The Beginner Drummers Handbook

Every question you’ll ever ask after buying your first drum set – Answered!

By Rob Brown

About the Author My name is Rob Brown. I’m a session drummer, clinician and educator from the Toronto, Canada area. I started playing the drums when I was 17 and bought my first official kit in 1987, which was a metallic burgundy 5 piece set of Pearl Forums, which I loved and spent countless hours on! Over the next several years I have invested an endless amount of time playing and learning everything that I could about drums and working on my craft. In 2004 I got a job working in the drum department of a major musical instrument retailer and for the next 6 ½ years I’ve seen, played on and repaired drums of all types and answered a million questions from old drummers, young drummers, experienced drummers, new drummers and parents of new drummers. Of the many questions fired at me in the course of an 8 hour shift, day after day, I’ve noticed that many of these questions, typically from beginner drummers and their parents, were asked quite frequently. So one day I made the decision to write down all of the most frequently asked questions and compile them all in one book. The purpose of this handbook is to help educate you after obtaining your first set of drums. In this book is every question you will most likely ask within your first year of playing – already answered! Its mainly to give you a bit of guidance before making one of your many trips to the drum shop to pick up that next pair of sticks, cymbal, drum head or accessory. The Beginner Drummers Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Table of Contents Drumsticks . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4

Drumheads . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16

Snare Drums . . . . . . . . . . . . .

27

Cymbals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

36

Drums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

49

Bass Drum Pedals . . . . . . . . . .

62

Stands & Hardware . . . . . . . . .

73

Accessories & Gadgets . . . . . . .

82

The Beginner Drummers Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . 3

DRUMSTICKS What’s the difference between all these drumsticks on the wall? Drumsticks, as you may have noticed, come in all kinds of lengths and thicknesses. The main difference is diameter. Your preferred diameter will be determined by your playing style. If you play metal or hard rock – you may prefer a thicker ‘beefier’ stick. If you play swing jazz – you’re probably going to want something lighter. Chances are that you are going to go through a few different sizes before you find the one you’re comfortable with. Just start with one that feels good in your hands. For the average size new drummer, if you’re unsure where to start, a pair of 5As are your best bet. As far as size goes, those are pretty much in the middle. From there you’ll decide if you want to go heavier or lighter.


How do I know what sticks to use? Pick up a pair of 5As and see how they feel. 5A sticks are pretty much in the middle of all available common sizes. Sticks are like shoes. Every drummer uses a size most comfortable to them. You may eventually even get used to a couple different sizes and keep them in your bag. If a pair of sticks came with your first kit, don’t get too used to them. They are not usually in mass production and were just a cheap pair thrown in with your package. So if you fall in love with them and they break, you most likely wont find the same pair on any shelf. But you will definitely be able to find an equivalent from a major stick manufacturer.


What ‘s the difference between wood tips and nylon tips? That is really a personal preference. Nylon tips produce a ‘brighter’ sound on cym-bals. Wood tips tend to rebound or ‘bounce’ better on hi-hats. Neither will make your drums sound any different to an audience. When you’re first starting out, it doesn’t really matter what you use. As far as durability goes, on higher quality sticks, nylon tips will surely last longer than wood tips because they wont wear down to pencils over time. But on some lesser quality sticks, sometimes they may fly off while you’re playing.


Does the size/shape of the tip matter? Depends. On the drums? No. On cymbals? Sometimes significantly, particularly on ‘ride’ work. The sound of your ride cymbal will take on a different tone depending on the size of the tip hitting it. There are diamond shapes, barrel shapes, teardrops, balls; some sticks, like Zildjian’s Absolute Rock sticks, don’t even have a tip. Both ends are butt ends. Try some out and see which ones you like.


What about the taper of the stick? (Bonus Question) I threw this one in there because most beginner’s wont recognize the taper on a drumstick. The length and severity of the taper (towards the tip) makes a big difference in how it feels in your hand while you’re playing. Many of the thicker and heavier sticks have a very short taper towards the tip, allowing more weight at the end and producing more power. Medium tapers are found on most general purpose sticks, particularly in 5As and 5Bs. And long, sleek tapers are common on thinner sticks, giving them a much lighter feel while you’re playing. If you’re into jazz, you’ll like that.


Are there sticks I can use to play quieter? Yes. Multi-rod sticks are probably the best for situations when you need something quieter than sticks but louder than brushes. The most common types are Pro Mark’s Hot Rods, Cool Rods and Thunder Rods and Vic Firth’s Tala Wands. The only downside is that because the stick is softer in its construction, you won’t get the same volume out of your ‘cross sticking’ (playing across the rim).


