Are you looking for a gift for that person who’s always tapping their foot? Whether you have a drummer in your life or you just feel like treating yourself this year, now’s the time to stock up on gifts any drum lover would be stoked on.

From stocking stuffers to extra-generous presents, check out these ideas to help any drummer relieve stress or rediscover the joy of drumming (Bob Ross not included) this holiday season.

Stocking stuffers

Ranging from $6 to $35, these gifts are small enough to fit in a stocking and won’t break the bank.

Vic Firth Universal Practice Tips ($7)
The perfect way to practice on any surface. Just add rubber tips to the end of your sticks and play wherever you want!

Drumtacs Sound Control Pads ($12.95)
These sticky little guys will help eliminate unwanted resonance from the drums. Keep them whole or cut them down to quarters or halves and move them around the drumheads.

Evans Torque Key ($20)
This drum key has an ergonomic grip for maximum comfort, a knurled knob for quick spinning, and a slip-resistant magnetic head. The torque handle can be set to the tension you need for your preferred tuning.

Hi-Hat Tambourine ($25)
The Hat Trick G2 is a tambourine that clamps easily to a hi-hat stand or cymbal stand so you can jingle to your heart’s content.

Pearl TechTool ($30)
This Swiss Army-style multi-tool comes with 13 gig-ready tools that fit all drums, pedals, and hardware. With six hex keys, five screwdrivers, a standard drum key, and a bottle opener, this will save any drummer in a pinch.

Drumeo 5A Sticks by Vater ($9.95)
Drumeo 5A Drumsticks by Vater have double the moisture content of other sticks (aka longer-lasting) and are the perfect size for pretty much any situation. These are the same hickory drumsticks Jared Falk and many of our other instructors use every day.

Vic Firth Split Brush ($35)
This brush is designed with two separate rows of wire, which produces unique weighting of sound with different articulation qualities. The pull rod is also triple crimped, allowing for additional setting options.

ProMark Hot Rods ($25)
Bridging the gap between drumsticks and brushes and handmade with select birch dowels, Hot Rods have a lighter sound than sticks but more attack than brushes, making them popular for many styles of music.

PinchClip ($10)
Replace the wingnuts on your cymbal stands and hi-hats with these easy-to-use squeeze and release clips.

Sweet Spot Cymbal Toppers and Clutches ($30+)
These premium accessories will stand the test of time. With multiple designs to choose from (including screws and spikes), they’ll add some extra style to your drum kit, too.

KickBlock ($30)
Drummers hate when the bass drum starts creeping forward – and that’s where the velcro-backed KickBlock anchor comes in.

A&F Drum Key ($35)
This premium drum key is made of raw steel and has a leather key ring holster for a cool vintage look.

Affordable gifts

Ranging from $18 to $150, there are a ton of budget-friendly products on most drummers’ wish lists.

Drumeo QuietPad ($35)
Practice anywhere with two full-size playing surfaces: a harder rubber side with a solid rebound, and a softer reverse for even quieter practice (up to 50% quieter than most pads).

QuietKick Practice Pad ($79)
This portable practice pad lets drummers work on their bass drum technique smoothly and quietly. You can throw it in your bag and take it anywhere!

Evans EQ Pad Bass Drum Damper ($18)
The Evans EQ Pad is a highly efficient bass drum muffler that attaches to the bottom of the bass drum shell with Velcro. The hinged pad bounces off the head, allowing sustain before returning to dampen the vibrating head.

Vic Firth Stereo Isolation Headphones ($80)
These headphones were designed to protect musicians from the high sound levels associated with their instruments. They drastically reduce the amount of sound that reaches your ears, preventing potentially irreversible ear damage.

Audio Technica ATH-M50x Headphones ($150)
The ATH-M50x features the same sonic signature, large-aperture drivers, and sound isolating earcups as the previous model, but now features a detachable cable. The M50x is a great fit for audio professionals at all levels.

EarDrums In-Ear Monitors ($149)
Protect your ears and play your favorite songs. A snug fit seals in the sound (reducing external volume by up to -29dB) and triple drivers offer the clearest audio you’ll get for this price.

Tune Bot ($100)
This device makes it easy to tune to notes. Simply clip it to your drum hoop, tap the drum, and match the lugs.

DrumDial Drum Tuner ($65)
Easily tune your drums by measuring pressure on the drumhead. Fast, precise, and no whacking necessary!

Tama Rhythm Watch RW200 ($99)
This metronome has everything a drummer needs to make sure they stay on time, both live and in the studio. It features plenty of volume to use while playing real drums, a dial for quick tempo adjustments, separate volumes for all note values, and much more.

Soundbrenner Pulse ($99+)
This wearable silent metronome pulsates on your wrist, ankle, chest, or wherever you decide to put it. Instead of hearing the click, you can feel it instead.

Low Boy Custom Beaters ($30-60+)
Build your own custom bass drum beater with all the advantages and versatility of wood for sound, as well as the custom painted finish for style.

