Which Drum Set Is Right For My Middle School Student?
I often get this question from parents and over the years I’ve had the chance to see what’s worked and what hasn’t worked for my students and others. Recently, a close band director friend of mine asked me for recommendations that he could pass along to the parents of his students so I thought I would take this opportunity to do a bit of a deep-dive into the question.
Here’s my “Every Consideration: Guide to Buying Your First Drum Set.”
I've put together a few good things to look at when considering what to get your Middle School Drum Student. For now, I'm sure the goal is to find a good practice tool for him/her at home. What I've found is that many of the good entry-level drum kits also work well when & if the student wants to take drums out to play a with a band at some point in the future (saving the worry of a “step-up” drumset). Sorry in advance for the long post, but, I'm including things to consider for acoustic drums, and then below that there are a few articles and recommendations for electronic drums too.
Acoustic Drums:
Okay, so, this article is a lot more information than you need, but it's all good information on what to look for when choosing a kit: https://ehomerecordingstudio.com/best-drum-sets/
Basically, there are a lot of options, but you need to know that if you get a "shell pack" that means that you're getting drums only, no snare stand, no cymbals or cymbal stands, no bass drum pedal, no seat.
The following 2 drum kits DO come with hardware and cymbals and are honestly pretty decent options: - I personally really like the Tama Imperialstar, the drum sizes are great, and they were smart enough to partner with Meinl cymbals which will sound much better than the stock cymbals that come with this Mapex kit (or any stock cymbal competitor) below.
If you want a shell pack, and then want to choose a ride cymbal & hi-hats plus stands for them (and a bass drum pedal), these are good options as well:
-Note that the Tama Club Jam comes with a cymbal stand that attaches to the bass drum, so you would only need to additionally purchase a hi-hat stand, plus the cymbals and bass drum pedal.
My favorite brand, Gretsch, makes a great entry-kit in a shell pack that includes cymbal stands (just not cymbals). These are made with poplar wood which is a step up from the above Ludwig kit and will sound warmer. *Also, If your student is really dedicated, you can’t go wrong with Gretsch’s next level up drums, the Catalina Club - I still have mine from when I was in 8th grade and use them for outdoor gigs, rehearsals, or practice at home.
Regardless of which drums you get, you will probably want to get some PRACTICE MUTES for the drums and cymbals - just be sure to get the right sizes:
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/sound-percussion-labs-drum-mute
As far as cymbals go - if you want to get a shell pack of drums and buy cymbals separately, these are solid options:
https://www.amazon.com/GoDpsMusic-Complete-Zildjian-Sticker-
https://www.amazon.com/Sabian-Performance-14-Inch-16-Inch-20-Inch/
https://www.amazon.com/Meinl-Cymbal-Hihats-10-Splash/
***My choice for acoustic drums: Tama Imperialstar complete kit with hardware and cymbals. OR the Gretsch Energy Street Kit - but you'd still need cymbals and a seat.
Electronic Drums:
More and more, I like the idea of an electronic kit, as long as it has "mesh" drum heads instead of just rubber pads. Although it's definitely possible that if your student does go on to play in a band eventually, he/she may want acoustic drums to take out of the house, I have had some students who love their electronic drums and use them with their bands. The one big drawback to electronic drums is that if something goes wrong with them, you pretty much have to hope that they're under warranty and you can send them to the manufacturer for repair or replacement of a part. The most common wear over time issue is that these kits tend to have problems determining if the hi hat signal is for a tight/closed or loose/open sound.
Regardless, to me, the main things I would look for in buying an electronic kit would be:
1: Does it has "mesh" drum heads? You definitely want to at least have the "snare drum" pad making use of a mesh head. Mesh heads play and feel very similar to a real drum head, whereas the rubber pads are very different.
2: Use of an actual bass drum pedal hitting a pad. Many basic kits just use an electronic foot pedal that doesn't really emulate hitting a real bass drum, so the motions (and feel) of playing them are inherently different.
3: Does it have an input for mp3 players? Most kits do by now, but it's important to double-check so that practicing with recordings is easy. In fact, most kits also have MIDI inputs and options to connect to a computer which allow you to program your own sounds, and to record your drums into your computer (which, I would guess you won't be concerned with doing for quite some time).
Otherwise, I think the following article covers all the other factors to consider and then some. http://drummagazine.com/10-things-to-ask-before-buying-your-first-e-kit/
As for actual e-kit recommendations, this next article is pretty helpful.
https://ehomerecordingstudio.com/best-electronic-drums/
As for their number 1 pick, the Roland TD1-KV, I think it's an excellent choice (despite the bass drum pedal) because of it's simplicity, number of sound options & features, and as silly as it sounds the Roland name carries a lot of weight in electronic drums - they always have the best drum sounds on the market, and the gear stands the test of time.
The Alesis drum kits are also great. In their Nitro kit (pick no2 in the article), I like the fact that their bass drum is an actual pedal/beater hitting a pad; they also have excellent sounds and easy functionality/customization options. The Alesis kit is also much cheaper - and it honestly is basically the same quality as the Roland.
Depending on your room space restrictions, obviously the Roland TD1KV will take up less space, whereas I would venture to guess that the Alesis Nitro will be a little bit more adjustable because of it's mounting rack.
One brand NOT listed in that article is KAT Percussion, which has been making high-end electronic percussion instruments for many years. Their KT1 or KT2 kit would also be great options, the only thing with these kits is that you'd need to purchase a bass drum pedal (which you can get for $50) and a seat. Click Here to compare the KT1, 2, and 3 kits - I also highly recommend their add on pack of a seat, bass drum pedal, and good set of headphones all for the price of a high quality drum throne.
***For my money, I would buy this Alesis kit: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Alesis/Nitro-Mesh-8-Piece-Electronic-Drum-Set-1500000219380.gc?cntry=us&source=4WWRWXGP&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhtT1BRCiARIsAGlY51IB4xKvCg4W1Upcxx_rVOHxI5L7uUsJdjhtfCzJQdamraGrtTEcl4kaAiJ9EALw_wcB
Hopefully this helps! Please contact me if you have any other questions.
As far as dealers go, listen to the kit before you buy it - there are lots of youtube demonstrations of different drum kits if you can’t get to a store in person. Then purchase from wherever you get the best deal: Amazon, Sweetwater Music, SteveWeissMusic, Lone Star Percussion are probably your best options. If you have a local music shop I would encourage you to support them if at all possible, as many times their prices are extremely competitive. Plus, when supporting local you have the added bonuses of 1: playing the instrument in-store and taking it home that day and 2: helping to sustain a knowledgeable and helpful musical community where you live.
Here in Atlanta we’re fortunate enough to have lots of drum options. If you live inside the perimeter, Earth Shaking Music stocks a nice drum set collection and is run by great people - most of whom are drummers themselves! Outside of the perimeter Ken Stanton Music is locally owned with multiple locations around the metro area and a nice selection as well.
I’ve been teaching at Carere Music in Dunwoody, GA since 2015, and though the store carries sticks, accessories, and tons of books, they unfortunately do not have the space to stock drum sets. Here in town we used to have the ATL Drum Collective, and lots of drummers are still crossing their fingers for a triumphant return.
Best of luck in the search,
Jonathan