What sticks can I buy that won’t break? None, really. At least none that are worth buying. If you’re going through a whole lot of sticks, it’s not a stick issue. Its a technique issue. Playing with proper hand technique saves you a fortune on sticks! As far as which wood makes the strongest drumstick...that would probably be Oak. But that would also make it more brittle and prone to snapping and also, because it’s such a hard and dense wood, they will vibrate more in your hands. Maple is the lightest wood that sticks are made of. They absorb dings well but heavy hitters will snap them in no time. So if you’re a metal banger – avoid Maple. Hickory is the most widely common. There are other sticks made from various high impact plastics and even aluminum, but are usually heavier in feel and clunky. And quite honestly, an unnecessary replacement for proper technique.


One of my sticks broke after just three songs. Unfortunately, that’s the gamble. The odd stick might just have a weak spot in the grain and if struck in just the right spot...boom! Toast. Most stores can’t really warranty sticks so you may not have much luck getting your cash back. Not that common. But it happens.


What do the numbers on the stick mean? They determine the diameter of the stick. They’re like shoe sizes in a way. 7A, 5A, 5B and 2B are the standard sizes and also serve as templates for about a thousand offshoot sizes. 7A is the thinnest. 2B is the thickest. The letters are also an indication of the the recommended application. The ‘A’ could be thought of as ‘all purpose’. It indicates a smaller diameter. ‘B’ actually stands for ‘band’ and indicates a medium diameter, identifying the stick as ideal for studio and live applications. There’s also ‘S’ which stands for ‘street’ applications like drum corps and marching. They’re generally thicker for more volume.


Are rubber dipped sticks good? Well, they definitely work. Rubber dipped ends improve grip while playing. But they can also sometimes cause blistering in your fingers.


Will aluminum sticks last longer? How much are they? Technically , yes. They are stronger than wood. But they’re not completely indestructible. Plenty of drummers still snap aluminum sticks in half. The Ahead models feature changeable sleeves and tips, which is good because they’re cheap to replace. Depending on your area, aluminum sticks are about $45 to $50.


What’s that thing that attaches to the floor tom? You put all your sticks in it… It’s actually a drumstick bag. When it folds out it can clip on to the tension rods on your floor tom and stand upright.


DRUMHEADS I just bought a starter drum kit. How long should the drum heads last? The life of any drumhead depends on how often its played. They don’t particularly put great heads on starter kits under $500 and they’re generally quite thin and ‘tinny’ sounding so you might find yourself changing them within the first few months, either our of necessity or by choice. Swapping them out for a good set of Remo or Evans heads will definitely improve the sound of your drums. Figure on spending between $120 and $140 to outfit a typical 5pce kit including the bass drum and excluding the bottom (resonant) heads.


I need to change my drumheads. How do I know what to get? There are many different types of heads available from single ply, double ply, clear, coated, black heads, heads with built in muffle rings, dots for reinforcement and even double ply heads with drops of oil between the two plies. All were designed for specific applications – some for all purpose, some for a very specific sound result. Choose your heads according to what style of music you play. For all around applications, Remo Pinstripes or Evans G2s are great choices, clear or coated.


What’s the difference between clear and coated heads? Clear heads give you more ‘attack’ on stick impact. Coated heads are ‘warmer’ sounding and sustain longer, popular with jazz drummers.


What’s the difference between single ply and double ply heads? Single ply heads will give you more ‘projection’ and are good heads for live applications. But they’re also harder to control on larger toms. Double ply heads are more controlled, more durable and easier to tune on bigger floor toms than clear heads.


I’ve noticed an indent where my beater hits the bass drum head. What should I do? You can put a bass drum ‘patch’ on the head to reinforce it where it’s played. They’re available for single and double bass drum pedals. You can triple the life of a bass drum head just by putting a patch on it.


Is there a difference between Remo and Evans heads? Only in selection. Each company makes some unique drumheads, experimenting with ply thicknesses and combinations, rings, dots and even vent holes, but quality wise? The same. They are arguably the top two drumhead manufacturers in the world.


How do I know when my heads need changing? You’ll either hear it, see it, or both. The obvious signs are if your heads look as if they’ve endured a severe hailstorm – chances are it’s time to toss them, or if they’ve lost their sound just from regular wear. For snare drums in particular, you can also tell by the height of the head compared to the rim or ‘hoop’. A very small gap or even a head that’s sitting almost flush with the top of the hoop is an indication that it’s been stretched to capacity and it’s time to change it. You’ll know for sure once you take it off and it concaves or ‘dips’ in the middle.