Switch Kick ($50)
Originally a successful Kickstarter campaign, the Switch Kick helps drummers to ‘switch’ beaters quickly without any tools. There are more than 10 different beater heads available!

Vratim Drum Shoes ($100)
Comfortable, flexible, and lightweight with grip underneath, these suede leather shoes are designed specifically for drumming.

Vic Firth Drummer Backpack ($95)
This backpack has two padded compartments, a removable laptop insert, a detachable stick bag, and enough space to also fit a practice pad.

Earasers ($65)
These advanced musicians’ earplugs were designed to reduce dangerous frequencies while still letting safe sounds through.

MONO M80 Stickbag ($99)
Waterproof and rugged with a solid storage pocket, this premium stickbag will protect your drumsticks on the go and at the kit.

Generous gifts

If you’ve got a bit more financial freedom and want to seriously treat a drummer, here are a few big ideas.

Roland TD-1KV V-Drums ($500)
The TD-1K compact delivers V-Drums quality in a space-saving kit. Ideal for anyone who wants to enjoy playing drums at home, the TD-1K offers a wide selection of expressive drum kits for playing any musical style, plus additional onboard training software for building skills and monitoring progress. Because you listen through headphones, the neighbors won’t hear a peep!

Yamaha EAD10 ($599)
This module transforms your acoustic kit into an electric kit! Well, kind of. Amplify the drums with the combined mic/trigger, add preset effects and samples, and much more. Want to post drum covers? To make sharing easy, Yamaha even has a free app to easily sync video from your phone with audio from the EAD10.

Yamaha Stage Custom Birch ($749+)
The Stage Custom Birch series is great for the beginner or the working professional. Available in multiple colors and finishes, the low fundamental and warm tone of Yamaha’s birch drums has been the top choice of drummers for over 30 years.

TAMA Starclassic Walnut/Birch ($1699+)
A popular choice for gigging drummers, the latest TAMA Starclassic Performer combines warmth and attack for the most versatility. Diecast hoops, a flexible and light tom mounting system, and unique memory locks make this kit more than good enough for a pro.

Zoom Q2N Action Camera ($179)
Ideal for filming live gigs, drum practice or even YouTube videos, the Q2N is known for capturing drum audio better than most action cameras. It can record 4k video and has a great wide-angle lens option.

sE Electronics Drum Mics ($1099)
This complete set of mics includes everything a drummer needs for basic recording or live playing.

Earthworks DK7 Drum Mics ($2999)
This full microphone system is perfect for pro drummers who want exceptional sound quality without the bulk. Whether you want the set or just a single mic, Earthworks makes top of the line products.

Sabian AAX Cymbal Pack ($899)
Perfect for any drummer who wants to upgrade several cymbals at once, this set includes five cymbals: a pair of hi-hats, two crashes, and a ride.

Roland SPD-SX Sample Pad ($1099)
You can assign sounds to this multipad and trigger samples from your drum kit. A must-have for the hybrid drummer who likes electronics with their acoustic drumming.

NEEWER Lighting Kit ($160)
These dimmable LED lights are surprisingly affordable, and great for the social media drummer who wants to level up their video skills.

Logic Pro ($280)
Treat drummers to a professional DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) – software they’ll need to record and mix their own drums.

Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 ($473)
Another recording must-have for drummers, this interface has enough inputs to mic an entire kit.

Educational gifts

From classic books to online drum lessons, every drummer deserves to keep learning – no matter how good they already are.

Drumeo Drum Lessons ($29/month)
With live and recorded lessons from over 60 world-class instructors, you’ll get access to more than 1000 hours of on-demand recorded lessons and 100+ play-along songs with this award-winning educational community. Improve your skills and have more fun! Click here to get a gift card.

The Drummer’s Toolbox ($29.99)
This hardcover book is the ultimate guide to learning 101 drumming styles. With over 450 pages of easy-to-understand descriptions and simple groove breakdowns, it’s the most comprehensive introduction to dozens of styles for drummers of any skill level.

The Best Beginner Drum Book ($29.99)
This is the simplest guide for beginner drummers to get started on drums and take their playing to the next level.

Stick Control ($10)
Often considered to be the bible of drumming, Stick Control is a classic. This is the ideal book for improving all aspects of your drumming with extra attention given to the development of the weak hand.

Survival Guide For The Modern Drummer ($24.99)
Jim Riley’s book contains 318 grooves and 124 fully produced play along tracks in every genre. From pop to swing, metal to latin, country to Motown, this book is the best resource for you to become a more well rounded drummer and will give you the tools to survive as a pro player.

Ultimate Realistic Rock ($45)
This book (and bonus CDs) by Carmine Appice contains classic information on basic rock rhythms, polyrhythms, linear rudiments and groupings, hi-hat and double bass drum exercises, syncopation exercises, and much more.

The Art and Science of Groove (€32)
The Art and Science of Groove is a collection of vital tools and exercises designed specifically to enhance your playing with a positive groove. Benny Greb introduces the five core elements of Time, Feel, Sound, Body and Mind, offering straightforward solutions that can be applied to any musical style.

