The pieces used in a drum kit

Bass Drum

The Kick Drum is one of the largest drums connected to your drum set, also known as the Bass drum. This drum can be as small as a 16′ to as large as a 24′ Inch drum, the sound from either size will still create the lowest sound on your drum kit typically played with foot pedal and felt mallet. The bass drum is used to keep the rhythm used like a metronome in real-time. If playing with other musicians, this drum will create the bottom for them to move freely.

Snare Drum

One of the main pieces used with a drumkit is the snare drum and generally made from wood or brass. The snare size varies; the typical length of a standard snare drum is 13′ or 14′ inches. The snare drum can be struck as hard as a hammer hitting a nail using drum sticks or as soft as a feather when played with brushes. Either way, you can play the snare with lots of dynamics. From a single stroke to several rudiments, this drum would be one of the most in use.

Hi-Hats

Hi-Hat Cymbals are an intricate part of the drum set consisting of two cymbals crashing together to make various sounds. Closing and opening the Hi-hats with the foot pedal is like a hand-clapping, but hitting the hi-hats with sticks and opening them at different degrees produces a sound only made by the hi-hats.

Hi Tom

The hi tom on a drum set, also known as a Rack tom, is typically mounted to the bass drum. Making a higher pitch sound when playing than the other drums and tuning the drum head will make a higher or lower sound. The size can be from 8″ to 16 inches, with every size make its unique sound. The rack tom was used a lot in Bo Diddley songs.

Floor Tom

The Floor tom, also known as the low tom, is cousins to the hi tom the only difference is the floor tom has the lowest pitch tone in the tom-toms family. It’s called the floor tom because it stands on three supporting legs that can be adjusted for the desired height, while the other toms typically are usually mounted to the bass drum. The floor tom varies in sizes from 14′ to 16′ and even 18 inches for even a deeper depth and typically sits on the floor.

Ride Cymbal

The ride cymbal, whether thick or thin, will have its very own unique sound. The tone will change when hit with a drum stick with nylon tips or wood tip drum sticks. Depending on the size of the ride cymbal, the sound can have resonance vibrating for 5 to 15 seconds after every single stroke. You’ll also have the ability to change your ride cymbal pitch by hitting it in different areas, including the round bell located on top of the ride. In general, the ride cymbal will be an essential part of making drum beats.

 Crash Cymbal

Crash cymbals are typically thinner than the ride cymbal and can come in several sizes. The crash cymbal can perform various accents; striking a crash cymbal with a drum stick will create a loud sustaining sound, sometimes with a fast attack and long attack depending on the crash cymbal’s diameter. And rolling on the crash with hand mallets will create a building and swelling effect.