I’m changing my tom heads. Do I need to change the bottom ones too? Normally, no. The bottom or ‘resonant’ heads can stay on there longer because they generally don’t suffer the same wear as the top or ‘batter’ heads. Now they do stretch over time from just the down forces of air inside the drum each time it’s hit but not enough to render them unusable. They can stay on there much longer than batter heads.


Are the bottom heads important? Absolutely! That’s where you get all of that tone and sustain from. The resonant head does most of the work after the batter head is hit, helping to control the movement of air inside the drum. What about concert toms, you ask? Well, put it this way – there’s a reason why you can’t find a major drum manufacturer that makes concert tom drum kits anymore!


What kind of head should I use on the bottom of my toms? Single ply clear. That’s it. Double ply heads are too thick to use as resonant heads because they can’t vibrate at the same rate as single ply heads, causing the drum to sound thick and muddy.


Do I need a hole in my front bass drum head? Only if you plan to mic it. That’s what the hole is for – to stick a mic in it. Bass drums actually sound fuller without a hole in the front head. With both heads resonating freely, you’ll get more low end ‘woof’ out of it and it sounds much bigger, particularly if you play it open or ‘off the head’. But a 5” or 6” hole makes the bass drum punchier for those that bury the beater into the head when they play.


SNARE DRUMS What size skin do I need for my snare drum? 14”. All full size starter and intermediate drums kits come with a 14” snare drum. Junior drum kits, which are considerably smaller, would come with a 12” snare drum.


My snare drum rings a lot when I hit it. How do I get rid of that? There are a few different ways, actually. The simplest way is grab what’s called an ‘O-Ring for it. It’s just a 1” to 1.5” wide mylar (same material as the drumhead) ring that you just sit right on top of the snare. This cuts down on the ringing significantly. They’re about $3 and they make them for toms as well. Another way is to change the head and grab one with a built in o-ring or ‘muffle ring’ underneath the head. Moon Gel’s are also great. There are aftermarket internal and external dampening pads available, too. In emergency situations, a couple strips of duct tape works. But save that for emergency situations. Duct tape residue is hard to remove.


Whenever I play my bass drum, my snare drum kind of ‘rattles’. Can I fix that? ‘Fix’? Not really. Snare buzz, as it’s known, is natural and unless your snares are in the off position, you’re going to get snare buzz. But you can adjust the snare tension by turning the little knurled knob on the snare throw-off. If you still get excessive buzz even when your snare wire tension is really tight – that could be a sign that your snares are overstretched and it’s time to change them. But this happens over time. Try and remember to throw your snares ‘off’ when you’re not playing.


I want to replace my snare drum and get a better one. How much are they? Assuming that you just want a good sounding and affordable upgrade, figure on spending anywhere from $160 to $250 for a good quality snare drum. These snares are generally the ones that are included in many of the major manufacturer’s intermediate kits. (Pearl, Tama, Yamaha, Sonor, Mapex, etc.) The typical size is 14x5.5”.


I want to replace my snare drum. What size should I look for? Depends on what sound you’re going for, really. Shop for a snare drum that will cater to your preferred style of music. Just keep in mind that the more extreme the size, the less versatile that snare will be. So if you’re the type that likes to play many different styles of music and your budget allows for just one snare, 13x3 is probably not a wise choice. Neither is a 14x8. Look for something in either a 14x5.5, 14x6 or 6.5 or even a 13x7 is cool. These sizes will offer the widest tuning ranges.


What’s the difference between wood and metal snare drums? The honest answer is that the sound difference is not that noticeable to the ears of your average listener. But generally, wood is warmer and more ‘full bodied’ sounding than metal and metal snares are much harsher and louder than wood.


My snare wires rattle no matter how much I tighten them. Why? They’ve most likely been stretched to capacity. It’s probably time to change them.


A couple of tension rods on my snare keep coming loose after playing. Can I fix that? Yes. You might find that the ones closest to where you actually hit the snare, particularly if you’re a rimshot kind of player, keep coming loose. The impact is just knocking them loose a little at a time. First off, don’t use ‘Lock Tight’. Save that stuff for plumbers and mechanics. You can get these little white plastic things called ‘lug locks’ that snap right on to the tension rod which keeps them from loosening. Or you can actually buy specially designed tension rods that are self locking as well. They’re a little more expensive, but they do work. Ask your local drum shop about them.


