Anatomy of a Modern Drum Kit

Over the years, drums have evolved. Though you can still find all of the original hand drums and really any type of percussion instrument that has ever existed, the popularity of drum kits make them the first though for most people when they hear the term “percussion.” This entry will focus on breaking down the basic pieces of a modern drum kit used in the vast majority of blues songs. I feel that I must say the basic parts because drum kits allow for so many different pieces and so much customization that I could write for hours about all the different pieces and cymbal types and so on. Everything that I am going to mention is labeled in the picture above, so let’s dive in.

The Bass Drum

Also known as a kick drum, this is most often the largest drum in the set. With diameters commonly ranging from 16 inches to 26 inches, bass drums are the heartbeat of the drum kit and, ultimately, the song itself. With the position of this drum, it would be hard to hit it with a drumstick and keep playing fluidly, so a pedal was adapted and is operated with the drummer’s dominant foot.

The Snare Drum

The pop that you hear that pierces your ears is called a snare drum. When playing a straight 4 on the drums (one of the most common beats), the snare is hit with the non-dominant hand, if drummer’s have one. In the case above, the kit is set up for a right-handed drummer, so the snare is hit with the left hand in a straight 4. The snare is often the loudest of the drums.

The Toms

Pictured above are three different size toms. The toms range in pitch, with smaller toms having a higher pitch, and larger toms having a deeper sound. Toms are most often played in a fill, or the time at the end of a line or phrase in a song. It is called a fill, at least in this authors opinion, because the drummer is filling the dead space before the vocals pick up again. In the blues, however, this dead space is far from dead, because there is often a guitar lick that fills the air in addition to the drummer.

The Cymbals

Cymbals come in all sizes and can make all sorts of sounds. In most cases, however, a drummer really only needs three cymbals, four to make the kit seem fuller. Let’s start with the hi-hats, or the far left in the picture. Hi-hats are actually two cymbals that, when operated by a foot pedal, close together and open in order to create different sounds. Closed hi-hats have a short, tsst sound, while open hi-hats sound like marching cymbals when hit together. Moving on to the crash cymbal, of which there are two pictured above. These are the loud cymbals, the ones that grab your attention and usually finish a fill or, in the case of hard rock or metal, are the only cymbals that a drummer touches. Finishing out with the ride cymbal, the most commonly used cymbal in the blues. Ride cymbals, depending on the size, are known for having a notable ping sound with short sustain, great for carrying a groove. I also like to joke and say that the ride cymbal is the church drummer’s best friend, because it is the only cymbal they know how to hit.