Top Drum Brands and Kits for Practice, Rehearsals, and Live Performances
From Pearl to Yamaha, Gretsch, Sonor, and beyond, this guide explores the best drum brands and kits for practice, rehearsals, and live performances, helping you find the perfect setup for any setting.
It is easy to get swayed by a famous brand, whether you are buying a new pair of shoes, a car, or a drum kit. I've played music professionally for over 25 years, and in that time, I have used every brand of drumkit in almost every situation.
I want to talk about what brands of drums perform well in a live setting, in the studio, and in the practice room.
The practice room
If you live in an apartment, volume will always be an issue with your neighbors. The main culprit of the noise is the bass drum. It's not just the volume but the vibration that goes through the walls and floors.
Peal makes this funky little kit which is great for pratcing. The bass drum is wafer thin so it doesn't vibrate like a regular bass drum. If you buy it there is a good chance you may be able to make friends with your neighbors.
This Pearl kit is a great solution.
Pearl Compact Traveler Kit see price
This next kit is from a brand many people have never heard of. It's called Traps.
The idea behind this kit is that it has no shells! This lowers the volume substantially. That being said this kit still sounds good when miked up.
It is perfect for the practice room, it could also suffice for small rehearsals.
Traps A-400 Acoustic Drumset see price
Although I've put this next kit in the 'Practice Room' category, it will still be good for rehearsals and small bar gigs.
I've chosen small kits for this category because most people don't have a lot of space to set up a kit in their house. The small 16-inch bass drum and shallow toms are the perfect solution for this!
Pearl Midtown Matte Black see price
Drum Kits for Rehearsals
Many professionals won't bring their full setup to rehearsals as it's just too time-consuming to set up. A lot of drummers have a specific kit stored in the garage or car boot just for this occasion.
I've chosen drumkits from brands that I think are durable, priced reasonably and still sound great.
Although this next kit has the word 'jazz' in the title, don't let that fool you! I have used this kit on many small funk bar gigs. It's perfect for rehearsal because it sounds great without being miked up. It is also quite small which is perfect if you need to fit a lot of musicians into a tiny rehearsal room.
Gretch is known for making high-end drum kits. The Catalina is no exception.
Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz - SW Bundle see price
The Yamaha stage custom is an amazing drumkit! The hardware really allows you to position the toms to you super close. The bass drum sings and the snare has an amazing crack. This kit sounds good in any room regardless of the volume.
Yamaha Stage Custom Standard Set RBL see price
If you are playing Rock or Metal music I would suggest using a drum kit with a bigger bass drum. This Pearl kit has a 22-inch kick which has a ton of bottom end. You don't have to worry if this kit gets knocked around because it has double-braced hardware.
Pearl Decade Maple 6pc Satin Black see price
For the Stage
In this section, I'm referring to any venue, from small bars to theatres or stadiums. An important factor to remember when buying a drum kit is its material. A metal snare has a lot of attack but not much warmth. Drumkits which are multi ply usually sound louder and heavier in bigger venues.
I would never use a Piccolo snare drum in a small venue as it is too loud and high-pitched. Sonor is often thought of as a kit for fusion or jazz drummers. In my opinion, they are a great all-round drumkit.
Check out this kit which ticks all the right boxes.
Sonor AQ1 Studio Set Caribbean Blue see price
If you play Metal and want to play double bass, this kit is great. Pearl has an excellent reputation for one reason. They make amazing-sounding drums.
Pearl Export Double Bass Set Black see price
I only recently became aware of the Varus drum brand. These kits sound amazing. They are full of tone and really well made. If you can afford the price tag, this kit will sound amazing at a gig of any level.
Varus Morpheus Estepario Shell Set see price
Remember when you a deciding on which drum band to play, use your ears, not your eyes. Many brands make great drums. It really comes down to what music you are playing and where you are playing.
About Magesh Magesh
Magesh is a musician and producer who has worked with Rihanna, Lionel Richie, Ricky Martin, Chris Brown, The Pussy Cat Dolls, Nelly Furtado, and Vernon Reid of Living Colour.
He released an instructional drumming DVD called "Unique Beats" where he mixed the drum kit with electronics and Indian hand percussion. He recently moved from Australia to the UK to explore new musical opportunities.
Website: mageshdrumteacher.co.uk
Contact Magesh Magesh at magesh.magesh7@gmail.com
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