So you’ve signed your child up for drum lessons in Orlando. While your child is likely celebrating getting to bang around on drums with your permission for the foreseeable future, you’re likely trying to sort through everything you’ll need to do in order to set your child up for success: interview possible teachers, soundproof a room of your house, purchase protective ear wear for your child, research which drum sets will be best for your child’s newfound passion. As musicians and teachers, we understand that you want to find the drum kit that is going to suit your child’s needs for the first few years of their musical development. Every parent has different constraints and wishes, and every student of drum lessons in Orlando has different goals for their lessons. We’ll walk through some of the things parents should think about when purchasing a drum set for a beginner taking drum lessons in Orlando, and we’ll recommend a few of the best beginner drum sets as well.
Where to Begin With Buying a Beginner Drum Set
It may sound redundant, but we always think it’s important to really think through whether or not you (or your child in this instance) truly want to put the time into learning the drums. Learning the drums takes lots of time, effort, and money, and so many young students give up before they reach the threshold where drumming actually becomes fun. So, before you go spend money on a kit, make sure your child has thought through the commitment.
Budget
From the start, you’ll want to be realistic about your budget and your goals for this initial drum kit. Many people will advise parents to start out buying used because whether it’s a whole kit being sold together or whether it’s something you’re piecing together, you’re likely to upgrade your equipment later on as your child gets better at the drums. However, there are some very good high-quality full kits available these days. No matter if you decide to purchase used or new, your budget will likely be the driving factor as it will dictate the quality you can afford or are willing to purchase right from the get-go.
What Pieces Will I Need?
While your child likely won’t utilize every piece in their drum kit from the start of their lessons, there are about nine basic pieces that you’ll want to consider purchasing for your child’s drum lessons in Orlando. These are what we would consider essential drum pieces for lessons.
- The Basics – Sticks, Practice Pad, Metronome
- A Base Pedal
- A Drum Throne
- A Used Drum Kit
- A Drum Carpet and Recorder
- Decent Drum Heads and Dampers
- Decent Cymbals
- A Drum Kick Pedal
- A Hi-Hat Pedal and Stand
If you’re putting together your kit piece by piece, you’ll want to do research on each piece and what to look for when purchasing each individual piece used, as what you’re looking for will vary slightly by each piece. It is also important to know what drum pieces you shouldn’t compromise on, like a solid round drum for instance.
When looking for a new complete kit, it may or may not come with everything on this list, so take care as to what you’ll need right from the start and what, according to your child’s instructor, could wait until later on in your child’s lessons.
The Best Drum Sets for Beginners
Best Choice Products 5-Piece Drum Set
This is truly a beginner’s drum set. This kit is probably the most basic, entry-level kit you can purchase. It’s affordable at around $300 for the entire set. It’s suitable for young teens as well as adults. The sound quality is decent for what you’re paying. In this kit, you’ll receive a 22″ bass drum, 12″ and 13″ rack toms, a 16″ floor tom, a 14″ snare, a 14.5″ hi-hat (strange sizing), and a 16″ crash cymbal. While the full-sized drums are nice, the cymbals are truly bad with this kit.
Pearl Roadshow
One of the great things about this kit is the drum shells. They are solidly between beginner and professional, and they’re a great value in this set. You’ll notice a big difference in sound between this and the Best Choice set. You can also customize your kit a bit depending on what type of genre or sound you’d like to pursue. We’ve included what’s in the typical rock setup. In this kit, you receive a 22″ kick drum, a 14″ snare drum, a 12″ rack tom, 14″ and 16″ floor toms, a 16″ crash-ride, 14″ hi-hats, a drum throne, necessary hardware, a kick pedal, drumsticks, and a drum key.
Gretsch Drums Catalina Shell Pack
Out of the three kits we recommend, this one is the best, but it’s also expensive. You’re truly getting what you pay for with this kit. Gretsch has a great reputation as a drum maker, and they don’t skimp much here despite this set being suitable for a beginner drummer taking drum lessons in Orlando. With this kit, you will have to purchase cymbals and hardware separately, which drives up the cost of the total set even more, and technically not making this a complete beginner kit. This kit can come in several shell size configurations, but the most appropriate beginner kit would be the one with a 22″ bass drum, a 16″ floor tom, and 10″ and 12″ toms.
Drum Lessons in Orlando
When getting your child set up with drum teachers in Orlando, it’s important to speak with your child’s instructor to get a feeling for which pieces of the drum kit you should prioritize in order to help your child meet their goals and learn the foundational elements they’ll need to master in order to succeed. When it comes to purchasing a new drum kit for a beginner, plan on spending a significant amount of money if you want both a full kit and a high-quality kit. If you’re willing to flex on either time, quality, budget, or buying used items, you’ll be able to piece together a great beginner kit as well.
Our goal is to help your child get started on a musical journey that will last a lifetime. Lessons in Your Home also offers virtual music lessons making it extremely convenient for those who prefer this option. Our online music lessons are taught by local music teachers who are well experienced, focus on each student’s individual needs, and plan their lessons accordingly.
