Back in the days, we all know that electronic drum sets suck. Professionals drummers did not see them as a serious alternative over drums, and instead, treated them as a toy. But nowadays, the best electronic drum sets will let them take those words back.
In fact, the revolution of the electronic drums is so fast that they can already compete with the real thing. Specifically, the innovation poured on this instrument allowed to generate sounds that are indistinguishable from your traditional drums.
Because of this, we see a lot of musicians that are using electronic drums on live performances. Of course, it is not surprising anymore if you can see this instrument on most recording studios.
Fortunately, there is no need for you to become a seasoned drummer before you can get a great electronic drum set. The music market today offers of options for you to choose from. But in this article, we only listed the products that are on the top of the heap! Check each of them and see which one can suit your preferences!
This guide will showcase some of the best drum kits available in the market today - from starter to sophisticated kits. I have intentionally chosen the kits that not only suits your budget or skill level but also matches different kinds of grooves from slow rock, to funky soul, R&B beats, or even heavy metal.
Furthermore, I spent hours and hours of research to find the best drum kits for you. I also have some tips on how you can choose the best gear combinations that can help you enhance your level of percussion skills, match your preferred genre, and of course, fit your budget.
First, I have to orient you on the parts of the drum set. You will need this very basic knowledge only because you want to make sure that you buy a complete set.
Because it’s made of acrylic shells for added resonance, this drum kit is amazing live. It comes with multiple configurations, especially for rock n roll and jazz. I love the toms - they are durable and easy to tune.
The frequencies are set at a higher range in the highs and lows while the midrange is softer and quieter.
Pros:
Clear transparent color for a unique design. Adds stage presence and personality.
With great quality tom shells and bass drum shells.
With acrylic bass drum hoops.
Sounds amazing right out of the box. Ready to play and properly adjusted.
Gammon Percussion is known for budget-friendly complete drumsets for both juniors and adults. This set already has cymbal stands, drumsticks, and stool.
Although it claims to be a perfect use for beginners and professionals alike, I would only recommend this as a starter kit.
Pros:
Very affordable.
Comes with cymbal stand, drum sticks, stoll, drummer’s key, and bass drum pedal.
Great as a starter kit.
Great set for practicing and learning percussion basics.
Cons:
May take time to tune the drums.
There are some quality issues, especially with durability.
Pear claims to be one of the most trusted drum set brands in the market. The RS525SCC706 is ready to play right out of the box. It already comes with hardware and accessories, so this is reasonably priced.
I have tried playing this at a gig, and they are durable. The drums do not get easily out of tune, but you have to make sure to adjust them first before playing at gigs where you will be playing music per set.
Pros:
Reasonable price considering it is a brand with good reputation.
Made of thick, nine-ply heads with Poplar tonewood.
With Hybrid Hi-Hats and Brass Crash-ride cymbals.
5-piece configuration that is ideal for both beginner and professional.
Cons:
May need better quality control for all parts included in the kit.
The Ddrum Journeyman is crazy affordable but created with such great care and quality. This is one of my favorites and mostly preferred for playing heavy metal beats for its rich, heavy tonality.
Pros:
Has a massive bass drum perfect for heavy metal tunes.
Great sound balance and overall quality.
Comes with a snare drum.
Cons:
Some parts may have quality issues especially the cymbals.
This four piece set may be too expensive, but you will be able to achieve a 4-piece configuration ala Ringo Starr with these. Amazing sound that is perfect for recording, I prefer this for recording rock and R&B beats.
This could be one of the most heavy duty drum sets available in the market today. It also has excellent sound quality especially the bass drum low end.
Now, if you are looking for a balanced price-quality ratio, this drum set is the one for you. This 5-piece set is made of good quality birch - a wood known for its heavy and loud but brighter sound.
It sounds a lot better compared to mahogany or maple made drums, in my opinion. Birchwood drums, such as this Yamaha model, have enhanced high and low frequencies that make it perfect for music that requires heavier beats.
This Mendini kit is complete with hardware and easy to follow instructions. By the looks of it, this is an entry level drum set perfect for beginners. My 12-year-old nephew is using this, and he loves it.
For a very affordable price, it already provides full resonance and warmth of sound.
This may not come close to drum sets made of birch or mahogany, but this is a good starter kit for learning and practicing. You can always upgrade to kits with better quality as you progress with your percussion skills.
This set is a complete one that guarantees incredible performance for beginners. This may have some quality issues because it is a very affordable set, but it is a good starter kit to begin your percussion journey with. You may need to replace the cymbals because they can break easily.
It surprised me that this kit has clear heads and incredible resonance. I find its sound quality satisfactory.
