How Much Does a Drum Kit Cost

How Much Does a Drum Kit Cost How Much Should You Budget for Your Drum Kit? ChaptersPlayer Size and LevelWhat Type of Music?The Shells and HeadsAccessorising Your KitA Word on Electronic DrumsDrums come in all shapes, sizes and materials for all sorts of music styles and environments.Furthermore, one has to ask: is ‘kit’ defined as just the drums and mounts â€" as some contend, or does it also include the cymbals and their stands, and your throne?And what good is a set of drums if you have no sticks to play them with and no bass pedal to strike those deep, resonant vibes?Don’t start panicking just yet! Superprof has taken a close look at the market to present you with things to think about before planning your drum set purchase.Let go of your wallet for now and read on!Considering the far higher prices than a full drum set and all of the accessories may cost you, buying a drum pad for your beginner drummer would make the most sense!Especially if you are buying for a fickle child: what if s/he won’t stick with drumming: would you be out all that money ?Find out also about the different types of drums...Black Sabbath's drummer has extensive kit, making use of each percussion instrument! Source: Wikipedia Credit: BtzkrWhat Type of Music?Drums are not a one-size-fits-all proposition.Jazz drummers and those in acoustic or folk bands tend to gravitate toward smaller drums, and fewer of them make up their kit.If you are a traditionalist, you may prefer the 4-drum configuration that Ringo Starr made popular during The Beatles heyday: a bass drum and a snare, with a single hanging tom and a floor tom.That arrangement is well suited to jazz, acoustic, folk and rock music styles.By contrast, Bill Ward (Black Sabbath drummer) may well faint when confronted with delicate, thin cymbals and single-ply drum heads, and would most likely feel bereft behind only four drums!Find drum lessons anywhere in the UK!Before settling on a drum set, you should give thought to how they will be played.To make choosing easier, you might want to know that drums come in two broad configurations: Fusion and Standard.The Fusion drums tend to be a bit smaller in diameter, but with a zippy tone and more voluble sound.By contrast, the Standard configuration is probably better known, among other things, for the bigger tone the toms produce and the greater volume overall.There are merits to both configurations and choosing which set-up is entirely up to you.However, we urge you to consider: while you could probably play anything by Taylor Swift on either drum kit, you may want to do your Lars Ullrich impression on a standard set â€" you risk cracking a cymbal if you hit it too hard!Find out how to maintain your drums optimally...Poplar is another low-cost alternative to maple and birch, yet makes a similar soundLauan, generally referred to as ‘select hardwood’, might be considered budget-birch.Bottom line: the type of shell you select will impact your kit’s sound and durability. Find out all you need to know about choosing the best drum kit for your playing...Drum heads come in several colours and thicknesses Source: Pixabay Credit: FlockineSelecting Drum Heads If you play jazz or big band type music, you would no doubt favour single-ply drum heads.You would also want the coated batter heads.Should you just want to let loose, like the Muppets’ Animal, you will want the two-ply option, and might prefer the clear heads.These Mylar heads come with or without coating, with or without damper rings and in a variety of thicknesses.Again, it comes down to the type of music you play, the sound you want to create, your proposed venue(s) and how you tune your drums.You may get a single, coated snare head for as low as £7 if you shop around and a kick drum head for up to £70; or you might look for a set of heads for your tom toms, which might run as high as £70-90.Accessorising Your KitNo drum set would be complete without a least a few cymbals: the hi hats, ride and crash cymbals are elementary.The splash cymbal and the chi na cymbal have become most popular of late, but they are not strictly necessary to play good music. Also, you have a choice of effect cymbals â€" again, not necessary to play basic tunes.Top of the line, brand name equipment such as Zildjian and Sabian will most certainly cost you a pretty penny, and there is really no getting around the fact that your cymbals may just be the most expensive component in your kit.The choice of brands, thicknesses and whether they are cast or cut from sheet metal all make a difference in price.Tip: Paiste, a brand with a loyal following, is a sheet metal cymbal line with a great sound and not much variance in sound from cymbal to the next (of the same line and size). And they tend to cost less than Zildjian cymbals!Drum AccessoriesOddly enough, you can’t really play the drums unless you have drumsticks, yet they are considered a kit accessory!What are the best drum sticks? Find out here...Other accessories for your drum kit include felts and sleeves for your cymbals, cases for your drums and various stands: for your snare and floor tom; for your bass and for assorted cymbals.Don’t forget your drum throne!Of course, you could use any stool set to the proper height, but stools made specifically for playing the drums are so engineered as to help keep you comfortable while maintaining good posture â€" so essential to good playing!You may feel that, after your initial investment into the drum set of your choice and all of its cymbals, that the accessories are nickle and diming you to death, but shopping around can score you a few bargains.Who knows? You might find a music store that wants your repeat business and give you a good deal on at least your kick drum pedal, sticks and brushes!Additional InstrumentsOnce you get really proficient in beating out those paradiddles, you may want to outfit your basic drum kit with a few other percussion instruments, like a cowbell or chimes.A choice percussion instrument, the cowbell can add tones and highlights to your music, underscoring the fundamental beat and creating unforgettable tunes â€" like Aerosmith’s Walk This Way or AC/DC’s You Shook Me.The price of electric drums is prohibitive, but they are very convenient Source: Pixabay Credit: StockSnapA Word on Electronic DrumsAs digital is the wave of the future is already here, you may look into an electronic drum set.Besides being prohibitively expensive â€" into the several thousands of pounds for even a basic setup, they are much more compact than acoustic drums and resist environmental conditions much better.One great feature of electronic drums is that they can be muted by plugging earphones in so that they play directly into the headphones rather than waking up the neighbours!If you have moved beyond the beginner stage of drumming and wish to build your kit, but live in a small apartment, an electronic drum set may just be your ticket.However, purists swear they will never give up their acoustic kit: for the ambience it creates and the sounds it makes; for the sheer joy of playing on equipment so responsive.Yes, your wallet will influence your purchase. But then, your heart and soul as a musician will drive you to the kit you need to express yourself most fully.Now find out everything you need to know before buying your drum set...... including finding drum lessons london.

