10 essential drum accessories for beginners
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Last updated When you’re starting out on the drums there are certain pieces of gear that are essential from day one.
Imagine sitting down to play and realising you don’t have sticks! It happens.
But you’re in the right place to avoid that fate. So, let’s jump in…
1. Sticks
Quite simply… if you’re going to hit a drum, you need something to hit it with.
Don’t just buy one set of sticks, buy two and keep a spare set because they can break or, just like socks, somehow get lost (especially if the drummer in question is a child).
2. Music stand
People who play other instruments can sometimes get away with all manner of makeshift music stands including anything from chairs to stairs.
But a drumkit is not something you can easily move around and there are already a number of things (drums) in front of you, right in the place where other musicians might position their makeshift music stand.
So invest in a real music stand and solve this issue before it arises.
3. Cymbal polish
Cymbal polish is used to clean and buff the surface of your cymbals so they produce a clear sound and maintain a brilliant shine.
A word of caution here though: only polish your cymbals when they need it. Overdoing this can change the tone of your cymbals and erode their finish.
4. Drum hardware polish
Use this to keep the joints or other metal parts of the drum kit shiny and clean.
Take pride in your kit, it will make you a better drummer.
5. Drummer's stool
You can’t play at your best if you’re not comfortably seated.
An adjustable musician’s chair is the best seat you can get as a beginner drummer, they are tried and tested.
They’re also easy to transport to lessons and, as soon as you can hold a beat, your first gig!
6. Microfiber cloth
A gentle microfiber cloth is needed to wipe away dirt and grime from your drums.
In most instances you won’t need additional cleaning products.
7. Drum mutes
These are very handy rubber pads that sit on top of your drums, lowering the volume of their sound considerably.
If you want to keep your family sane and your neighbours happy, you should invest in these (or if you’re a parent of a budding drummer, they’re a must).
They’ll also protect your hearing from the damage that can be caused by many hours of high decibel practise.
8. Metronome
Drummers have to learn to start a song at the right tempo (speed) and then keep it at that tempo throughout the entire piece.
The best way to achieve this is to practise to a metronome, which is a device that provides you with a click track that’s perfectly on tempo.
Even professional drummers use click track intros in their earpieces to prompt them into the right tempo of songs during live performances. Adrenalin is a funny thing and it’s very easy to get tempo wrong in the heat of the moment.
Use our free online metronome whenever you need one. It works on both mobile and desktop devices.
9. Drum tuner
Not something you need to worry about in the same way that string instrumentalists do, you’ll be able to play out of tune drums and still get through your practice.
With that said, you should still have a drum tuner and learn to use it so you can look after your drums and get used to the feel of the right tension on your sticks.
There are phone apps for this, in many cases those are your best option to start with.
10. Earplugs
Repeated exposure to sounds at volumes above 85 decibels can cause damage to hearing.
Practising the drums by yourself can easily get above that level and practise with other musicians, especially where amps and speakers are involved, almost always goes over 85 Dbs.
So invest in some drummer’s earplugs from the start to guard against these effects in the long term.
Final thoughts on essential drums accessories for beginners
There’s nothing worse than buying a new drum kit and taking delivery of it, then spending the time to set it up for the first time, only to realise that you don’t have what you need to actually play it.
But with these 10 accessories on hand, you’ll be laying down a beat on day one.
All that’s left to say is we wish you the very best in your drum learning journey.
