare drum, 14 x 22 bass drum, 9 x 13 tom tom, and 16 x 16 floor tom. I have Remo Coated Ambassador heads on all the drums; top and bottom on the tom toms, and the bass drum has Coated Ambassador heads front and back, with no air hole in the front head. I muffle the bass drum the old fashioned way with felt strips and use a Dr. Sholl's moleskin pad to protect the batter head from the beater rather than a Kevlar impact pad. It's a classic old style set up, with a great all around classic sound. For Cymbals I use Paiste cymbals: 22" Dark Energy Ride Mark II, Dark Energy Mark I crashes 18" and 19", and Signature Series 14" Medium Hi Hats. Using modern Paiste cymbals is the only non old style approach to the kit. If I wanted to be true to tradition, I'd use Zildjian cymbals. Also, I consider myself a Paiste artist without an endorsement. I like their cymbals better than any of the other brands, and I own everything from Bosphorus to Istanbul to Paiste to both Advedis Zildjian and K Zildjian. I'm a collector. I've used them all, and I still continue to gravitate back to Paiste Cymbals. It's the sound that I like the best.

If you are planning on buying used equipment, look for gear that has been taken care of. You can usually tell by looking at it. Don't worry about head condition. Heads wear out and are easy to replace. You want to look for things like broken or missing lugs, excess wear and tear on the finish, chipped bearing edges, warped rims, broken snare strainers, etc. Don't buy a kit sight unseen.

When buying used cymbals, look for both edge cracks and cracks around the hole in the bell. Is the hole in the bell round, or has it oblonged out, because some asshole didn't use rubber or plastic sleeves over the metal post on the cymbal stand causing metal to metal rubbing. I have seen more good cymbals ruined because of this one thing.

If you are going to buy new, be prepared for sticker shock. Even the so called "student line" that some drum companies distribute can be quite pricey, and if you decide on a kit made by the so called "boutique" companies, you are going to think that you will need a second mortgage on your home in order to afford the drum kit. The upside is new will be in great shape and come with a warranty. Plus, it's new, and like buying a new car, there is a certain personal satisfaction in owning something that is yours and yours alone. At the same time, "vintage" equipment has a certain appeal, and vintage drums like old Slingerland Radio Kings command high dollar, and have a certain prestige level among your peers. Plus, you can't beat the sound of a well taken care of old set of Ludwigs, Slingerlands or Rogers. The shells were made much thinner back in the "good old days." They were reinforced with counterhoops at the top and bottom of the shells, but the thinner shells resonated more, and produced a much more open sound.

Here is my recommendation for a first drum kit...new or used: 14 or 16 x 22 bass drum(16 x 22 is becoming the most popular), 5 or 6 1/2 x 14 snare drum, 8 x 12, 9 x 13 rack toms (use either one for four piece kit), and a 16 x 16 floor tom. You can also mount the floor tom with a tom mount on a cymbal stand rather than use the three legs. It's personal choice. For cymbals, a 20" medium or medium/heavy ride, 16" and 18" medium/thin crashes, and a set of 14" hi hats in a medium to heavy weight. This combination will get you through about 90% of any gig that you can do. Another thing to consider strongly is a RIMS style mounting system for your toms. With this system, the mound is suspended from a half circle bracket that mounts off of the lug nuts. It lets the shell vibrate to its maximum degree, because there is no tom arm entering the shell causing it to become stuffy sounding.