I want to add a second snare drum to my kit. What can I get? You have a couple of options here. The most common is called a ‘piccolo’ snare. A piccolo snare is 13” or 14” in diameter, no more than 3.5” deep and available in wood or metal. Very high pitched and loud. Then there’s the ‘soprano’ snare. These guys are 12” and normally 5” deep. They have a smaller diameter than piccolos but a deeper shell to add a little body and projection. There’s also the ‘popcorn’ snare. These little guys are only 10” in diameter, normally 6” deep and really loud!, especially the metal ones. You’ve noticed that as the diameter gets smaller, the depth increases. This is to make up for the loss in body as the shell gets smaller. A 10x3 snare, for example, would probably sound like crap. Finally, on the extreme end, Drum Workshop (DW) makes something called a ‘ballad’ snare. This beast is 16” in diameter, 10” deep and sits on legs, like your floor tom. It is a full fledged snare drum, throw-off, snare wires and all! It’s designed for that huge, thick, snare sound usually heard on rock and R&B ballads.


CYMBALS My drum kit came with hi-hats and a crash/ride. I want to add a cymbal to my kit. What should I get? Typically your minimum set up should be hi-hats, a crash and a ride cymbal. Chances are that your crash ride is thin enough to use as a crash – so shop for an affordable ride cymbal.


How much is a crash? Does the stand come with it? Crash cymbals come in all makes and sizes and typically start at 14”. So before you head into your drum shop and ask the person behind the counter this question, it’s good to have an idea of what you might want or at least narrow it down for them. “How much is a good sounding, affordable 16” crash?” would be a better question. Your first crash could be 14”, 16” or even 18” and you should be able to find one between $40 and $90, depending on the size. The stand is always sold separately and usually starts at around $40-$45.


I’m looking for a ride cymbal. What’s a good size? 20” and 22” are the norm for ride cymbals. The beginner rides are usually one weight or ‘thickness’. Professional lines offer more choices in the same series. Rock ride, Medium Ride, Heavy Ride, etc. You should be able to find a good intermediate ride between $99 and $140.


What’s the difference between a ride and crash cymbal? Purpose. Rides are more for ‘color’ whereas crash cymbals are more for accents; punctuation. Your ride cymbal is typically the largest cymbal on your kit and is played differently than crash cymbals, although these days, thinner rides are popular because they also make fabulous crashes – and were probably the inspiration for 19” and 20” crashes for a really big sound.


I want to add a splash cymbal to my setup. What size should I get? Splash cymbals range from 6” to 12”. If you’re starting with just one – 8” or 10” is normally a good place to start. 6” and 12” make good additional splashes to compliment the ones you already have.


What’s a ‘china’ cymbal? Chinese crashes or ‘china’s as they’re popularly known, are those interesting looking cymbals with their identifying ‘upside down’ appearance that you’ve surely seen and definitely heard before. The flange of the cymbal is turned up (or down, depending on how you look at it) and produce a very dark, harsh and trashy sound, originally modelled after the old Chinese gongs. Although they were originally larger in size, various companies have since introduced 14”, 12” and even 10” models with names like ‘trash’, ‘kang’ and ‘pang’.


How can I mount my new splash cymbal? You don’t need an entire cymbal stand for a splash cymbal. You have a few options, actually. You can get a ‘grabber arm’ which is just a boom extension with a clamp built on to it, allowing you to clamp it on to one of your existing cymbal stands. You can also just ‘piggyback’ it, upside down, on top of one of your cymbals (a great space saver), or you can put it on a cymbal ‘stacker’ which is just a little extension, 4” or 6” long, that replaces the wing nut on your cymbal stand allowing you to mount one cymbal on top of another. Looks cool, too!


I want to add a cool effects cymbal to my setup. What can I get? These days? Lots! There are chinas, mini-chinas, splashes, trashes, pangs, kangs, stacks, choppers, ice bells, cymbals with jingles, cymbals with rivets, cymbals with holes in them, cymbals that ring and cymbals that warble – you name it! Check out some manufacturers websites like Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, Hammerax, Factory Metal, Soultone, etc. There are some very cool and unique cymbals out there!


I’ve noticed that some cymbals have a really shiny finish. Is that just for looks? Actually, no. It serves a purpose. There are two main finishes applied to cymbals. ‘Traditional’, which is the most common, and ‘Brilliant’. There’s a high speed buffing process added to some cymbals after the lathing/hammering process which results in a very ‘bright and shimmering’ sound.


What can I use to clean my cymbals? Proper cymbal polish. There are many different brands of cymbal polish out there. Some are all purpose and some are specific to the type of finish on the cymbal. Crazy John’s, for instance, was developed specifically for brilliant finish cymbals. Using this stuff on traditional cymbals will have you scrubbing for hours! Groove Juice has proven to be the best cymbal cleaner for most common cymbals, brilliant or traditional. Paiste cymbal owners are encouraged to use only Paiste brand polish, especially on their high end Rude and Giant Beat series. This is because of the special coating they use on many of their lines.