The 4-Letter Acronym All Aspiring Singers Need to Know

The 4-Letter Acronym All Aspiring Singers Need to Know Sign up successful Vocalists are the only musicians  who do not have the option of making actual, physical contact with their instrument in order to produce a sound or tone. This is an important thing to consider when youre thinking about how to be a better singer. It  puts us at both an advantage and a disadvantage for a couple of reasons. For example, advantages include not having to carry much with us to a gig or having to spend money replacing parts we ARE the instrument.  However, being the instrument can also be a disadvantage, as many things can affect our singing voice:  the weather, our bodys natural hormonal balance, our diets, sleep habits, stress levels, and our emotions. Even sneezing too hard can cause an issue for some (especially if the sneeze happens while on stage yikes!). In my work as a music therapist, music educator, and artist development specialist, many of my clients bring some level of anxiety with them to our first voice lesson. By the time they leave, it is always my goal to have thoroughly expressed the necessity of sharing their emotional space with their audience, as this is what  allows connection and authenticity. For example, if you are singing in a choir, it is the use of realistic and authentic gestures, facial expressions, and vocal color that can only be the result of connecting with the piece of music. This cannot happen solely on an intellectual level. This must happen in an emotional way, as well. I am not suggesting that students expect a full-on therapy session whenever they go to a lesson or gig.  On the contrary, I encourage my students and clients to utilize the following tools as ways to paint the song into the hearts and minds of the listener. I use the acronym  L.I.V.E. to remind my students of these tools. L Laser I have seen much success in employing metaphors and symbolism into my teaching style. One of my most popular metaphors includes visualizing the voice as a laser. Somehow, students are able to better understand how to direct their voices. This is specifically helpful for artists-in-training who are learning how to project and properly sing forward. I Internalize Even the most touching song is only considered as such because the listener experienced some kind of emotional connection with the artists interpretation, the story of the song or even their own personal journey in life. Every song has several different avenues that lend toward artist connection and interpretation. Some artists connect with the melody, whether its haunting or flirtatious. Some feel more connected to the drum and bass of a song, while others are drawn toward its auxiliary instrumentation (strings, horns, etc.). Other artists connect with the lyrics, the actual story of the song. Finally, some will find their emotional bearings through another artists interpretation of the song. These connections are certainly interchangeable, sometimes from moment to moment. This is where a vocalist can recall real life situations and repurpose them as spices and herbs in our musical stew. V Visualize Anybody can sing karaoke! Chances are, if a student has worked with a private voice teacher or vocal coach, he or she is not aiming to just get through the song. My guess is that the student aspires to be much more polished and skillful at the art of singing. Visualizing yourself performing, and using visualization as a way to prepare for that long phrase coming up, may be the difference between singing pretty and throwing down! E â€" Explore Enunciation/Exaggeration No, Im not suggesting that every singer should aspire to become the Jim Carey of vocal acrobatics and shenanigans. I am suggesting we remember the fact that music is in the entertainment industry. As such, the most common underlying expectation people have when they come to a vocal concert is to be wowed and entertained. One of the easiest and most accessible ways to entertain your audience is to allow yourself to enunciate and exaggerate certain words and phrases in the song. Enunciation can be a tool applied to the melody, rhythm, lyrics, or emotion. Choosing to lay back behind the beat, or to syncopate a phrase or two to express a certain mood, emotion, or color, may be what sets you apart from others musically. Or, perhaps calling into mind that lovely person who cut you off in traffic may be just the thought to add some extra oomph  into your version of a power ballad, blues number, or musical theater piece. (I generally use the phrase, Put some STANK on it!) Got it? Heres a recap of what to remember: Remembering these tips can help you be a better singer and improve your stage presence. Additionally, exploration can be the difference between a working musician and a starving artist. Get out there and network! For example, in my lovely city of Baltimore, there are many clubs, venues, places of worship and coffee shops that provide ample time and opportunity to explore other genres, network, and much more. Get involved in the music community of your city to explore your musical authenticity! And, that’s it! Let’s not separate our lives from our music. When it’s go time the time to perform the most memorable performances are by those who remember to L.I.V.E. through their music. Dont just sing the lyrics, let your heart sing! Thanks for reading! Post Author:  DeTrece L. DeTrece L. is a radio show host, artist development specialist, music therapist, music producer and singing teacher  in Baltimore, MD. She has performed internationally since age 8 with stars such as Brenda Russell and Steven  Tyler, and has been  teaching singing lessons for over 15 years. Learn more about DeTrece here! Photo by Robert Pratt Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher