| One of the essential items that drummers must have is a tuning key. This is used when setting up the drum set and adjusting the tension of the drum skin, called tuning. Simply put, it is a screwdriver. It is like a specialized screwdriver tool. |  |
|
Conveniently, most of the standards are standardized so that you only need one of these.
|
 |
| The exception is SONOR, a manufacturer that requires a SONOR-specific tuning key. |  |
 |
 |
Other convenient tuning keys
| This can be set to turn right/fixed/left with a switch on the hand. When set to clockwise, the bolt can be closed by turning the bolt to the right, and it will spin around when turned to the left. This is useful when you have to turn a lot of bolts. A Phillips/flathead screwdriver can also be attached to the end, which is very convenient. |  |
It is used to play the bass drum. As the name suggests, it is played by stepping on it with your foot.
Beater
| Most beaters are made of felt, but there are also wooden and rubber beaters. The harder the material, the stronger the attack and the harder the sound. |  |
Strap
There are various types of straps, including chain-type and belt-type straps.
| Chain type is stable and easy to transmit power. |  |
| Belt type is soft and light to step on. |  |
| Shaft type for smooth, light weight and excellent response |  |
Cams
This is the part that transmits power to the beater. There are two types of cams: a circular cam that transmits power straight and an eccentric cam that accelerates from the middle of the step.
| Round Cam | Eccentric Cam | |
 |
 |
Footboards
| Footboards are also available in large and small types. Each person's foot size is different, so try stepping on one and choose the one that fits you best. |
 |
Under Plate
| An underplate gives a sense of stability. However, some people prefer to have a moderate amount of play without an underplate, depending on their preference. |  |
Twin Pedals
| Normally, one pedal is used for one bass drum. However, with this twin pedal, two pedals can be used for one bass drum. This means that even a one-bass (one bass drum) set can be used in a two-bass (two bass drums) style. |
 |
There are three main types of stands: cymbal stands for rides, crashes, etc., hi-hat stands for hi-hats, and snare stands for snare drums.
| Cymbal stands are the straight type, with only vertical height adjustment and cymbal angle adjustment. There is a boom type that can be set up with a large protruding part called an arm. |  |
| The upper one is the single-leg type and the lower right one is the double-leg type. |  |
Click here to see our special cymbal stands! > Cymbal Stands
| Snare Stands |  |
Click here for great value snare stands! >
Hi-Hat Stands
 |
 |
Click here for hi-hat stands! > Hi-Hat Stands
These are the main items of a drum set.
There are many more variations of the items introduced here, and there are many more items to choose from. Please visit a music store and discover the rest.
You can freely combine items in a drum set. You can choose from simple sets to large sets according to your preference. In the next section, we will show you what kind of items you should start with. In the next chapter, we will show you what kind of items you should start with and what you need to know when you are thinking about what to get. That's all for now.
Do you often see "high pitch" or "low pitch" written in the introduction of drum products? This refers to pitch.
In the case of melody instruments, there is a scale that is exactly like a staff.
Similarly, percussion instruments also have scales (pitches). However, they are not as well established as melodic instruments, so they are described in a vague way as "higher pitched" or "lower pitched. It is also known as high pitch (higher pitch)/low pitch (lower pitch).
I've tried hitting a lot of different notes, but they all sound the same?
Have you ever had this experience? You have tried to play it while listening to the store staff, but it all sounds the same.... If so, you're not alone! Don't worry. It was the same for me.
To be honest, it is hard to tell the difference in actual sound unless you have your own snare (memorize the standard sound and compare it) or listen to the sounds (do it a lot).
However, this will not help you when choosing a drum. So we would like to try to get a rough idea of the sound from each part and material.
In fact, even if the materials and shapes are the same, slight differences may result in different sounds.
Please take it as a rough image.
You can also see a rough sound image by size, etc.
Take snare drums, for example.
The average size of a snare drum is approximately 14" in diameter and 5" to 6.5" in depth.
|
caliber Depth |
 |
Cymbals also come in various sizes. In the case of cymbals, we will look at them by size (diameter) and weight (thickness).
|
The size of a cymbal is indicated as 20", 16", etc., so we will look at those sizes. The weight (thickness) is also indicated in most product names, such as Thin /Medium Thin/Medium/Medium Heavy/Heavy, etc. With Medium as the average, the lighter (thinner) the weight, the lower the pitch, and the heavier (thicker) the weight, the higher the pitch. |
 |
Various materials are used for drum shells. Wood (wood), metal (metal material), and new man-made materials are used.
|
Wood shell snare |
 |
|
Snare with metal shell |
 |
|
Snare with new material (carbon) shell |
 |
Wood type
Wood snare has a warmer sound than metal snare, although it is not as loud as metal snare, and it can be made of one type of wood or a combination of several types of wood. This is probably the reason for the demand for used and old vintage snares.