Novelty gifts

They may not make you a better drummer, but they sure are awesome. Here are some novelty gift ideas that’ll make any drummer’s life even more fun.

Drumstick Mixing Spoons ($11)
Drum on your pots and pans when you’re not stirring! Made of solid beechwood, each set of Mix Stix includes one slotted spoon and one solid spoon.

Drumstick Pencils ($11)
Doodle or drum; the choice is yours. Awesome as a stocking stuffer!

Zildjian Cymbal Mouse Pad ($13)
With a splash graphic on top and a padded underside, this mouse pad is the perfect symbol (yep) of your undying love for drums.

Zildjian Cymbal Clock ($80)
Because the most important thing about being a drummer is keeping time.

Reclaimed Cymbal Bottle Opener ($7-25)
Made from recycled cymbals, these bottle openers can be added to a keychain or necklace, or even fit inside your wallet. They look awesome and are great for breaking open a cold one!

Rockstix LED Drumsticks ($25)
Impress your friends! Confuse your pet! These color-changing polycarbonate drumsticks are motion-activated and look awesome in photos.

Drumeo Jokester T-Shirt ($25)
The best part about being a drummer is having the ability to play a drum fill after a joke whenever you want. Now you can get ‘ba dum tss’ on a shirt!

Drumeo Hoodie ($59)
Stay warm with this fleecy drum-themed pullover sweater.

 

If you still need more ideas for drummer gifts, you could also get them:

• Concert tickets to see their favorite band or drummer
• A music streaming service like Spotify or Apple Music
• Private in-person drum lessons
• A custom snare drum
• Drumheads

*This article contains affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission from the product seller if you make a purchase. For more info, check out our privacy page.

Who’s that bearded guy playing Rage Against The Machine’s “Killing In The Name”?

It’s none other than Old Man Falk, taking a break from yelling at ‘those dang kids’ on his porch. He’s tired. He’s been posting drum videos online for almost 20 years now!

Drumming is often a lifelong pursuit, whether you’re starting as a kid or as someone with a head full of grays. That’s why many drummers decide to commit to a Drumeo Lifetime membership, which means you get access to everything Drumeo offers in its membership forever.

That’s thousands of hours of video lessons, over 2700 songs to play along to, personalized feedback from the world’s top teachers, awesome community forums, a whole bunch of drum-related shows (basically Netflix for drummers) and more.

We’re opening up 100 spots to students who are ready to make a lifelong commitment to their drumming. It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay. But if you want one of these limited seats at Drumeo’s Eternal Table (disclaimer: there is no table), you’ll also get 20 free bonuses including all of our digital lesson packs and Hudson Music’s legacy packs (lessons from iconic drummers like Neil Peart and Mike Mangini) and a P4 practice pad and a Drumeo QuietPad and 12 pairs of 5A Drumeo drumsticks by Vater.

(Whew)

A regular Drumeo membership costs $240 per year. With a Lifetime Membership, it’ll pay for itself within five years. But you get so much value, you’ll be thinking this was so worth it after two years (or sooner).

Get drum lessons and an irreplaceable community for life

We were so busy trying to figure out if we could, we didn’t stop to think about if we should.

You know that common story you’ve heard about drummers starting on pots and pans, right? Most of them eventually bought a drum set. But imagine if they never did. What if all you had to whack was the stuff around you?

Let’s see if we can build a drum kit out of household items and make it sound good in a pro studio.

What the heck will a garbage can bass drum, bucket snare/toms, and pan/sawblade cymbals sound like? And is that a microwave?

If Gene Hoglan can make a boat propeller and cannon shell work on a drum kit, you bet we’re going to see how far we can go.

We recorded the ‘junk kit’ over tracks from Michael Schack’s ‘Electrify Your Drumming‘ course, added EQ, reverb and compression, and made a song that just might reinvent the EDM genre.

Or not. You be the judge.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve added to your kit?

Your windshield wipers are squeaking perfectly in time.

Your blinker is ticking in 4/4 (or is it 5/8?) while you sit at the stop light.

You hear a sprinkler on a nearby lawn chick-chicking in a hypnotizing pattern and you can’t help but start tapping on the steering wheel.

Rhythm is everywhere, and pretty much every drummer can’t help but hear patterns where most normal people wouldn’t.

Anything can be a metronome or a backing track – and in this video, Jared Falk drums along to his sprinkler!

Can you buy a toy drum set for fifty bucks and make it sound better than plastic containers and tin cans?

The answer is yes.

In order to turn this kids drum kit into a recording monster, we needed a pro audio engineer to get there. But we didn’t need the mighty Victor Guidera to improve the sound a whopping 200% (estimated statistic – don’t come for us). Tuning and muffling did a lot for this kit’s glow-up.

