An ultimate guide to drumming for beginners

A complete guide for beginner drummers, parents looking for a beginner drum kit for their kids or for drumming passionates.

As the title says, this is a beginner's guide to drumming and a good lecture before you decide to buy your first drum kit. The universe of drumming can be overwhelming and hard to understand, and that's why we're here for you. There can be hundreds of types of shells, finishes, sizes, configurations and brands and we fully understand this and the fact that it can be difficult to pick a first drum kit. 

We're gonna start with some simple drumming terms, and the following question is one of which we get a lot:

"What is the difference between a shell pack, a drum kit and a drum set?"

A drum kit or drum set usually means that the drums, the stands and (sometimes) the cymbals are included in the package. A shell pack usually means you will only receive the drums, no stands or cymbals will be included.

What you need to know about starter/ Beginner Drum Kits?

• Drums

• Cymbals

Beginner drum kits tend to come complete with a 3-piece cymbal set, which typically consists of a crash cymbal, a ride cymbal and a pair of hi hat cymbals.

• Hardware

Hardware = cymbal stands, drum stands, tom arms, seats, pedals, etc. Basically, all the stands and equipment you need to complete your drum kit. Most entry-level drum kits will come complete with all the hardware you need.

Electronic vs. Acoustic

Here at Newcastle Drum Centre we offer a wide range of both electronic and acoustic drum kits for beginner drummers, it's up to you which you'd prefer. Advantages of electronic drum kits is that they are usually compact, meaning they wont take up too much room in your house. They also allow for silent playing, so you can plug your headphones in and play without disturbing your neighbours! Acoustic drum kits are also a popular choice for up and coming drummers, especially drummers who are looking to join a band and go gigging. There also are products available for acoustic drum kits such as the Evans sound off pads and Vic Firth mute pads which fit on your drums for silent playing. If you choose an acoustic drum kit, we provide great deals on practice pads and silencer pads.

We provide drum lessons too!

 Here at Newcastle Drum Centre we provide drum lessons as well. If you're interested, or if you have any questions, don't hesitate to give us a call at 0191 221 0301 and we'll sort it out for you. Our lessons run on a Saturday, with our teacher Tom and we have a purpose built booth with 2 Yamaha DTX electronic kits, so both student and teacher can play together. Lessons are £15 per half hour, and we offer the first lesson for free as an initial consultation.

It's time to pick...

We provide a vast variety of beginner drum kits here at Newcastle Drum Centre and they are ready to be loved. Check the links below and take your pick:

• Sonix Beginner Drum Kits
• Mapex Tornado Fusion Beginner Drum Kit
• Mapex Tornado Rock Fusion Beginner Drum Kit
• Mapex Tornado Compact Beginner Drum Kit
• Gretsch GE2 Energy 5-piece Drum Kit
• Gretsch GE1 Energy 5-piece Drum Kit

And any drum kit needs some cymbals, here are a few to choose from:

• Paiste 101 Brass Cymbals
• Meinl 14", 16", 20" HCS Cymbal Set
• Sabian SBR First Pack Cymbal Set