Best Drum Sets for Beginners

If you're just getting into drumming, it can be daunting to find the right kit. You'll need to make a decision: do you want a kit with a few drum sticks, or do your other instruments need a drum kit? What type of sound do the drums need? Is a four-piece drum set right for you? We can help. For just $35, you can get a quality beginner drum setup with your choice of sticks and a mic. In addition to a detailed education on the science of drum sound, we’ve compiled a shopping guide and included some of our favorites to help get your feet wet.

What are some tips about drum sets for Beginners?

If you’re a beginner, it‘s best to start with a basic kit and gradually work your way up to the more expensive models. For the most part, a beginners drum set will be a good fit for someone who is somewhere between 5” and 6“ tall. While a larger kit will give you a better ability to play in tight spaces, the larger drum heads will add weight to your kit. If you are starting out with an older drum kit, start small. The majority of beginner drum kits are around 8‽ inches tall (although some manufacturers offer kits that are 10‹ inches high). If your ears aren‗t too sensitive, you can gradually increase the size of your drum head until you feel more comfortable. It‖s not recommended to use any type of vibration pedal (buzz, clap, or metronome) while playing your drums. These pedals can drastically alter the tone of the drum.

Considerations

As far as beginner drum kits go, most of the models we looked at come with a large number of external drums, which are great for learning and developing your drumming technique. But if you're not interested in drums and want to focus on a sound or style, you'll need to buy your own kit. That said, some beginner kits feature a handful of drums that you can learn to play with, but it's best to start with drum shells that are easy for beginners to learn on. For example, if your goal is to just play a few bars of a song, a kit with 16 or so drum sounds will get the job done. If you want something a little more involved, pick up a drum kit that includes a tom, snare, and a bass drum. The more external sounds a beginner has access to, the better prepared they will be to take on the bigger challenges ahead. Big, fat sounds are all well and good for marching bands, marching and rumbling in your school band, or just trying out a new band’s choreography, however, when it comes to solo drum practice, chances are you‘ll be playing to a crowd. You need your kit to be small enough so you don't get in the way of your performance, large enough that the sounds you use are appropriate for the size of drum heads, to have enough space on drums to put the drums down, so they don t get knocked around during your playing, with padding to protect your hands, knobs that will make it easy to adjust the sound and volume, as well as a sturdy stand. And, of course, don ’t forget, all the external hardware is going to need cleaning after every use.

Price

Inexpensive

Entry-level drum kits start at $50 to $150. These kits will feature at least a year's worth of practice time and come with the drums only, no bass. Some of these drumkits may include a snare and/or a cymbal.

Mid-range

From $200 to around $350, you’ll find a wide range of beginner drumming kits, from electric to acoustic to hybrid kits. The more money you put into the kit, the better quality of materials, more dynamic sound, and more accessories you get.

Expensive (and more expensive than entry-stage drum pads)

Spend over $400 and you can find professional-sounding drum equipment for the serious drummer. This includes drumheads, cyms, microphones, drum stands, strap kits for multiple players, bass drum, ride cymnets, a kick pedal, rack mounts, soundboards, as well as crash cyphon sets.

Features To Look For In Beginners Drum Sets

Whether you’re purchasing a digital kit, a hi-hat only, or a kit for a larger band, there are a few features you should look for to ensure you purchase the perfect set for you. If you are going to be playing regularly, it is important to consider how you will be using the drum kit as well as how comfortable you want to make your drummer.

Size

Drum kits come in a range of sizes, and it can be difficult to know which one is best for your needs. Digital drum kits tend to have smaller shells, which makes them more portable, however, they may not be as sturdy as a metal kit. Additionally, smaller drum shells can make the sticks feel flimsy, making it more difficult for new players to get used to playing a drum set. You can also consider the size of the cymbal when considering the overall size. A smaller cymbol is easier to control and will also offer a better tone.

Materials

While the drums are the most important part of your drum setup, you can t neglect the materials. For starters, the wood is the best material for the sound your drums will produce. It will dampen noise, improve the quality of sound, be durable, light weight, an inexpensive material, but it will cost you more to buy it. Metal is an extremely durable and reliable material. However, if you don‘t want it to rust, choose a resin kit instead. Plastic shells are also easy to transport and have a quality sound. The only downside to plastic shells is that they are not as durable as wood. Accessories: Accessories are another key feature to look out for when buying a beginners drum system. Accent drums, hats, cabs, straps, drumshead covers, practice pads, stand, stands, etc. are all accessories that can come with your kit and help make playing more comfortable and easier.

Quality

The quality and durability of a beginner drum drumming kit is crucial. When purchasing, make sure the material is good quality, like wood or metal. Also, pay attention to the double-sided foam pad that comes with most kits as it‒s important that it lasts through a long period of time.

About Beginners Drum Set

Divergent in its most basic sense, a beginner drum set is a kit that is designed to be used by novices or those who are just learning to play drums. Unlike more advanced drum kits, which are designed with advanced players in mind, beginners usually don't come with any drumsticks or cymbals. However, they are often not too expensive. If you’re a musician who wants to learn to drum, finding a high-quality beginner kit is an important goal, so we‘ve put together the following buying guide to help you pick the right one.