I have some brass cleaner in the house. Can I use that to clean my cymbals? That’s debatable. Some have used it with good results. Others, not so good. You might hear of many home remedies for cleaning cymbals – Brasso, soap and water, even ketchup. Yes. Ketchup! My personal opinion? Protect your investment, keep it on the safe side and stick with the proper cymbal polishes.


My cymbal has a crack in it. What should I do? Unfortunately, once a cymbal is cracked, there’s not a whole lot that you can do to save it or stop it from eventually getting bigger. First of all, if it’s still under warranty, take it back and get a new one, of course. If not, some might suggest drilling a hole at the end or both ends of the crack, but it’s a temporary fix at best. This doesn’t mean that your cymbal is trash, though. Get creative with it. Pop some rivets in it or turn it into a stack with another cymbal.


I want to get a good cymbal bag. What should I look for? Most of the cheaper nylon bags are just a plain 22” bag with no extra pockets and usually under $24. If you have a lot of cymbals, stay away from the thinner ‘shiny’ nylon bags. The stitching is normally not able to handle lots of weight, the straps aren’t padded and it’s probably going to rip on you eventually. Look for a nice sturdy nylon bag with nice padding a few extra pockets for things like extra tuning keys, dictation and songbooks, pencils, etc. and thick, strong stitching. A padded shoulder strap is important, too. A reinforced bottom is available on the better bags. Leather cymbal bags are great and some, you’re able to carry ‘backpack’ style. Figure on spending $50 to $95 on a really good bag that will protect your investment.


DRUMS How long should it take me to learn drums? That totally depends on the person. Some take to it very easily, others much longer. But as with anything – you get out of it what you put into it. The more seriously you take it and the more time you invest in developing the physical and mental aspects to playing the drums, the faster you’ll improve.


Do you have to tune drums? Many people are surprised by the answer ...but yes. Who woulda’ thought? Learning how to tune your drums is as important as learning how to play them. There are many resources available to you from YouTube to instructional DVDs dedicated to tuning. It’s important and highly recommended that you take advantage of them!


How often should I tune my drums? Well, as often as they go out of tune, really. There are a few factors that will affect a drum’s tuning. Extreme humidity, extreme cold, or just neglect. You’ll know when a drum needs a ‘tune up’ when you hit it and it just doesn’t sound good. It could possibly be fixed with a quick turn of the right tension rod or it could need a full tuning from scratch.


What’s the hole in the front bass drum skin for? The hole is there to accommodate the bass drum mic. Unless you’re going to be playing on stage, you don’t really need a hole on the front skin.


My bass drum sounds hollow and ‘ringy’. How can I get rid of that? Its almost always necessary to muffle a bass drum to control all of that air moving around in the shell. The best home remedies are either a pillow or a blanket. Take a pillow and position it lengthwise in the shell, so that one end is touching the front head and the other end is touching the back. You can strap it down to the shell with two strips of duct tape just to keep it from moving around during transport and that should work very well. A folded blanket laid across the bottom of the shell works well, too. There are plenty of cool products for bass drum muffling that you can pick up, too. Evans and Remo offer some really good solutions for bass drums, including some great sounding pre-muffled bass drum heads like the Remo Powersonic, Evans EQ series drumheads and the Evans Emad pad.


I need to replace all my drumheads. What sizes are my drums? With most starter drum kits under $500, your bass drum is 22”, your toms are 12”, 13” and 16” and your snare is 14”. Your configuration could also be a set of what ‘s sometimes known as ‘fusion’ sizes which include a 20” bass drum, 10”, 12” and 14” with a 14” snare drum. Get to know your kit. If you’re measuring for size, measure the inside diameter of the drum. Don’t include the hoop.


I want to replace all of my drum skins, including the bass drum. How much would it cost me? Figure on spending about $120 to $140 on a set of skins for a 5pce kit, excluding the bottom (resonant) skins.


My drums are really loud. Is there a way that I can make them quieter when I practice? Yes. They’re called ‘sound off’ or ‘mute’ pads. Vic Firth makes them as well as HQ percussion. They are just floppy rubber discs, cut to diameter for your toms. You just throw them on the drums and they cut down at least 90% of the noise. You can buy them individually or in a set, which includes pads for cymbals as well.