You’ll see in the video how you can transform a cheap toy into a recordable kit. Here’s what we did:

• Tune the drumheads
• Add muffling (gaffer tape comes off nice and clean – like painter’s tape!)
• Add mics: We used a Solomon LoFReQ Subkick (to help add low end to that small, tinny kick), a Sennheiser e602 on the bass drum, an Earthworks SR20LS on the snare drum, and an Earthworks DM20 on the tom
• Mix the audio (you can use sound augmentation to improve it even more)

These cheap kits may not sound great, but they’re useful for teaching kids the basics of drumming, giving them a way to blow off steam, and get them excited to rock out. That’s $50 well spent!

Or…you know…you could make your own homemade drum set for them to play with.

*This article contains affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission from the product seller if you make a purchase. For more info, check out our privacy page.

Who is BTS?

Oh, no one – just the best-selling artist in South Korean history and the fastest group in the world to achieve four number one hits since The Jackson 5.

Over the last few years, they’ve received multiple music awards and sold out massive arenas like Wembley Stadium for their blend of hip-hop and pop. They’ve achieved major success outside of their native Korea and their newest song (their second English language single), “Butter”, has broken streaming and view records on YouTube.

Let’s be honest: you’re probably wondering “Why does Drumeo care about K-pop?”

And that’s a fair question – most modern pop and hip-hop songs don’t feature a real drummer.

But it would be unrealistic to pretend like these ‘fake-drum’ producers are going away anytime soon, screaming out into the void, a single tear rolling down one cheek as we clutch our Led Zeppelin records. 

If each YouTube view represented one person, at least 1 in every 22 people on earth has heard “Butter” by BTS. That’s hundreds of millions of people. The beats in “Butter” were chosen for the same reason many beats played on ‘real drums’ are chosen: to make the song danceable and memorable.

This track is a perfect example of writing the beat for the song and not for yourself. The rhythms are simple for a reason: they support and ground the other instruments. Sometimes the notes you don’t play are louder than the notes you do play. And that silence right before the chorus explodes? It creates undeniable tension that’s released in the next bar. It’s a smart choice for a hit song!

Whether you’re translating programmed drums onto a real kit or trying to make your kit sound more like electronic samples (Jared is using a Roland TM-2 trigger module in the video above), remember that the rhythms created for modern pop music are crafted to leave space for the vocals and support the other elements. If you really want to use your drums to capture the authentic feel of the original song, try not to overdo it!

Drum kits can take a while to set up. Thankfully, some smart people invented portable kits that are meant to be easy to carry and quick to set up.

How portable are they really? How quickly can you actually set them up and tear them down?

Four drummers. Four tiny kits. Watch as they race against the clock to see how practical these compact kits really are!

Here’s the challenge:

1. Run to the studio with kit in hand.
2. Set up as fast as you can.
3. Mic up the kit.
4. Play 8 bars.
5. Tear down the kit.
6. Get back to the finish line as soon as possible.

We’ve been missing gigs so much, we decided to recreate the experience! Who do you think will get the best time?

(P.S. If you like drummers racing around to complete challenges, you should see this drummer play 101 styles in just 10 minutes.)

Compact, portable drum kits you should try

If you’d like to know more about the kits featured in the video above, here are the details! Dave and Jared both used GigPigs (Standard for Dave and Extendable for Jared). Brandon used a SmackPac, and Kyle used a Wizzdrum All-In Kit.

GigPig Standard ($1299 USD) and Extendable (~$1999 USD)

• Made in Sweden
• Innovative chambered main box design (the ‘v’ shape is also ergonomic for foot pedal placement)
• Very easy to transport and set up (it has wheels!)
• Add-on toms are optional
• Both the standard and extendable models come with cymbals designed for the kit’s specific sound/size needs, but you can add on extras
• The extendable kit features a more adjustable hi-hat, an upgraded 10″ snare drum, and more
• Only downside: it could use a gig bag

SmackPac – $1495 USD

• Made in the US
• The DS model featured in the video is a 4 piece kit
• Very compact and has no wheels
• It weighs about 60 lbs
• Unique storage system
• Innovative hi-hat design
• Cymbals not included
• Different versions available

Wizzdrum All-In Kit ($1350 USD)

• Made in Holland
• Almost completely 3D printed!
• Sets up two ways: standing and sitting
• Unique tuning method – uses a gear and screw style tensioning system, which lets you uniformly adjust head tension with just one turn
• Comes with case that can also hold the cymbals
• Other drum accessories for your acoustic kit
• Cymbals not included

Jared Falk, metal drummer?

Jared Falk, HEADBANGER?

If you’ve followed Drumeo for a while, you’ll know that Jared isn’t known for playing heavy music. But when he asked the drumming community what metal bands he should check out, Gojira came out on top. They’re one of the hottest bands in the genre right now, and feature groovy and creative drum parts.

So we challenged Jared to play “Born For One Thing”, the first single off their new album, Fortitude.

The best part? Unlike his mortal enemy, Dave Atkinson, Jared never plays double bass – so he knew his work was cut out for him. But he wanted to get out of his comfort zone.

