Every part of a drum kit, explained

Drum kits are advertised with a number and a list, and beginners buy them without knowing which items on that list decide whether the thing is any good.

Here is every part, what it does, and how much it matters.

The drums

Bass drum (kick). The largest, on the floor, played with a foot pedal. Its diameter is the specification that matters most for fit, because it sets how far in front of you the pedal ends up. That is why drum sizing for children is quoted by bass drum diameter — see drum set sizes by age.

Snare drum. Between your knees, and the most important drum for sound. Underneath it is a set of metal wires — the snares — held against the bottom head, which rattle when the drum is struck and produce its characteristic crack. A lever disengages them, turning the snare into a small tom.

Rack toms. Mounted above the bass drum, usually two. Smaller diameter means higher pitch. These are the drums fills run across.

Floor tom. The largest tom, standing on its own legs to your right. The lowest-pitched drum apart from the kick, and the one that gives a fill its landing point.

A Pearl Roadshow RS525SC#ad is a five-piece: kick, snare, two rack toms and a floor tom. A junior kit like the Mendini by Cecilio 16" Junior Kit#ad is a three-piece — kick, snare and one tom — which is plenty for a small child.

The cymbals

Hi-hats. Two cymbals on a stand, facing each other, opened and closed by a foot pedal. The busiest thing on the kit: most beats are counted out on a closed hi-hat. Closed gives a tight tick, open gives a wash, and the pedal alone gives a chick.

Crash. Thinner, struck on the edge, produces a short explosive accent. Used to mark the start of sections.

Ride. Larger and heavier, played repeatedly on its surface as an alternative to the hi-hat. Its bell — the raised center — produces a clear ping used as an accent.

Crash-ride. A single cymbal attempting both jobs. Common on complete beginner kits and a reasonable compromise.

This is the section that decides whether a budget kit sounds cheap. Cymbals are the expensive part to make properly, so complete kits economize here, and replacing the hi-hats alone changes the sound of the whole kit more than any other single purchase.

The hardware

Unglamorous, and the difference between a kit that works and one that fights you.

Snare stand. Holds the snare at height and angle. A basket that will not hold position under playing force is a genuine problem.

Hi-hat stand. The most mechanically complex piece on the kit, with a pedal, a pull rod and a clutch. Cheap ones feel imprecise, which matters because the hi-hat is played constantly.

Cymbal stands. Straight or boom. Booms have an extending arm that puts a cymbal where a straight stand cannot reach.

Bass drum pedal. Beater, spring and footboard. The component with the biggest effect on how the kit feels, and the most rewarding thing to upgrade after the cymbals.

Throne. The seat, and it is not a stool. Its height sets your leg angle, which sets your control over both pedals, which affects everything downstream. Adjustable is the requirement — see drum accessories you actually need.

Tom mounts. Hold the rack toms, usually off the bass drum. Should hold position permanently once set.

The consumable parts

Heads. The plastic membranes on top and bottom of each drum. The top (batter) head is struck; the bottom (resonant) head shapes the sustain. Heads are consumables and they matter more than shell material — a beginner will dent the snare batter head before anything else on the kit.

Hoops and tension rods. The metal ring clamping the head to the shell, and the screws that tension it. Turning them with a drum key is what tuning a drum means, and the procedure is in how to tune a drum set.

Snare wires. Under the snare, and eventually they lose tension or a strand breaks. Cheap to replace.

Felts and sleeves. Small pieces protecting cymbals from metal contact. They disappear and they are the reason cymbals crack when they are missing.

Electronic kits, translated

Everything above has an electronic equivalent. Drums become pads, cymbals become cymbal pads, and the whole set typically hangs on a single rack rather than individual stands.

The Alesis Nitro Max Kit#ad replaces the drums with mesh-headed pads and the cymbals with rubber ones, then adds a module — the brain that turns a trigger signal into a sound. The pad surface question is in mesh heads versus rubber pads, and the module in electronic drum modules explained.

What to check when buying a complete kit

Are cymbals actually included? Piece counts never include them. A “complete” kit should list hi-hats and at least one crash or crash-ride.

Is a throne included, and does it adjust? Frequently the weakest item in the box.

Is a pedal included? Usually, and it is the piece worth upgrading first for feel.

Are there enough stands? A kit with two cymbals needs a hi-hat stand and a cymbal stand, and buying them separately is where the cost of a cheap kit quietly doubles.

That completeness question is most of what we weigh in what a beginner drum set should cost.