I want to dampen the sound of my drums. How can I do that? You can get what’s called ‘O-Rings’ for your toms and snare to control the ringing or ‘overtones’. They’re made by Evans and they work well. Cooler, still, are MoonGels. These things work great on toms, snares and even cymbals. Talk to your local drum shop about these options.


I want to add more toms to my kit. Can I do that? Well, yes and no. Yes you can add extra toms to your setup, but it’s unlikely that you can order extra drums to actually match your starter kit. The reason being that most starter drum kit manufacturers don’t make component drums for their kits. What you get is all you get. If you have a black kit it’s possible to order extra drums from a different and more popular manufacturer like Pearl or Yamaha in an intermediate line.


What are ‘roto-toms’? Roto-toms are an inexpensive way to add extra drums to your first kit. It’s a set of three drums, which have no shells, that all sit on a single stand. Each drum is basically a single head that sits in a rotating aluminum frame. The pitch of each drum can be increased or decreased by rotating it on a threaded spindle. The sizes are usually 6” 8” and 10” for the inexpensive sets and usually sell for under $180.


My drums stay in my garage. Is this OK? It’s not particularly ideal just because of the normal year ‘round temperature changes in a garage. Especially in the summer and winter months. Room temperature is best for drums. If the garage is your only option then just make sure your drums are covered when you’re not playing them and try to move them inside the house if the humidity gets crazy during the summer.


What can I use to clean my drums? New kits will generally stay clean out of the box. They just get a bit dusty so as long as you stay on top of that, even with a regular household duster, they will stay looking great. As far as actually polishing them, you can get drum shell polish. Although its mainly for lacquered finishes it still works great on wrap finishes and chrome. A damp cloth and a little soap works fine, too.


BASS DRUM PEDALS My bass drum pedal is cheap. How much is a better one? Figure on spending anywhere between $50 and $80 on a decent upgrade to your stock pedal.


I want a double bass drum pedal. How much are they? Double pedals usually start in and around the $200 to $250 mark. It’s well worth while looking into pedals from the more popular manufacturers like Pearl, Tama and Gibraltar. Many of the lesser known companies will probably make a cheaper pedal, but that will probably mean lesser quality as well. If your local drum shop accepts trade ins, you’ll also get a better return on the better makes if and when you decide to trade up to a more expensive pedal.


Is there a real difference between the cheaper and more expensive bass drum pedals? Yes. There is, actually. The biggest differences will be noticed in feel and adjustability. The more expensive (and very expensive) pedals feel noticeably smoother and faster, have plenty of customizable adjustments and there are more fine details in the construction, not to mention that they all come with a carrying case. Cheaper pedals under $250 normally don’t.


My bass drum pedal feels stiff when I step on it. Can I adjust it? Yes. The spring on the side of the pedal is for the pedal tension and it can be adjusted for a light or heavy feel. Now keep in mind that a lighter feel going down means slower coming up. And a heavier feel going down means faster coming up. Because the spring is tighter, it means that the beater will spring back much faster. So if speed is what you’re after, tight is your thing.


My bass drum beater is worn out. Can I replace just the beater? You sure can. There are many different beaters available from felt to wood to plastic to even skateboard wheel beaters. You can probably get the same one again, one from a competing manufacturer or you can get an aftermarket beater. The diameter on all of these different shafts are universal so any one of them will fit on your pedal.


The beater on my pedal has a felt side and a plastic side. What’s the difference? The initial sound of the beater hitting the head. Harder beaters like plastic and wood give you more definition at the initial strike of the head. Drummers that are fast with the double footwork like this because it gives those notes more definition.


What’s the difference between straps and chains on bass drum pedals? Feel, mainly. The strap has a faster feel going down, which double bass drummers like, but they also have a bit more lag on the upstroke. Chain drive pedals are just more durable and provide a fairly even feel on both the down and the upstroke.


What’s a ‘direct drive’ bass drum pedal? Direct drive pedals feature a metal bar in place of the strap or chain, directly connecting the pedal to the drive shaft and are probably the best feeling pedals available, providing superior feel on both the down and the upstroke with virtually 0% lag. There’s little to no maintenance to these pedals but they’re also a bit more expensive.


Is there a difference between a single chain and double chains on a pedal? Mainly in durability. The double chain also provides a smoother and more solid feel than the single chain, which is found mainly on the entry level to intermediate level pedals.


My double bass drum pedal ‘clicks’ when I step on the left pedal. How can I fix it? This will require some close inspection. The answer could be in a loose tension rod on the connecting bar, or it could be that one of the tiny, and sometimes hard to spot, allan key bolts came loose. Check the beater, the connecting bar and the drive shaft on the left pedal for any loose rods or nuts. If none of that works, then the problem could be in the bearings. Take it back to your drum shop and ask them to look at it.