Pros:
Affordable.
Great hardware and accessories.
Clear resonance.
Produces amazing light tones for jazz, blues, and soul.
Cons:
Some durability issues.
Needs precise adjustment.
The cymbals in the package are low in quality and need immediate replacement.
The best thing about this drum set is its sound versatility. Since it is made of maple wood, it guarantees warmth and resonance. I can play this along with other instruments in a studio or live performance, and it still cuts through the mix.
With wide dynamic range, high sensitivity, and sharp application, I must say this is perfect for professionals.
I would not recommend this for beginners because aside from the fact that it is too expensive for a starter kit, it has an overwhelming big tonality and extended resonance.
Pros:
Quick response.
Amazing for live performances and studio recording. Shines through the mix clearly.
Big tonality for better performance.
Adaptability and versatility for any music style.
Cons:
Very expensive.
Comes in only three pieces so you might spend more if you want a 4 or 5 piece set.
There are hundreds of brands of drum kits that you can find on the market today. So how do you choose from all of it without getting confused or overwhelmed?
The essential components of a drum kit include a bass drum, a snare drum, mounted toms, and a floor tom. You also need the cymbals and the hardware.
You may notice that professional drummers you see in concerts have more than the usual number of these parts in a set. As you progress with your drumming skills, you can add more parts. For the time being, let’s settle on these essential components.
A 4-piece set will be perfect for hobbyists and beginners. If you are a fan of The Beatles, you will notice that Ringo Starr, the drummer, popularized this set configuration.
One mounted tom, a snare drum, a bass drum, and floor tom are enough to provide the very basic beats.
The advantage of using a 4-piece set is that it is perfect for small spaces. Also, it can be ideal for playing drum accompaniment for jazz, rock’n’roll, and blues music.
Drum Hardware
Your drum set will need hardware such as snare stand, bass drum pedal, one or more snare stands, and a hi-hat stand. There are already drum sets with available hardware, but it varies from one set to another.
But there are also drum hardware pack that you can buy separately. Spare yourself some extra cash for this.
Drum Woods
Depending on the type of wood the drum kit is constructed with, the tone may differ.
Here are some of the common wood materials used in building a drum set. Compare and contrast their characteristics to help you decide what kind of tonewood you want to purchase:
Birch - this kind of wood is dense and durable. It provides heavy and loud but brighter sound compared to mahogany or maple. Drums made of birch wood have enhanced high and low frequencies while the midrange is reduced.
Maple - this is the most commonly used wood for drum construction. It creates warm and balanced beats.
Mahogany - this wood enhances the midrange and low range tones while reducing the high frequencies. Thus, produces warm tones.
Lauan - also known as “select hardwood,” it has similar characteristics with birch wood but is less expensive.
Basswood - this is a cheaper alternative for birch and maple and has some excellent physical characteristics for a quality lacquer finish. It may not sound as warm as maple or as bright as birch but is still preferred by many because of its availability and affordability.
Poplar - this is another common alternative for the more expensive mahogany and birch. It has similar tone characteristics.
A drum stool or drum throne is essential for a comfortable playing experience. Do not use any other seat or a customized, DIY stool because they may not provide the same comfort, height adjustment, and portability the same way drum thrones do.
This also includes padding to keep you comfortable after long hours of playing.
Cymbals
This is another important part of the drumset. Most of the time, these are sold separately, so consider sparing an extra budget for a cymbal or two.
There are different kinds of cymbals namely, China cymbals, ride cymbals, Splash, hi-hat cymbals, and crash cymbals. Each kind plays various roles in drum playing.
Stands and Racks for Cymbals and Drums
Stands and racks are necessary for drum configuration and placement. You need your drum parts to be in place, correctly positioned for efficient and comfortable drum playing.
Choose the ones that occupy a relatively minimal floor space, especially if your studio or room has limited floor area.
Drum Heads
There are different varieties of drum heads such as clear, coated, single ply, and double ply. These create different tones and sounds for your kit. And there are two types of heads namely the resonant heads and the batter heads.
The resonant heads are positioned at the sides of the drum for added sustain and resonance. On the other hand, the batter heads are placed at the top part of the drums.
Drum Accessories
If you want to adjust or customize your drum kit, you need additional accessories such as keys and tuning tools, drum covers and cases, replacement parts, gig bags, and cleaning tools.
You may even need practice pads for an almost silent practice—unless you want to disturb your neighbors, roommates, or flatmates.
Drumsticks and Brushes
Many drummers use different types of drum sticks and brushes depending on the style of music they are playing. The heavier rods such as 2Bs are used for R&B and rock that require heavier beats, while the lighter sticks such as 7As are for funky beats, jazz, acoustic, and folk music.
