Buying guide
Best Beginner Drum Kits
Acoustic or electronic, what a complete kit includes, and how to buy for a child or an adult.
Topic
Drums
Drum kits, snare drums, sticks and the gear that goes with them, with advice aimed at new and returning drummers.
Start with our buying guides
Buying guide
Best Snare Drums
Shell materials, sizes and sound — how to choose a snare for a kit, concert band or school.
Buying guide
Best Drumsticks
Sizes, tips and woods explained — and why 5A is where most players start.
Latest articles
Buying Guides
Best Drum Sets for Kids: Sizes by Age and What to Buy
The best drum set for a child is the one that fits them now: here is which type suits which age, what to check for safety, and how to handle the noise.
Buying Guides
Best Drum Kit for Jazz: A Beginner’s Guide
The best drum kit for jazz is a small 4-piece with an 18 or 20 inch bass drum: here is which sizes to choose, how to set it up and what it really costs.
Buying Guides
Best Electronic Drum Sets for Churches: What to Look For
Electronic drums let a church band play with energy at a volume the room can take: here is what to look for and how to connect one to the sound system.
Buying Guides
Best Electronic Drum Sets for Beginners: What to Look For First
A beginner needs mesh pads, a real kick pedal and a metronome, not hundreds of sounds: here is how to choose and set up a first electronic drum set.
Buying Guides
Groove Percussion Drum Sets: What Happened to the Brand and How to Judge a Used Kit
Groove Percussion drum sets are now found mostly second-hand: here is what we could verify about the brand and how to inspect and price a used kit.
Beginner Guides
Trap Sets and Drum Kits for Trap Music: What the Terms Mean and What to Buy
A trap set is an old name for a drum kit, while a trap drum kit is a pack of sounds for making trap music: here is the difference and what to buy.
Buying Guides
Sound Percussion Labs Drum Sets: How Does the Brand Stack Up?
Sound Percussion Labs is the budget drum brand sold only by Guitar Center: here is what its kits include and how they compare on paper with rival kits.
Reviews
Pearl Roadshow Drum Set Review: Every Configuration Compared
A specifications-based look at the Pearl Roadshow drum set: what each configuration includes, how Jazz, Fusion and Rock differ, and who each one suits.
Buying Guides
Best Drum Sets for Studio Recording: What Matters and What to Buy
Tuning, heads and the room shape a drum recording more than the price of the kit: here is what to look for in a drum set you plan to record.
Buying Guides
How Much Do Drum Sets Cost? Price Ranges for Every Level
Drum sets cost from under two hundred dollars for a kids' kit to several thousand for professional drums: here is what each level costs and what is in the box.
Free practice tools
Percussion Path Quiz
Five quick questions that map out a percussion path, with matching practice tools and beginner gear.
Instrument Match Quiz
Tell us about the player, the space and the noise limits, and get a starting instrument that fits.
Practice Time Calculator
Turn your goal and your schedule into a realistic weekly practice plan.