On my double bass drum pedal, the left side feels slower than the right? What’s wrong with my pedal? Most likely? Nothing. It’s just the nature of the construction of the pedal. The left pedal is now about 10” to 14” away from the actual beater and the connecting rod will add lag and naturally slow it down a bit. The right pedal is directly under its beater and will obviously feel faster than the left. On much higher end double pedals like Pearl’s Demon Drive, DW’s 9000s, Axis’ Longboards and Trick’s Pro-V, the Lamborghini of double pedals, this problem is given much more attention to in their design and the lag on these pedals is far less noticeable if it even exists at all. Of course, these pedals are also in the $650 to $1000 price range! If you paid under $200 for your pedal, it will be even more noticeable. But it’s not a defect. It’s just what it is.


STANDS & HARDWARE I want to add a cymbal stand to my kit. How much are they? Figure on spending anywhere from $40 to $65 for a beginner lightweight stand and between $45 to $75 for a good lightweight boom stand.


What’s the difference between a boom stand and a straight stand? A boom stand has a ‘boom’ extension on it to allow for more flexibility and more reach for positioning a cymbal. A straight stand is basically what it sounds like – straight up, no boom and is more for close positioning.


Is it OK to use a cymbal stand without the plastic sleeve on it? (Bonus Question) NO! Your cymbals should never make direct contact with the stand. The constant force and friction created when you hit the cymbal will cause the hole to bend, crack or develop what’s called a keyhole. Keyhole’ing happens when the bare metal thread post wears right up against the hole as the cymbal moves up and down after you hit it. Not good! It can void the warranty on your cymbal as well. Always make sure there’s a plastic sleeve on the stand. If yours wears out, replace it. You can get just the sleeve itself or a sleeve with the cymbal seat attached. Both are available in packs of four for around $10 per pack.


I want a new hi hat stand. How much are they? You can figure on spending between $70 and $85 for a good affordable hi hat stand upgrade from your starter hi hat stand.


I just picked up a double bass pedal and now I can’t set up my hi hat stand right. What can I do? Unfortunately there’s not much you can do with your current stand. Here’s why. On most inexpensive hi hat stands, especially the ones included with the starter kits, the legs are fixed and don’t move. Your only real option is to upgrade to a better stand. On most good quality aftermarket hi hat stands, the legs rotate 360 degrees. This allows double bass users to simply move the leg out of the way of the left bass pedal. There are also some very good two leg design hi hat stands available from companies like Pearl, Yamaha and Tama which eliminates the need to move anything. The two legs are completely out of the way of the left pedal. Two leg hi hat stands start around the $145 range and go up from there.


I just picked up a splash cymbal. What kind of stand should I get for it? You don’t need a whole stand for your splash cymbal. You can just get what’s called a ‘grabber arm’. It’s a boom arm with a clamp attached to it. You can just clamp the arm off of one of your existing stands and put your splash on that. Grabber arms are generally good for any cymbal up to 12”.


My hi hat stand is broken. When I step on the pedal, it goes right to the floor and the hi hats don’t move! Don’t fret just yet. Your stand might not be broken. The hi hat pull rod simply may have come detached. Try removing the hats from the stand, loosen the the wing nut in the middle of the stand and remove the top post. The hi hat pull rod threads in to the bottom half of the stand and it connects at the middle of the stand. Sometimes just from repeated up/down motion of the pedal, the rod starts to gradually loosen until it just comes out. Just thread it back in and you’re back in business.


My bottom hi hat cymbal doesn’t sit straight. It’s kind of sitting on a slant. How do I fix it? Actually, you don’t. You might have noticed that on the underside of the plastic hi hat seat, there’s a little screw. This is actually an adjustment screw for the bottom hi hat cymbal to adjust the level of ‘tilt’. The bottom cymbal is actually supposed to sit on a slight angle to improve contact with the top cymbal when you play the hats with the left foot. With the top and bottom cymbals both sitting completely level, you wont get much of a sound when they connect.


What’s a ‘drum rack’? How much are they? A drum rack is a bar based system designed to cut down on set up time and save floor space under a drum kit by eliminating the need for multiple cymbal stands. Whatever you currently have on your kit that’s mounted on your bass drum or sitting on a stand, can all be mounted on a rack system. Popular companies offering rack systems are Yamaha, Pearl, Pacific Drums (PDP), and Gibraltar, which is probably the company offering the most flexible and expandable rack systems for drums. Simple front bar rack systems start around $150 to $450, depending on the manufacturer.