Maple
Probably the most common wood used for drums. It is characterized by a well-balanced, bright, and clear sound.
Birch
Birch has a slightly softer sound than maple, and is characterized by a sound in the lower midrange.
The above two are the main materials. For now, it is enough to keep this in mind.
There are various other types of wood as well, so please take a look at them for reference.
Beachwood
Heavy hard and strong wood. It is tenacious and strong in bending. The sound is bright, core, and powerful.
Mahogany
Quite a warm sound among woods. It has a rich midrange characteristic.
This wood is mainly found in vintage drums. It is not used much in recent drums and is used only in reissue models of vintage drums.
Rosewood
This wood is often used for various instruments because of its hardness and resonance. As the name suggests, it is characterized by its hard and thick sound.
Oak
As seen in sticks, this wood is heavy, hard, and strong. The sound has a core and is more powerful than other woods.
Poplar
A wood that is often used in combination with other woods rather than on its own.
It is rarely used in modern drums. It can be found mainly in vintage drums.
Zerkova
Zelkova has long been used in Japan for construction and other purposes. Zelkova is a rare material for drums, and CANOPUS' Zelkova is famous for being made by hollowing out this material.
Bamboo
Bamboo is another familiar wood in Japan. It is very rare as a material for drums, and there is even a model released by YAMAHA in the past.
Let's look for a wood snare as soon as possible! > Bamboo
Metal type
It is characterized by a louder and more powerful sound than wood. It is also less affected by temperature and humidity than wood. Some metals are made from high purity materials, while others are made from unique alloys that are calculated for strength and sound. *The same metal can give a very different impression depending on its thickness.
Steel
The most popular metal material. It has a firm attack and dry sound, and is favored mainly by rock players.
Brass (alloy of copper and zinc / material of 5 yen coin)
The second most popular material after steel. Compared to steel, brass has a brighter and more flamboyant sound.
Response is also more subtle than steel.
The above two are the main materials. For now, it is enough to keep this in mind.
Please refer to the other materials for reference.
Aluminum (material of 1 yen coin)
Warm tone with a strong attack and short sustain.
Bronze (alloy of copper and tin / material of 10 yen coin)
Like brass, this is an alloy of copper. It has a slightly deeper and milder characteristic than brass.
Brass has a more flamboyant sound, while bronze has a more coherent sound.
Incidentally, bronze is heavier.
Titanium
Compared to other metals, it has overwhelming volume. It is very rare as a drum material, and the titanium drums of KITANO, a Japanese manufacturer, are well known.
Let's look for metal snares as soon as possible! ＞
Other than wood and metal materials
Acrylic resin (transparent synthetic resin)
Have you ever seen transparent drums? That is an acrylic shell. If anything, the visual is more impressive than the sound. The sound is warmer with less high frequencies and shorter sustain.
Let's take a look at acrylic snares right away! ＞
Fiberglass
This material was first used by the overseas manufacturer FIBES. It is characterized by its hard and solid sound. In the past, the Japanese manufacturer Pearl has also introduced Maplefiberglass, which is a combination of maple and fiberglass.
Let's take a look at the fiberglass snares! > Fiberglass snare
Carbon Fiber
A lightweight yet durable material in all aspects. It is a familiar material currently used in various fields. It has a warm, wood-like sound with a strong attack, power, and sustain. However, it is expensive due to the high cost of the material.
Let's take a look at carbon fiber snares! > Carbon Fiber Snare
Have you ever seen a description such as "Maple 6Ply" in the introduction of drums? This is a description of the structure of a drum shell made of wood.
The literal translation of this word is "layer. In the case of a wooden shell, several layers of wood are used to form the shell in order to increase the strength of the shell. For example, the maple 6-ply mentioned at the beginning of this article means that the shell is made of 6 layers of maple wood.
This construction can be done not only with the same piece of wood, but also with a combination of several pieces of wood. For example, the 3-ply construction of mahogany + poplar + mahogany found on vintage (decades old) Ludwig drums.
Other combinations have been tried for various sound qualities. There are also many other combinations that have been tried for various sound qualities, and some even have dozens of layers of construction.
On the other hand, there is also a 1-ply structure called a veneer. This is made of a single board.
As we mentioned earlier, building layers is also meant to increase strength. In comparison, forming with a single board requires a high level of technology in terms of maintaining strength. For this reason, products with this structure are often slightly more expensive as the higher-end models in the lineup.
