Percussion instrument
The Drum Kit
The drum kit is the rhythmic engine of every band. One player works a whole set of drums and cymbals with hands and feet, setting the tempo and the feel.
At a glance
The drum kit is an assembly of several drums and cymbals played by a single person with sticks and foot pedals. It supplies the pulse and the energy of the music and is the rhythmic engine of virtually every band.
History & origins
The drum set emerged in the early twentieth century around the jazz of New Orleans, when individual percussion instruments were combined so that one person could operate them all at once — above all through the invention of the foot pedal for the bass drum. With swing, rock and pop the kit went on developing continuously.
Construction & how it works
A typical kit consists of a bass drum (with foot pedal), a snare drum, a few toms, the pedal-operated hi-hat and ride and crash cymbals. Striking a drumhead sets the stretched membrane vibrating; the cymbals are made of metal alloys. The tone colour of the heads can be adjusted with the tuning lugs.
Sound & tuning
Unlike a melodic instrument, the drums are tuned not to particular pitches but in relation to one another. The interplay of heads and cymbals produces a wide tonal range — from quiet brushwork to a powerful groove. Dynamics, the deliberate alternation of loud and soft, is a central means of expression.
Playing & technique
On the drums all four limbs work together: both hands on the sticks, both feet on the pedals. Playing grows out of basic grooves, fills and a reliable sense of time. Fundamental sticking patterns — the rudiments — and reading rhythmic notation are part of the craft.
Role & repertoire
The drum kit is the backbone of rock, pop, jazz, funk and metal. It sets tempo and feel and holds the band together. Good drumming often goes unnoticed — but without it the music loses its drive.
Getting started at our music school
Children can start from around six or seven, often on a practice pad or a smaller kit at first. Electronic drums allow quiet practice with headphones and are a good solution in a flat in particular. Every child already brings a feeling for rhythm with them.
Acoustic or electronic?
An acoustic kit sounds alive and responds finely to every nuance, but it is loud. An electronic set takes up less room and allows quiet practice through headphones — ideal in a flat. Many players begin with a simple practice pad and a pair of sticks, since technique and timing can be learned superbly well there too.
Accessories & practising
The basic kit includes sticks of a suitable weight, a practice pad and a metronome to help develop a steady tempo. Because an acoustic set is loud, ear protection is advisable. Even ten to fifteen minutes of regular practice on the pad brings noticeable progress in hand and foot technique.
For beginners: what makes the drums special?
Rhythm is in everyone — which is why the first groove on the drums often comes surprisingly quickly and is immediately enjoyable. As the band’s engine you are indispensable when playing together and take a leading role. Technique and timing can be trained excellently on a simple practice pad alone, with no loud kit at all. Regular practice with a metronome develops the steady sense of time that holds all music together. Playing with others comes to the fore early, too, since a groove takes shape fastest in company. Anyone who enjoys making music actively and with their whole body will feel entirely at home behind a drum kit.