The tips of the sticks are made of either nylon or wood. Wooden tips are softer and produce warmer, brighter, and softer beats, while nylon tips are focused on rich cymbal sounds.
Now that you understand the essential drum parts and their functions, it is time to get to the fun part finally. The top ten best drum kits available in the market.
Conclusion
This guide is made from thorough research and testing. I do not own each of the drum kits I presented in the guide, but I have tried them from friends and co-musicians who own them.
The top ten list are my personal preferences when it comes to playing drums. I picked Pearl CRB525FP/C730 Crystal Beat to be in the top spot because it suits both professionals and beginners alike. Not to mention, it is budget-friendly, and Pearl is known for high-quality drums.
If you find this top 10 Best Drum Kits beneficial, please feel free to comment below. If not, please do not hesitate to make any suggestions to improve the content of this guide, including the entries in the list. Happy drumming!
In this guide, I will show you the characteristics you should be looking for best drum set. These should give you an idea which one to choose out of the many drum set brands claiming to be the best online.
Choosing one set of the many brands in the market can be very daunting. You want to make sure that you are not wasting money from cheaper, imitation brands that claim to have the same value as the known brands out there.
I am hoping this guide will help you have a keen eye on your purchase to make sure you get the most out of your money.
Now that you have somehow sharpened your eye to see what essential characteristics to look for in a drum set, it is time to present the top ten best drum set.
I have listed them below with pros and cons based on actual testing and assessment.
This Ludwig drum set only has 3 drum components but has great sound versatility. I bought this set for its quick response. But I purchased the additional parts to make a five-piece set.
Warmth and resonance are its forte and is perfect for playing live or in studio recordings. The set provides the proper dynamic range because of its size and has high sensitivity.
This is expensive but may still be perfect for beginners. Investing in high-quality drum set such as this guarantees value and longevity of use.
This 5-piece drum kit is very affordable and already has a complete set plus hardware for the essential parts. It even has a complete easy to follow user guide. I think this is the best for the beginner level - just the perfect size for teens.
Made of poplar wood, this drum set provides amazing resonance and warmth. Poplar is one of the most common alternative woods for birch and mahogany.
The quality of the entire set is not bad, but I recommend buying a pack of hardware because there are parts that do not have the hardware for mounting.
This five-set Ludwig starter set guarantees proper configuration, so beginning drummers can play it right out of the box.
The only problem I have had with the set is the cymbals. They need replacement because they tend to break easily after long periods of playing. Regardless of quality issues, it has a fair sound quality with clear heads and resonance.
This five-piece Gammon Percussion set already comes with various hardware for easy and convenient mounting of the essential drum parts. It also has a comfortable drum throne and wooden drum sticks.
I like playing this starter drum set and is pretty easy to tune. It also has a drummer’s key for adjusting the tone. But beginners may need the help of a professional tuning to avoid difficulty.
This set has five essential drum components, which is definitely for the money - not to mention the brand is very popular. Pearl RS525SCC706 5-piece drum set is ready to play when taken out of the box.
Known for its durable construction, this is a heavy duty drum set and is perfect for playing in gigs. But this is also ideal for beginners.
Probably the coolest drum set for all skill levels ever in my opinion. I love its perfect quality-price ratio, and it is already a complete 5-piece set. It is also made of birch wood which is perhaps one of the best drum wood in the world.
It produces heavy but bright and loud tones, so it is versatile and can adapt to different genres.
This super affordable drum set is perfect for beginners. The manufacturers did a careful quality work on this despite its low price. It’s almost too good to be true, but I have tried one, and it is an amazing set.
It has a huge bass drum, so it is preferred by the metal heads. It provides rich, heavy tones.
Made of Catalina Maple wood, this drum has great sound quality. It provides warm beats perfect for playing power ballads. It does not feel too heavy nor too light - just the right flavor for me.
This drum set has a walnut glaze finish, which I find fascinating. The set looks so vintage, so I think this is one of the best looking drums I have tried playing. Plus it has amazing balanced tones too.
This Pearl drum set is made of acrylic shells with multiple configurations. The best part I have tried in this set are the toms. They are so in tune and durable. This heavy duty drum set is perfect for practically any type of music.
I love its resonance and emphasis on the high and low frequencies. The mids are controlled, so they sound a nit quieter and softer.
Good quality components such as bass drum shells and tom shells.
Acrylic bass drum hoops for added resonance.
Has transparent color that adds personality to the drummer.
Ready to play out of the box.
Properly tuned.
Cons:
Does not have a snare in the package.
Very pricey.