Incidentally, one of the shell structures is the Reinforcement specification. This means "reinforcement" in literal translation, and only the area where the drumhead comes in contact with the shell is reinforced with wood in the shape of a ring. Reinforcement is mainly found in single-ply shell construction.
Hoop
There are two main types of hoops that hold the drumhead.
Pressed hoops are characterized by their open sound.
Die-cast hoops are characterized by their strong attack and cohesive sound.
Wooden hoops are also available. Even if they are made of the same metal, different materials and weights give different nuances to the sound.
Number of tension (number of bolts)
| The greater the number of tensions holding the hoop in place, the more precise the tuning. We recommend about 8 bolts at first. |
 |
Snappy
There are two main types: "per surface" and "per internal surface".
| The full surface snippet responds more delicately and is more effective against small noises. It is also characterized by a high level of reverberation of the snappy sound. |
 |
| The inside surface is less reverberant and less responsive than the whole surface. Currently, the inner-surface type tends to be the most common type. |
 |
| Snappies are also available in a variety of materials and numbers of coils (resonating wires). Since they are relatively easy to replace, you should look for one that suits your taste. |
 |
Drum Heads
There are three main types of drum heads.
|
Coated heads(pictured left): Clear head(center and right photos): |
 |
|
Snare Side： |
 |
Adjusting the tension of the drum head is called tuning. Usually, when the bolt on the side of the hitting surface is closed (called tensioning), the sound rises faster and the attack is emphasized.
The pitch (pitch) also becomes higher. On the other hand, when you loosen the bolt, the rise and attack of the sound will be reduced (the pitch will also be lowered).
When tension is applied to the bottom side (lower side), sustain and reverberation are reduced, resulting in a crisp, tight sound. On the other hand, when you loosen the tension, the sound becomes fat and loose, with more sustain and sustain. There are various tuning methods, but basically, the following methods can be used as a guide.
|
How to Tune Butterside During the process, check the balance of the overall sound. At this point, check the sound by lightly touching the center of the drum head with your finger and tapping the area around the tuning bolt. |
 |
How to Tune Snare Side
The snare side is also tightened as far as it can be tightened by hand at first, then about 1/2 to 1/4 using the tuning key, gradually tightening the snare side. However, unlike the butter side of the hitting surface, the snare side is not checked by striking the snare because the head is very thin. The standard is to lightly press the snare side with a finger to make a slight indentation.
At this time, we also visually check the height of the hoop and shell. This is because the head is so soft that tension may be applied to one extreme point. Visually check that the tension is evenly distributed.
When it comes time to buy drums, there are so many manufacturers' products to choose from that many of you may be wondering, "Which one is best? Many of you may be wondering, "Which one is the best?
There are two major brands that we would like you to remember first.
They are Ludwig (drum manufacturer) and Zildjian (cymbal manufacturer).
(a comprehensive manufacturer of percussion instruments in the U.S.)
When I knew nothing about drums, Ludwig was the first manufacturer I learned about from a senior colleague. Among the users of Ludwig drums are Ringo Starr of the Beatles, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, and many other prominent drummers.
The company was founded in Chicago, USA, in 1909 by two brothers "William and Theobald Ludwig" who had emigrated from Germany. The company is a long-established manufacturer that has continued to the present day, despite twists and turns, including the sale and repurchase of the company.
Let's look for Ludwig as soon as possible! > Ludwig
(The world's largest cymbal manufacturer)
It has a history of about 400 years. The founder was Mr. Abedes, who made great strides in cymbal manufacturing during the Ottoman period and was given the title of "Zildjian," meaning cymbal craftsman, by the emperor. It is one of the oldest and most established manufacturers that has been used by many players throughout its long history and continues to this day.
Currently, a wide range of products are available for all styles. They are the most popular cymbal maker in our store.
Look for Zildjian as soon as possible! >
Other Makers
|
As mentioned in the section on shell material, wood percussion instruments in particular sound better the more they are used. Used or vintage drums are attractive not only because of their rarity, such as discontinued models, but also because of the way they have developed their sound. Cymbals are no longer made of wood, but the same applies to cymbals. A cymbal that has been used just right will have a soft and pleasant sound.
When looking for drums, you may be able to find a good instrument if you examine these aspects as well.
When beginning to play drums, some people start with a full set or an eredora and practice hard, while others add sticks, pedals, snares, and cymbals in that order.
When I look at our customers, they really seem to be having a lot of fun. Of course, there is an aspect that progress is accelerated when you have more items in your hands. However, when I see customers selecting cymbals one by one while examining them, I think that in addition to improving their playing, they also enjoy this kind of thing. We hope this corner will help you enjoy playing drums.
Thank you very much for reading.
 |
 Choosing a musical instrument for the first time: Drums PART1
|
|