ACCESSORIES & GADGETS I just got my drums. Is there a good book or DVD that I can get for learning? Plenty! If you’re asking for specific titles, there are three that you should never be without. • Syncopation by Ted Reed (book) • Stick Control by George Lawrence Stone (book) • Secret Weapons For The Modern Drummer by Jojo Mayer (DVD) In the meantime, take advantage of the web as there is definitely no shortage of free instructional resources (articles, websites, Youtube, etc) on the internet. You can search for whatever tip or technique you want to learn and you’ll be there for hours looking at videos and reading articles.


What’s a ‘Drum Dial’? Do I need one? It’s a tuning aid; a little gadget used to measure the tension directly in front of the tension rod on a drum. Its a way to ensure that all of your lugs are tuned to the same tension. Is it necessary? Not really. You can achieve the same result with two drum keys and a little practice.


I need a metronome. What should I be looking for? Depends. Do you want one just for working out on a practice pad? Or will you be playing the kit with it? Cheaper metronomes, generally under $40 are good for pad workouts but don’t provide enough volume when you start playing the drums, even with headphones or ear buds on. Professional metronomes designed for performing and practicing on the drums are a little larger in size and have more features, including back-lit display, trigger start/stop and the option of saving a series of tempos in consecutive sequence, which is great for set lists. They also provide the appropriate volume needed while you’re playing the kit. These metronomes or ‘clicks’ usually start around the $85 mark and can get up to $300.


What are ‘drummers gloves’? Drummers gloves resemble the batting gloves that baseball players use. Some drummers use them to improve grip when their hands start to sweat. The only drawback to consider is that your hands can sometimes get hot in those things.


I need a new drum seat. What’s the differences and price ranges? There are a few different types of drum thrones available and range from $40 right to about $400. the cheapest thrones, typically included in beginner drum kits under $500 are pretty light in construction and actually have a weight limit. These ones just have a pin setting for seat height and are the cheapest of the bunch. The next type of throne features a smooth post for height adjustment along with a collar lock to keep you from slowly sinking while you’re grooving. These ones are good intermediate and general duty thrones for the occasional drummer and hobbyist. Prices range from $50 to $140ish. Serious drummers looking for something heavy duty will want a good, double braced, thick seated throne with a threaded post for ‘swivel’ height adjustment. Most are threelegged and some are four-legged for superior stability. Prices range from about $150 to $400. Models with back support start around $230ish.


I need a good practice pad. What should I be looking for? Nothing special, really. There is no practice pad on the market that’s actually bad. But there are some that are better than others and there are quite a bit to choose from. There are table top models, strap on models, pads that can thread onto a cymbal stand, pads that can sit on a snare stand, double sided pads, pads with simulated snare sounds, multi-surface pads and even models with removable and re-positionable pads. Full practice pad kits are available, too. Cheaper single pads start around $12 and size up around 8”. These will get the job done fine for general practicing. Larger 12” pads range from about $15 to $45.


What’s a ‘drop clutch’? A drop clutch is a modified two piece version of a regular hi hat clutch that allows you to play your hats in the closed position while playing your double kick pedal. There’s a little lever that you strike with the stick; this releases the top cymbal allowing you to continue to riff on the double kick while playing the hats. To raise the top hat again, you just step on the pedal again. Drop clutches range from $14 to $20.


I just bought a cowbell. How can I mount it? Depends on where you want to put it. There’s a mount available for any situation. You can get a bass drum accessory mount if you want it beside your leg, or if you want it to mount off one of your cymbal stands - there’s a mount for that, too. Some ask if they can mount it off their hi hat rod. Technically, yes. But keep in mind that it will add weight to the rod, which is threaded, and it’s most likely going to spin around on you while you’re playing.


What’s the difference between a cheap cowbell and an expensive one? Mainly where it attaches to the mount. Cheaper cowbells just have a threaded wing nut or key bolt to attach the bell to the mount, which just pushes up against the mounting post to keep it tight. The problem with that is that sometimes with constant hitting it can come loose and your cowbell will drop down - which can be annoying. Better quality cowbells have an ‘eye bolt’, which pulls against the mounting post when you tighten the key, pretty much eliminating the problem of slippage. They also sound better.


I hope this helps. There are probably, and hopefully more questions that you’ll have about drums and drumming. Remember that there is no shortage of resources for learning. take advantage of all of them. Every question you ask is an investment into your craft.

Have fun! www.robbrownondrums.com

The Beginner Drummers Handbook

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