Right

Or [R].

Most rudiments start with R. I’m in my rudimentary stage in writing this site. I’m actually pre-rudimentary in drums, to coin a phrase.

I’ve been combing the Marketplace. I’ve been scouring Reverb. I’m on the hunt for a kit. During my research I’m getting to know brands better. I’m beginning to understand the hierarchy both of manufacturers and the individual manufacturers value strata.

In my mind I’ve cobbled together a semblance of a budget. I am neither independently wealthy nor foolhardy enough to just willy-nilly spend six to eight grand on a kit. I am old enough to know that I might not stick with it. I think I will, but who can say for sure? It feels like I will this time, but with my track record it is hard to justify the whole hobby/endeavor let alone a moderate expense. I am also mature enough to realize that buying the cheapest option, one that has zero financial budget pucker factor, would likely produce a less than enjoyable sound. A kit that produces a muddy undesired sound would be less than fun to play. If it’s not fun to play I likely wouldn’t practice. So I would spiral down the “quit” trail.

To me, the sweet spot is between $2500 and $3500 new for a non-gigging drummer. I’m buying used, based on what I deem as sage advice I’ve gleaned from the Interwebs. Those same kits used are now between $1000 and $2000. So that is where I’m at, budget-wise.

I’ll spend more for a throne. Anyone willing to part with a quality kit like what I’m after, likely is upgrading and keeping their throne OR has a shitty old throne. I’ll buy new. What I sit on is of great importance to me. Sure, I can make do, but I have no compunction about spending almost as much for a throne as I did for the kit. Almost.

Right, so there is budget sorted. I’m looking at the following brands: Mapex, Gretsch, Yamaha, Ludwig, Tama, Slingerland, and Pearl. Preference toward Yamaha as I found their brand value hierarchy easy to understand and internalize. I’m looking for kit with hardware and I’m unconcerned about the cymbals that come with the kit.

From what I’ve learned, no matter what kit you buy for your first kit – change heads if you can. Next, get the best shells and pay particular attention to the hardware and the ability to tune a kit. Lastly, the cymbals are the best way to upgrade any kit. Cymbals are personal. You have to mix-match, trial/error, test what you like for the sound/style you are trying to achieve. Don’t even get me started about the rabbit hole I went down reading about the sound Stewart Copeland was able to achieve on “Outlandos d’Amour” using a small13″ hi-hat combo.

There is the kit sorted. At least some semblance of a kit to start with. I have two other things pressing in my mind. Both involve the timing of buying my first kit. I want to hit a trigger that will say “okay, you are now free to go buy a kit”.

First, practice. My plan is to buy a snare stand for my practice pad and practice every day for 30 days. I’ll buy the snare stand in about 4 days. The clock starts in 4 days. I want to practice for at least 15 minutes a day for 30 days. Boring? Yes. Necessary? Probably not, but it establishes the “Discipline over Motivation” ethos. If I miss a day, that’s okay; just reset the clock and go again.

Second, drum dojo. I may sound like tool calling it a “dojo”, perhaps I’ll just call it my drum room, or music room. Regardless, I need to have a place to put my kit. So we are building out our gym and a by-product of that build-out is going to be building a music room. It’s currently our former gym. It’s insulated and finished on the walls, but not the ceiling. It’s not heated or cooled. It has a water closet and electricity.

I promise there will be pictures soon.

First order of business will be to insulate the ceiling.

Next, since it’s coming up on summer: window air conditioner.

Once both of those things are done (and I’ve practiced with my pad for 30 straight days) then I can buy a kit.

Thanks for reading.