Characteristics Of A Best Drum Set
Here are the features you should be looking for in a drum set before you buy one.
Durable Drum Wood Construction
Although I would highly recommend a drum set made of birch wood, it can be very expensive. But if you can afford one, by all means, do buy a birch wood make.
Maple and mahogany are next in line in the most recommended drum woods, but there are also other good options.
Here are some of the characteristics of birch, maple, mahogany, and other alternatives. Read through to figure out how each type of wood affects the tonality of the drum set.
Birchwood - drum sets made of this type of wood is often preferred by professional drummers around the world because it is durable, compact, and dense. The resulting sound is heavier, louder, and much brighter compared to any other type of wood. The lows and the highs have higher frequencies than the midrange.
Mahogany - While birchwood enhances the lows and the highs, mahogany enhances the mids and the lows. Instead of the heavier and brighter tones, it produces warmer tones, so this is a preferred wood for acoustic drums.
Maple - One of the most commonly used woods for drums is maple, which also creates warm tones like mahogany. However, the highs, mids, and lows create more balanced beats.
Poplar - This is a less expensive wood that has similar tonal qualities as birch and mahogany, but not as pure. However, drum sets, particularly starter sets constructed with this type of wood, sound great.
Lauan - Also called “select hardwood” because it is preferred in drum constructions on a budget. The quality is not bad but may have a huge difference with the tone maple, mahogany, and Birchwood create.
Basswood - This is preferred for drums with lacquer finish and a more affordable alternative for maple and birch. This type of wood is available all year round so is cheaper.
Complete Drum Set Components
All drum sets may seem the same to a non-professional drummer’s eye. Bigger sets are certainly not always better. You should always go after the quality of sound.
Other differences include the number of cymbals, percussion instruments, type of shells, and hardware.
You may opt for a four-piece, five-piece, or six-piece set. Let’s go over the basic components of a complete set first to help you pick the set that suits your needs.
Basic Component Set
Toms
There are three types of toms namely, high tom, mid tom, and the floor tom. They produce hollow sound with different pitches. The high tom is mounted close to the snare and over the bass drum. It produces the highest pitch.
The mid tom is mounted beside the high tom and sounds a bit lower in pitch. Finally, the floor tom, the largest Tom, is mounted on the floor near the leg of the drummer. The sound it produces is a lot deeper than the high and mid toms.
Bass Drum
Also known as the kick drums, this is one of the essential components of a drum set. It is the biggest in the set and is positioned at the center. It produces the most significant, deep sounding downbeats.
Snare Drum
This is the main drum that delivers sharp and loud sound. It is also called a side drum and is the one responsible for creating marching beats.
This is usually played separately in marching bands and orchestras. But in a drum set, it produces the essential rhythms required for various music styles.
Hi-hat
The hi-hat is composed of two cymbals placed on top of each other. The pair is mounted on a stand and placed beside the snare drum.
Ride Cymbals
A complete set also consists of two other cymbals aside from the hi-hat. The first one is the ride cymbals, which is larger but produces a gentler sound.
Crash Cymbals
These cymbals produce the loudest sound in the set, and they may come in different sizes.
Drum Throne
A complete drum set should include a height adjustable stool or throne. It should also be portable and padded for comfort even after hours of practicing.
Drum Hardware
The essential hardware a complete drum set should include are bass drum pedal, a snare stand, a hi-hat stand, and at least one snare stand. Check if these are already included in the package before you buy a set.
Proper Drum Depth
Drum depth refers to how shallow or deep the sound of your drum is. Depth produces deep boom sound while a shallow depth produces more snap.
The secret to achieving either sound is tuning. Some drum kits already have a tuning key, but beginners may not know how to use them yet. When buying a drum kit, it is recommended to have it tuned properly by a technician.
This top ten list of best drum set on the market today is my personal choices. I am not saying that my top choice should be your choice, too. It still depends on your budget, personal preferences, and skill level.
Do you think this guide is helpful on your percussion playing journey? Let me know what you think by commenting below.
We know that you are here because you want to learn how to make a steel drum. When you want to have an alternative way to have fun, creating steel pan drums (or steel tongue drums) is highly recommended!
A steel drum is a percussion instrument popular in the Caribbean areas. Specifically, it comes with a dented resonator. By the way, the dents enable the creation of pitch. Meanwhile, the level of pitch depends on the resonation of the sound.
There are a lot of ways you can create your steel drum. Of course, you can use a variety of materials as well. In this article, we will be teaching you how to do this with the use of our daily household items.
Some of us have a lot of unused items in our garage. It would be a waste if we just threw them away, right? So why not convert into something beneficial (and fun)?
