Drums for beginners: parts of a drum kit, how to hold sticks and set up

TUREFF• •0

Sitting behind a drum kit for the first time is exciting and slightly confusing: lots of drums, lots of metal, two pedals. This guide covers what each part is, the two main ways to hold the sticks, and how to set the kit up so it fits your body.

The parts of a standard kit

A basic kit, often described as a five-piece, includes:

Bass drum (kick): the large drum on the floor, played with a foot pedal. It provides the low pulse.
Snare drum: the drum between your knees, with metal wires (snares) stretched underneath that give it a crisp crack. It carries the backbeat in most styles.
Tom-toms: one or two rack toms mounted above the bass drum, and a floor tom standing on legs to your side. They are used for fills.
Hi-hat: two cymbals on a stand, opened and closed with a foot pedal. Played closed it gives a tight "tss"; open it rings.
Ride cymbal: a large cymbal for steady patterns, often played instead of the hi-hat.
Crash cymbal: for accents, usually at the start of a section.
Throne: the drummer's stool. A good, stable one matters more than people expect.

Drum parts are usually described for a right-handed setup, with the hi-hat on the left and the floor tom on the right. Left-handed players often mirror it, and some play a right-handed kit open-handed. There is no wrong answer if it is comfortable.

Holding the sticks: matched grip

In matched grip, both hands hold the sticks the same way, palms facing roughly downwards. It is what most beginners learn today and what you will see most rock, pop and many jazz drummers use.

Find the balance point, roughly a third of the way up from the butt end.
Pinch the stick there between the thumb and the first joint of the index finger (the fulcrum).
Wrap the other fingers loosely around it. They guide the stick; they do not grip it.
Let the stick bounce back off the head. Your job is to start the stroke, not to push the stick into the drum.

Within matched grip you will hear of variations: German (palms flat, more wrist), French (thumbs up, more fingers) and American (in between). Most drummers move between them depending on volume and speed.

Traditional grip

In traditional grip, the right hand is the same as matched grip, but the left stick sits in the web between thumb and index finger and rests across the ring finger, palm turned up. It comes from military drumming, where the snare hung at an angle from a sling and an underhand left grip suited the tilted drum. It is still common in jazz and marching snare. It is not needed for beginners; learning matched grip first is the usual advice, and traditional can come later if the music you love calls for it.

Setting up the throne

Height: sit so your thighs are roughly level or slope slightly down from hip to knee. Too low and your legs tire; too high and you lose balance.
Distance: with your feet on the pedals, your knees should be slightly ahead of your ankles, not cramped and not stretched.
Posture: sit upright and centred, not on the very front edge.

Setting up the pedals and drums

Put the bass drum pedal where your right foot naturally falls, and the hi-hat pedal where your left foot does.
Place the snare just above your knees, flat or tilted slightly towards you, so the stick hits the centre without your wrist bending sharply.
Bring the toms close enough to reach without leaning; angle them a little towards you.
Set the hi-hat a few centimetres above the snare so the sticks do not clash.
Put cymbals within reach. Higher and further away looks dramatic but is harder to play.

Adjust a little at a time and play for a few minutes after each change.

Protect your hearing

Acoustic drums are loud enough to damage hearing over time. Wear hearing protection designed for musicians from the first session. Tell us about your setup, or ask about anything that feels awkward, in the comments.