In this video you’ll see his early reaction to the song’s cool triplet snare intro, epic halftime ride section, and tasty ghost notes. Then he shares some vlog clips (frustrations and all!) from his daily practice where he plays through the song to get the form, then slows it down to nail the details (like transitions and double bass patterns, which he ended up doing in a unique way with double strokes).

The night before filming, Jared was nervous he wouldn’t be able to do the song justice. But we think he killed it! What do you think?

(P.S. Jared mentions an incredible fundraiser Gojira is spearheading. Bid on auction items from your favorite metal bands to help raise money for Brazil’s Indigenous People Articulation, which supports indigenous rights. Here’s the link: https://propeller.la/gojira)

Dave Atkinson and Jared Falk?

“They both suck”

The internet can be a cruel, cruel place. While it’s easy to talk about how much you love the content you see online, it’s just as easy to express your distaste – and people can be brutal.

In this video, Dave and Jared react to mean comments naysayers have left on their videos over the years. They range from “sounds like crap” and “I needed a good laugh” to “please close your mouth”. Rude!

If you’ve ever had people say negative things to you online, try not to dwell on them. Remember that these people don’t matter, that you shouldn’t take yourself too seriously, and that even pro drummers deal with jerks in the comments sometimes.

Did you enjoy seeing Dave and Jared confront their haters? Want more entertaining and educational content, plus awesome drum-related offers? Drop your email here!

How good is your internal clock? And how well do you play with a metronome?

Find out with this ultimate timing challenge, and see how far you can get without falling off. If you make it through, congrats – you’re the click master. But if you fall off, you’ll have to do 30 pushups, just like Dave in the video.

Just kidding. No pressure. It just means there’s more work to do, and you’ve got this!

Download the click track to practice along to here:

60 BPM
70 BPM
80 BPM
90 BPM
100 BPM

Here’s the structure of each track (you’ll hear the sound change when it’s about to switch to the next variation):

• Regular click on the quarter notes (8 bars)
• Click on the E (8 bars)
• Click on the ‘and’ (8 bars)
• Click on the A (8 bars)
• Click on 1 and 3
• Click on 2 and 4
• Click on beat 1
• Regular click (4 bars)
• No click (1 bar)
• Regular click (4 bars)
• No click (2 bars)
• Regular click (4 bars)
• No click (4 bars)

As drummers, it’s our job to keep time. Post your attempt with the hashtag #drumeotimingchallenge (and be honest – mistakes and all – and share your first take)!

Don’t want to download the click tracks? Practice along here:

Drums are heavy. They take up a lot of space.

So when we discovered that one of the most abundant natural resources on Earth could be harvested and shaped into a drum-like form, we knew this was going to be a game-changer.

It’s easy. It’s breezy. It’s light as air.

Introducing DrumeoAIR: The biggest revolution in drumming since Animal became a Muppet.

Have you ever looked back at old videos of you drumming and thought, “Wow, I’ve come so far?”

Jared Falk (Drumeo’s fearless leader, in case you didn’t know) has been putting content online for 17 years. That’s longer than some YouTube drummers have been alive!

While his first video went up in 2006, it wasn’t until 2013 that Jared created an educational video series called “Successful Drumming”. It included a bunch of play-alongs, and one was called “Challenge Accepted”, recorded in 2012. It was meant to challenge Jared’s skills, and he spent a long time making sure he could play it well (since he had an expensive hourly studio rental and film crew that was draining his wallet every take).

9 years later, Jared wanted to look back at that play-along video and share some context around his playing at the time – and then recreate it in the current Drumeo studio.

In almost a decade of progress, he’s learned to make more musically disciplined choices. Back in 2012, he felt like he had something to prove. But Jared has since realized that it isn’t about flashy fills and being technical. It’s about playing the drums so they match the music.

Which of the two videos do you like better? Has Jared improved?

“Showmanship and chops? In a BEGINNER LESSON?”

Sure, why not – if you slow it down.

If you’ve been playing basic beats and fills, working on your time and technique, and you’re hoping to start developing some new cool ideas, this lesson will give you a foundation for chops.

But hold on – what are chops?

Most people use the word to describe repetitive linear patterns (or hand/foot combinations) played quickly around the kit. When drummers go into the practice room and ‘shed’ (aka jam), they’re developing technical proficiency with certain patterns.

While groove is just as – if not more – important than chops, it can be fun to shred and come up with variations on a pattern on different surfaces.

In this lesson, Jared shows you six ‘chops’ you can try, even if you’re an elementary drummer. Like anything, it’s not going to sound great when you start. And some of these patterns might not sound like much when played slowly, but they’ll sound awesome later. Remember to practice slowly to a click and don’t try to rip around the kit until you’re ready – and be honest with yourself!

(Download the sheet music here)

When you see drummers showing off their ‘chops’, those incredible skills often consist of linear patterns, which means no two limbs are playing at the same time. They can give the illusion of speed while adding cool textures and dynamics. Many linear fills and grooves break up patterns between your hands and feet, rather than the right hand/left hand or right foot/left foot combinations that you might be used to.

