Helping a young drummer get started? This page is for you: what to buy, how to set up, how much to practice, and how to help without turning drums into a chore.
You do not need a drum set to start. A beginner needs five things: the standard method book, a good snare drum or practice pad, a good metal music stand, good sticks and a drum key. That is the same starter set school band programs use.
THE STANDARD
Haskell W. Harr, Drum Method Book One
The beginning snare drum method that generations of school band programs and private teachers have started students on. Reading, counting and the basic rudiments, one page at a time. It pairs perfectly with the lessons on this site.
Every beginner starts on one of these. A snare drum is the real instrument and what school band uses. A pad is quieter and cheaper, and builds the same hand technique.
A good quality snare drum A 14 inch wood or steel snare from a real drum maker, not a toy. It will last for years.SweetwaterAmazon
A new Remo Coated Emperor head If the snare is new, have one put on right away. The heads that ship on new drums are usually thin and cheap; a coated Emperor gives a warm, controlled sound that holds up to practice.SweetwaterAmazon
Or a practice pad A 12 inch pad, quiet enough for an apartment.SweetwaterAmazon
A good metal music stand
A sturdy orchestral metal stand, like the Manhasset Symphony
Folding wire stands wobble and fall over. A solid metal desk stand holds the book at eye level and lasts for years. Tip: keep a few wooden clothespins on the stand to hold the book open and keep the pages in place. Clothespins →
Good sticks are crucial. Cheap sticks warp, splinter and come in mismatched pairs, which makes even, steady strokes harder. Pick one size, or get a couple of pairs and see what feels best:
7A Light and thin. Great for smaller hands, quiet rooms and jazz.SweetwaterAmazon
5B A bit thicker and heavier. More volume, a fuller sound, and easier to control for bigger hands.SweetwaterAmazon
SD1 General The classic concert snare stick used in school band. Perfect with the Harr book.SweetwaterAmazon
A drum key
Every drummer needs one
For tuning and for putting on that new head. Get two: one stays in the stick bag, one at home.
A speed key, crank style The nice one: it is shaped like a crank, so you spin it to tighten or loosen a tension rod in seconds.SweetwaterAmazon
A regular heavy chrome key The classic DW-style key: heavy, chrome, fits every drum, and feels solid in the hand.SweetwaterAmazon
A metronome is built into every lesson on this site, so you do not need to buy one yet.
Setting up a practice spot
Invest in a good stool. Practice sitting on a proper adjustable drum throne or stool: thighs level or sloping slightly down, both feet flat on the floor. A kitchen chair is usually the wrong height. Drum thrones →
Or stand, in marching position. Standing tall with the pad or snare at waist height is just as good, and it is how marching and concert percussionists practice.
Good posture is crucial. Back straight, shoulders down and loose, elbows relaxed at the sides.
Relaxed hands and wrists. Hold the stick loosely, with just enough grip to keep it in your hand, and let it bounce. Tension is the enemy of speed, sound and endurance.
Learn traditional grip first. Traditional grip (the left stick held between the thumb and the base of the hand, palm turned up) is the foundation of snare drumming and rudiments. Learn it first; matched grip comes easily afterward.
Pad at waist height. The sticks should meet the pad with the forearms relaxed and the elbows loose at the sides.
Screen in view. Put the tablet or laptop with the lesson where your child can see the notation without twisting.
Same place, every day. Leaving the pad and sticks set up removes the biggest obstacle to practicing: getting started.
How much practice?
Short and often beats long and rare. Five days a week of a few focused minutes does far more than one long session on Saturday. A good starting point:
Age
Daily practice
5 to 7
About 10 minutes
8 to 10
15 to 20 minutes
11 and up
20 to 30 minutes
Stop while it is still fun. If your child is frustrated, end on something they can already play well and come back tomorrow.
How to help
Count out loud together. Counting is half of drumming. Saying "1 & 2 &" with your child builds the habit fast.
Be the audience. Ask for a little concert at the end of the week. Kids practice harder when someone is going to listen.
Let them teach you. Ask your child to show you a lesson. Explaining it is one of the best ways to learn it.
Praise effort, not talent. "You kept the beat steady all the way through" helps more than "you're a natural."
Use the Lab's modes. Listen first, then play along, then try the challenge. The Lab remembers which lessons are finished, so your child can see progress.
A teacher, and school music
Get a drum teacher if you can. A private lesson once a week is the fastest way to build good habits. A teacher catches grip, posture and tension problems in the first few minutes that are hard to see on your own. This site is a great companion to lessons, not a replacement for them.
At the very least, take lessons at school. Most school music programs offer percussion lessons, often during the school day.
Join everything you can. Orchestra, concert band, marching band, percussion ensemble: playing with other musicians is where a drummer really learns to keep time, read and listen.
Jazz ensemble usually starts in middle school. It is where many young drummers first play the drum set in a band.
By grade 5 or 6, start getting comfortable on the set. With a solid snare and reading foundation, that is a good time to move from the pad to the full drum set.
When to get a real drum set
A good sign is a few months of steady pad practice and a child who still wants more. Before buying, check the fit: sitting on the throne, your child's feet should reach both pedals comfortably, and the sticks should reach the snare with relaxed arms. If a full-size kit is too big, a junior kit is the better buy.
Electronic drum kit
Alesis Nitro Max electronic drum kit
Plays through headphones, so practice does not shake the house. A good choice for apartments and busy homes.
Whatever kit you choose, keep the hearing protection. Acoustic drums are loud enough to damage hearing, even in short sessions.
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