When you purchase a drum kit, pick a finish that the company is not about to discontinue for a very long time. That way if you want to add drums, you don't have to go out and buy a complete other kit. You can just add drums. That was a mistake that I made. My main gig kits are all Pearl, and they have the same finish; a discontinued finish called Rosewood. I was, and still am, doing a variety of different kinds of work, and I wanted drum equipment at the time that I could mix and match depending on the requirements of the gig. I purchased two 24" bass drums, a 22" bass drum, an 18" bass drum, 12", 13" 14" x 14", 15" x 15", 16" x 16", and 16" x 18" toms. I did not buy a 10" tom or a 20" bass drum even though they were available. Later when I went to purchase them, the finish had been discontinued, and Pearl would not make me drums in those finishes, even though they still had the formula for the stain. I had to hunt around until I found those drums in used equipment markets, strip the finish off of them, and refinish them myself. I didn't get the match perfect, but it's close enough that you really can't tell, especially in a club. If I had purchased all my drums in either black or white, white marine pearl, or something similar, I would still be able to add to the kit 27 years later if that was my desire. In addition, there are companies out there that sell drum covering material, and you can either recover them yourself, or pay a custom shop to do it for you. There are options for dealing with discontinued finishes. They just involve either more work, or more expense.

As you gain more and more playing experience, you are going to follow one of two different paths. You are either going to become a so called utility player or jack of all trades, or you are going to specialize in one style of music. In a major market town like New York City or Los Angeles, specialization seems to be the norm. However, in a so called minor market town like Washington, DC or Omaha, you are going to have to be able to do a variety of different styles of gigs in order to keep yourself gainfully employed. As you begin to do a variety of different gigs at an increasingly professional level, there will come a time when you are going to have to start thinking about some type of equipment specialization to each style of music that you are playing.

Here are my basic "specialized" drum set ups. Remember, I use a four piece kit for all the gigs where I have to haul my own gear. I am fortunate that I play four nights per week at a club that has a "house" kit generously provided by the drummer for the club's house band. That is a five piece kit. Here are my set ups: For quiet rooms and small group jazz gigs; 18" bass drum, 10" tom, 14" floor tome slung from a stand, 5 x 14 wood shell snare drum, 14" Hi Hats, 20" Light Ride, 16" and 17" thin crashes....all Paiste Traditional Series. For light folk/rock "unplugged" type gigs, or jazz gigs where there are five or six musicians on the band; 20" or 22" Bass Drum depending on the room, 12" tom, 14" or 15" tom depending on which bass drum I use, 5 x 14 metal shell Snare Drum, 14" Hi Hats, 17" Mellow and Full Crashes, either a 20" Traditional Series Medium Ride, 20" Signature Series Dry Crisp Ride, or a 20" Signature Series Dark Full Ride. For most blues and rock gigs I use the following; 24" bass drum, 12" and 15" toms, or 13" and 16" toms, 5 x 14 or 6 1/2 x 14 metal shell snare drums, 14" Paiste Signature Series Heavy Hi Hats, either a Signature Series 22" Dry Heavy Ride for real loud applications, or a 22" Dark Energy Ride Mark I for 99% of my amplified work, 18" Signature Series Mellow Crash and Full Crash. I like 18" crash cymbals. On big band gigs, I'll use the same set up that I use for blues and rock gigs, but substitute a 22" bass drum rather than the 24" drum.

While the size of each of the drums in your kit, as well as your cymbal selection, has a large influence over the type of sound that you are going to produce, drum heads play an equally responsible position. Drum heads and how you tune them can make or break the sound of your drums. We all have our personal preferences when it comes to heads and tuning. That's why head manufacturers have so many different lines of drum heads. Without even looking at the calf skin head option, there are almost too many choices. On one side of the spectrum you have the extremely sensitive sound of the Remo Diplomat head favored by symphony orchestra players and small group jazz drummers. On the other side of the coin you have the woven Kevlar heads that are in favor with many of the DCI drum corps. There are other option too. You can get single ply heads, double ply heads, double ply with a layer of oil between them—the so called "hydraulic" heads—and the good old tried and true, the Remo Coated Ambassador. There are many options to choose from.