There are infinite ways to orchestrate the same thing around the kit. You can place the ‘voices’ anywhere, playing the patterns on whatever surfaces you want (stack, ride, hi-hats, toms) and get a completely different sound. Linear drumming can help you improve your independence too, where you get to the point where each limb has a mind of its own.

In this video, Jared goes through 10 levels – from easiest to most challenging – and grooves to teach you techniques while you move up. Each level builds on the previous one, and you should start at Level 1 if linear concepts are new to you. These are the levels we use at Drumeo, but you might categorize these skills differently.

Level 1: Basic groove
Level 2: Adding ghost notes
Level 3: More bass drum
Level 4: Bass drum double strokes
Level 5: Basic triplets
Level 6: 16th note triplets
Level 7: 32nd notes
Level 8: Switching up note values
Level 9: Adding the hi-hat foot
Level 10: Combining techniques

Now take the grooves you’ve learned and move them around the drums – the sky is seriously the limit!

Tuning drums can be frustrating. How can you get your kit sounding as good as all these albums and videos?

Many companies claim that their products make tuning easy and “take out all the guesswork”, but it’s worth practicing tuning and developing your ear to really get it right. It takes time and energy, but it’s worth it! You’ll figure out which tuning methods work best for you.

That being said, we wanted to test 8 of the most popular drum tuning gadgets – because if there’s a tool that can help us get to a consistent tension and tone more quickly, why not try it?

1. Classic drum key

Using your ears and a drum key, this is how most drummers tune. Finger tighten the tension rods (meaning make them as tight as you can go with just your fingers), then take a drum key and give each rod one full turn. Turn off the snare wires and listen while tapping around the head. You might start doing this by feel (so each rod is just as easy or difficult to turn) and eventually by ear. It’s a simple process, so don’t overthink it.

Jared’s tuning time – 3:45
Jared’s rating – 8/10 (can take longer than other methods)

2. DrumDial

This tool measures the tension of the drumhead (rather than tone) to make sure the tympanic pressure is consistent all the way around. It gives you more of a quantifiable way to tune. Finger tighten all the tension rods, then start tuning up. Place the DrumDial on the head next to one of the rods. Note the number on the dial. Then place the dial by each rod and bring them up or down to your first ‘control’ number. If you like your settings, you can use that number as your target tension whenever you’re tuning. You still need to use your ears with this tool, but it gives you a nice reference point. Jared trusts the DrumDial so much, he used it to check the accuracy of other tuning methods in this video.

Jared’s tuning time – 4:40
Jared’s rating – 8/10 (still need a drum key)

3. Evans Torque Key

This measures the torque on your tension rods, so every time you turn, it uses the same amount of pressure. The key clicks when you hit the target pressure. After finger tightening, bring up the tension on the rods evenly (medium tension is fine). Go slowly with the torque key and turn each rod until it clicks, resetting the key before moving on to the next rod. Make sure your lug inserts are well oiled so it takes the same effort to turn each tension rod.

Jared’s tuning time – 3:00
Jared’s rating – 9/10 (a little expensive for what it is)

4. Neary Drum Torque

Similar to Evans’ torque key – it measures the tension in the rods – this one is much bigger. If it can get you to a starting point where the tension is even and then you use your ears to get the tone you want, this is a useful tool.

Jared’s tuning time – 5:56
Jared’s rating – 6/10 (clunky)

5. Tune Bot Studio

Compared to DrumDial and the torque keys, Tune Bot doesn’t measure tension; it measures frequency in hertz and ‘listens’ to the actual sound of the drum. This is a fairly expensive products that clamps right on. Once you bring up the tension on your drum, strike the head and read the number on the screen (you can save the numbers in the device’s memory, too). Try to match that as you move around the drum. You might want to do some manual fine tuning, but it seems to get great results on a new drum.

Jared’s tuning time – 3:38
Jared’s rating – 6/10 (should have an app)

6. Drill

If you’re impatient, you can use a drill with the Evans drum key drill bit to tighten all of the rods. Be very careful! First, bring up the tension to where the rods are just touching the rim. Then go around and tighten just a bit at a time. Drills do actually have built-in torque settings, but test yours first. It’s best to only do this to your own drums (or drums you don’t care about) until you get more experienced.

Jared’s tuning time – 1:44
Jared’s rating – 10/10 (fast and easy once you get it)

7. iDrumTune Pro

Like the Tune Bot in app form, iDrumTune Pro is best for fine-tuning once you’ve brought up the tension on your drum. If you’re using a snare drum, throw off the snares, hold your phone next to each tension rod, and hit the head an equal distance from each rod as you make your way around and compare the readings (because it measures frequency like the Tune Bot, it will change depending on where you strike the head). Don’t worry if you can’t get the exact same number all the way around – this app is best for making sure you aren’t way off. iDrumTune Pro seems to do a good job and even has presets and tutorials.

