1.1 What size produces the correct sound for the right situation?

When you’re in the position of buying a new drum kit, the salesperson would ask you what genre of music you would like to play and what configuration (sizes) you’re mainly interested in. To some of us it’s a very difficult decision so therefore let’s have a look at the different types of sizes.   The two main categories are Rock (which is also known as your standard sizes) and Fusion. The difference between these categories is mainly the diameter of the tom-toms. Rock sizes consist of 12”, 13” and 16” whereas Fusion consists of 10”, 12” and 14”.

It also needs to be noted that out of the Fusion category flows another genre which is Fusion/Rock. Here the tom-tom sizes are the same but in Fusion the bass drum size is a 20” and in Rock/Fusion it is 22”. All 5-piece drum kits are sold with a 14” snare drum but none of them comes with a drum chair (also known as drum throne). Although the entry level drum kits are sold with a chair and cymbals (Hi-Hat and Crash/Ride). Most of the entry level drum kits are manufactured in Rock sizes, although Pearl has recently launched a Fusion/Rock drum kit.

Moving up from entry level to more sophisticated drum kits, you’ll have to choose between the two major categories namely Rock or Fusion as was previously mentioned. When we look closely to the tom-tom sizes we must take note of the fact that the inches in the tom-toms must have a huge tonal difference. In Fusion the 10”, 12” and 14” has a very evenly spaced interval of 2 inches, whereas the Rock sizes’ (12”, 13” and 16”) first interval is 1 inch and the second interval is 3 inches. Thus meaning that Fusion will have an evenly spaced interval in tonality and the tonal value of the first two toms of Rock would be very close to each other, with the last tom-tom being very far away from the first two tom-toms. Which is the better you may ask? The answer, neither. Each of them has a quality which the other does not have; it mainly comes down to what type of sound you’re after.

1.2 Bass drum – 20” or 22”?

Believe me; 2 inches makes a huge difference. A 20” bass drum is designed to give you a more defined ‘light bottom end’ sound. These are for the Jazz and Fusion drummers who do not require a ‘big’ sounding bass drum but something that compliments the style of music. A 22” bass drum can be seen as designed for Rock, Pop and Metal - something that has a lot of ‘bottom end’ and has a ‘big’ sound. It is important to remember that drummers choose these bass drums to fit their style of music. It’s no use going to a gig with 50 000 people, playing for Anastacia with a 20” bass drum and thinking that you’re going to have the biggest sounding bass drum in the world, although I must say a good engineer and triggers makes a world of a difference.

1.3 Which configuration is popular?

The most popular kit configuration, I would say, is the Fusion/Rock. With a balanced tonal spread in the toms and a 22” bass drum, this is probably the most versatile configuration in playing any genre of music. The 10”, 12” and 14” enables you the freedom of tuning the kit up and down evenly which gives you a Fusion sound, or unevenly giving you a Rock sound. With the bass drum being a 22” it’s easy to step into a Rock or Fusion gig and comfortably pull it off. Although we’ve been speaking about diameters a lot, the importance of depth and wood makes an enormous difference but we’ll leave that for another time.

There’s been endless dispute in what is the right configuration and what gives the best sound – the question is what is the best sound? This being said, the drum kit is a very sophisticated instrument and no ‘right’ configuration exists. The best advice that I can give you is to Google some of your favourite drummers and see what configuration they play with and so to decide which sound you like the best. In my opinion, tuning is the single most important thing since knowing your Paradiddle, so make sure you know how to tune. Remember, it all comes down to the gig you’re playing and what sound it requires.

Written by Naas Hefer