Most of my experimentation with drum heads was over a long time ago. When I was a kid, except for the drum manufacturers' own heads that came with the drums, the Coated Diplomat, the Coated Ambassador, and the Coated Emperor were the heads that everyone used, depending on the type of music they were playing. Symphony players and small group jazz players used the Diplomat because of it's sensitivity. 99% of the rest of us used the Ambassador, because it was and still is, the true general purpose head. Marching bands and rock drummers liked the Emperor, because of it's durability. Rock drummers also liked the Emperor, because you could tune it to a lower pitch and still get a good, fat, round tone. I went through my experimentation phase with heads. I started with Coated Ambassadors, then went to the Evans Hydraulic oil heads in the 70s for that dead, boxy sound that was popular with funk and disco drummers at the time. After that, I compromised with the Remo Pinstripe heads to get that "wet" tubby sound, and then went to the open sound of the Remo CLEAR Ambassadors on the toms. Guess what I ended up back with? Coated Ambassadors! I went full circle, and I'm not the only drummer that has done that. Currently, however, I have switched from Remo heads to Evans heads.

Currently, my choice of heads is: snare drum—Evans G-1 coated head on the batter side, and a Remo Ambassador Snare Head on the resonant side; toms—Evans G-1 coated heads on the batter side, and Remo Clear Diplomats on the resonant side. I like the thinner Diplomat on the bottom, because it makes the toms ring more. I haven't switched to the Evans resonant heads on the resonant side yet, but I will be experimenting with them in the near future. Bass drum—on the double headed drums without ports: Batter side; Evans Emad heads on the batter side, and Evans G-1 Dry heads on the resonant side of both the 20" and 18" drums. This combination gives me a nice focused open sound with just enough dampening to take the edge off of the ring. On my 22" and 24" bass drums I use Evans Emad head systems. The front heads have small offset portholes. I use the least amount of dampening on the 22" drum, and a little bit more on the 24" drum. If I need additional dampening for miking etc. I carry a bunch of old towels and will place some inside the drum until I achieve the desired dampening effect. The advantage to towels, is you can add and remove them in a matter of seconds. On my toms I use Evans G-1 coated heads on my 12" and 15" toms with Remo Clear Diplomats on the bottoms. I will be trying the Evans resonant heads in the near future. On my 13", 16", and 18" toms, I'm using Evans G-2 batter heads for a little drier, more rock oriented sound. On my 10" and 14" toms that I use on jazz gigs, I'm using the Evans L series etched heads for the extra warmth and sustain. I also use an L series etched head on the snare drum that I use for jazz gigs for the same reason, plus the etched surface is perfect for brush work.

Now let's talk about drum sticks. There are so many choices out there, it's totally confusing. Let's leave the orchestral side of the industry for now. That's a whole different world. Let's talk about drum set. First of all, there are rules, and there are no rules. If this sound contradictory, it is and it isn't. While there are basic guidelines, there are as many exceptions as there are not. My rule of thumb is this: The louder the gig, the bigger the stick. However, I know some very fine drummers that play highly amplified gigs with 7A model sticks. I wouldn't do it, but they do fine. They also laugh and tell me that I'm playing with "tree trunks," because I'm using 5Bs for most gigs. Here are the stick models that I use depending on the gig from softest to loudest. I use Vic Firth drum sticks: AJ5, 7AN, 5AN, 5BN, 2BN, RockN. All, except for the AJ5s, are nylon tip. I also use different model weights of Vic Firth Hot Rods, which are bunches of dowels taped together. Vic also makes some real nice brushes, both wire and nylon, that I use all the time. They are great! There are other stick manufacturers out there. They all make great sticks. Find the stick that is comfortable for you. They all make them just a little bit different. One company's 5B is going to be just a little different than another company's 5B. That's because everyone's hands are just a little bit different. Don't be afraid to experiement a little. For me, Vic Firth feel the best, but there is nothing wrong with Zildjian, Pro Mark, Vater, Colato Regal Tip, or any of the others.

I hope that I haven't totally confused you about equipment selection. There are as many choices as there are the drummers that chose them. Start simple and add as you diversify over the years. Just make sure that you get good quality equipment that will last you a lifetime, and make sure that you don't get something that you aren't going to use...unless you are a collector like me, in which case you will buy lots of stuff to clog up your basement or even the entire house that you will never use.