Jared’s tuning time – 3:34
Jared’s rating – 7/10

8. Dialtune Snare Drum

These snare drums use a unique cable tuning system that lets you tune the top and bottom heads independently with one dial. They also have a patented system for changing drumheads – it’s a brilliant design and the hoop just pops right off! It’s extremely quick to tune: just crank the dial for a consistent sound. You can even tune while you play.

Jared’s tuning time – 0:54
Jared’s rating – 9/10 (innovative and quick)

These are some of the most popular drum tuning products on the market, and they help you refine your tuning either by tension or by sound (tone/frequency). The most important thing to remember is to use your ears and learn how to trust them. The better you can do that, the more you can use these devices to your benefit and not as a crutch.

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Matthew Pretty – aka The Bucket Boy – is a street drummer who travels around the world using unconventional sound sources to create incredible rhythms.

He treated us to a creative performance at NAMM with buckets, pots and pans. The next time someone says “you can’t be an amazing drummer without a drum kit”, show them this video!

(And just wait until it all drops into that backbeat at 3:43.)

Imagine sitting down on your brand new, state-of-the-art electronic drum kit, fan blowing through your freshly-teased hair, acid-washed jeans bright against the sleek black of the geometric pads. Somewhere in the distance, you hear echoes of “Born In The USA”.

Well, it’s not 1985 anymore, and his hair isn’t teased, but in this video Jared Falk unboxes a barely-used TAMA Techstar kit and takes it for a test drive!

Made in Japan, this vintage kit is still in its original boxes, plastic and styrofoam. Electronic drums were invented in the late ’70s (you might remember the hexagonal pads of the Simmons SDSV) and really gained popularity in the ’80s, so this Techstar was born during electronic drumming’s prime.

It consists of four TSP100 pads and a kick pad, with circular surfaces on square pads (continuing the geometric pad trend that started in the 70s).

Here’s a Techstar ad from Tama.com:

What better way to get original 1980s electronic samples than to use an original kit from the 1980s?

The module lets you adjust tone, attack and decay, and also has knobs for bend and noise – nice and simple. This kit doesn’t come with cymbal pads, a bass drum pedal or throne, so Jared added real cymbals.

The samples we have on modern electronic kits can be pretty realistic, and the samples on the ’85 Techstar sound extremely dated by today’s standards, but it gives you an idea of a high tech drumming option from the heyday of electronic drum sounds in music. You’ll sound like a drum machine when you play it!

To watch this kit in action on a Phil Collins cover from 1981 – yep, the one you’re thinking of – click here.

Click HERE to download a retro loop track that you can jam along to.

For more unboxings and specs of modern electronic kits, watch the videos inside Drumeo!

This might be the world’s longest drum fill in more ways than one.

What if “In The Air Tonight“, but for drummers?

And what if the fill – you know exactly which fill we’re talking about – lasted for an entire minute and was played on 99 toms while running around the Drumeo office?

That’s exactly what Jared Falk did. And it’s just as epic as it sounds.

That retro-futuristic looking electronic kit is a 1985 Tama Techstar, and that voice belongs to Jared (after all, it makes the most sense to both drum and sing when you’re doing a Phil Collins cover, right?).

The wait is worth it all for that epic fill, which starts at 3:10.

(P.S. Since this video went up, we did it again…but this time we played the world’s longest drum fill on ice!)

Drumming can basically be broken down into two things: single strokes and double strokes. Most things we play are just a combination of these. Like a golfer working on their swing, a drummer needs to be working on perfecting these two strokes since they apply to almost everything.

Note spacing and consistency are your tickets to reaching the next level in your playing. If your double strokes are threatening to–well–give you a stroke, here are five ways to stave off the sloppiness. And they really work!

1. Accent the second stroke

A concept taught by pros like Dave Weckl and Thomas Lang, practice accenting the second stroke of each double. Use your full wrist motion to get each one clean and powerful, and get comfortable with how this sounds and feels. Start slow and focus on that accent – it’ll naturally start to even out as you speed up.

2. Practice with locked grip

Since it has little to no rebound, practicing on a pillow (or the soft arm of a couch) is an incredible training exercise. Hold your sticks so the end in the palm of each hand (without gripping too tightly). The stick should function like an extension of your arm rather than being allowed to pivot. Now every stroke on the pillow is a result of your wrist movement. If you do this for five or ten minutes a day, you’re going to start noticing massive improvements.

3. Displace your doubles

To change the feel and orchestration around the kit, rather than playing square/regular doubles (RRLLRRLLRRLL), play inverted doubles (RLLRRLLRRLLR). Work that around the kit with the bass drum on every quarter note. Start with the right hand leading, then practice with the left. Get used to switching between square doubles and inverted doubles and see how the sound changes. It’s a more musical way to apply what you’re working on.

4. Use the note value tree

Practice cycling your doubles between quarter notes, 8th notes, 8th note triplets, 16th notes, 16th note triplets, and 32nd notes. Try it with the metronome at 60 BPM.

