The drum set. The quintessential backdrop for any rock and roll band. The axis around which the other members revolve during any onstage performance. In the movie That Thing You Do, Tom Hank's character explains his marketing approach to his newly formed band: "We are gonna get you some new clothes. Matching suits, nice suits. Nice, because you are nice boys...except maybe for you." And who is the "you" he's talking to? You guessed it-the drummer. The bad boy who, by the end of the movie, gets the cool shades and the hot girl.
Yes, the drummer is an iconic form in Americana, as recognizable in his own way as the cheerleader or the superhero. Considering the drummer's graphic collective standing, it's not surprising that the amount of available drum sets (or drum kits, or trap sets) verges on mind-boggling.
Snare Drum Accessories
The most basic definition of a drum set is a variety of drums and cymbals arranged in a favorable setup for a particular drummer. Sets can also contain other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines. A full drum set without any extras includes a bass drum, floor tom, snare drum, tom-toms, hi-hat cymbals, a ride cymbal, and a crash cymbal. The drummer uses a variety of implements to charge these items, together with sticks, brushes, mallets, and of course, foot-operated pedals. Many drummers also use a variety of electronics with their kits, such as sound modules; laptop computers that get underway loops, sequences, and samples; metronomes and tempo meters; recording devices; and personal sound reinforcement equipment.
There are many distinct drum producers, the most well-known probably being Dw, Ludwig, Yamaha and Pearl. All of these companies make distinct models designed for discrete genres: rock, jazz, fusion, etc. The type of music being played regularly dictates the components of the drum kit and the manner in which they are used. In most rock, for example, the drum beat is created using primarily the bass drum, hi-hat and snare drum. In jazz, however, the ride and hi-hat cymbals are the principle beat components.
The cost of a drum set covers an whole spectrum of prices. The least costly is regularly in the range of 0-0 and is intended as a sort of beginner's set for those who want to gawk drumming without production a huge financial commitment. For children (who, much to their parents' dismay, regularly love the noise and vigor linked with drumming), junior drum sets can be purchased for as itsybitsy as 0. Then there are the mid-range sets, which are often 0-0 and accepted for the dedicated amateur enthusiast. Finally, a top-end perfect drum set can easily run several thousand dollars, and that is without any further accessories the drummer may chose to purchase. And then there is the most costly drum kit of all time, the 1968 set used by Keith "Moon the Loon" Loon of the rock group The Who. In 2004, this convention kit was auctioned off by Christie's of London for a whopping 2,487.
The Drum Set - An American Icon