5. Study the roll rudiments

Whether you realize it or not, you’re always playing rudiments. If you want to unlock more possibilities in your drumming, work on the 5 stroke roll, 6 stroke roll, 7 stroke roll, 9 stroke roll, 10 stroke roll, 11 stroke roll, 13 stroke roll, 15 stroke roll, and 17 stroke roll.

We’ve put together a playlist with drumless tracks at different tempos so you can practice these rudiments over real music:

Looking at the wall of drumsticks at the store is both awesome and intimidating, especially if you’re just getting started or are about to try something new. How do you choose drumsticks? How do you know what’s worth it, especially if it’s something you’ve never used before?

We spent over an hour testing and rating sticks so you don’t have to.

Vater, Headhunters, and Promark generously sent us $1453.47 worth of different models, from brushes and hot rods to straight-up Franken-creations. Hopefully, this monster review will help you decide which ones will give you the unique, alternate sounds you want from your drums!

1. Headhunters Shake n’ Roll ($47.99)
Imagine egg shakers attached to drumsticks, and you’ve got the Shake n’ Roll. The weight in the middle of the stick gives these an interesting feel. You’ll get a nice response and a chunky sound on the snare, but not much attack on the toms. If you’re doing a lot of snare work and want to try something different, give these a whirl!

2. Promark Tubz ($19.99)
As the name implies, they look and sound like plastic tubes. You can get some good attack from them, and they have an interesting feel, but they’re a little big to carry around in a stick bag. A unique drumming tool? Definitely.

3. Headhunters Crossovers II ($25.50)
Imagine Hot Rods with a rubber section mid-stick (maybe to protect the stick from rimshots?) and a traditional stick as a handle and you get these hybrids. They come with nice weight and attack and feel more like a normal stick than most dowel bundles. If you need an option for sound-sensitive situations but want the feel of a classic drumstick, give these a try.

4. Headhunters SandMan ($31.95)
Like brushes with an adjustable plastic loop, you can use these to get a fat sound out of your snare and unique sounds out of your cymbals. They’re a little top-heavy, but they’re well built (and the thin pieces of plastic used for the brushes are more durable than they look).

5. Vater Splashstick Heavy ($29.99)
Most sticks made of dowels are designed for situations where you can’t be loud, but these are supposed to be able to handle a bit more punishment. So far, so good.

6. Headhunters Soft Corn ($36.99)
They look like tiny brooms and feel flexible and light with a thick handle. If you’re looking for a warm and soft attack – like a mallet – these might be for you and are probably better suited for hand drums or subdued, textured playing.

7. Headhunters Jingle Springs ($45.99)
These are some of the most unique sticks we’ve seen: they have a foam ball on each stick, plus two jingle rings on one side and a spring on the other side. Make sure you play with the spring side and not the jingle side because the jingles are mounted on a pointy plastic rod that will probably dent your heads.

8. Headhunters Fat Bastards ($42.50)
While the thick handles might take some getting used to, you’ll get a fat sound out of these sticks that consist of small bamboo rods bundled to form a fan.

9. Headhunters Corn Stock ($29.99)
These thick bundles are much heavier than regular 5A sticks. You can move the O-rings up or down to change the amount of fanning. We noticed lots of flex but still a solid attack.

10. Promark Brooms Medium ($27.99)
Lighter than the Headhunters corn stocks, the Promark Brooms have a squishier handle and thicker O-rings. They also have more response/rebound and feel more like a regular stick. Highly recommend!

11. Promark Heavy Brush TB6 ($35.95)
These heavy gauge steel brushes come with a good rubber handle and four settings (where, like most brushes, you can pull and push the wire out to fan it more or less).

12. Headhunters Castaways ($55.00)
Remember the Shake n’ Roll from earlier? This is like that, but with clappers/castanets instead of shakers. You can adjust plastic tabs based on where you want them to make (or not make) contact with the cymbals. These are really unique – bonus points for creativity.

13. Headhunters Soft Corn With A Hard Twist ($35.99)
As if they couldn’t find a new way to build hybrid sticks, these are brooms combined with plastic dowels and a white ball for a unique attack. Like several sticks in one, this eccentric combination of materials is worth a try.

14. Vater T5 Mallets ($39.99)
These traditional mallets are perfect for soft rolls on cymbals (and even on the toms for a timpani effect).

15. Headhunters Crossovers Jingles ($45.99)
Another hybrid stick similar to the Jingle Spring, these include a wooden handle with plastic dowels at the end, plastic beads for extra attack, and jingles about two-thirds down the stick. Be careful not to hit with the metal jingle side, or you might ruin your heads.

16. Headhunters Cattails ($35.00)
A collection of polycarbonate rods with movable beads for attack, you get lots of flex with these. While they’re super compact, they still feel durable.

17. Vater Splashstick Light ($29.99)
The quieter version of the Splashstick Heavy, these provide a light sound for lower volume.

18. Vater Splashstick Rock ($29.99)
With medium size dowels, they feel similar – thickness-wise – to a 5A or 5B. You can get lots of attack but it’s harder to play really loud; they’re just not good for bashing. These were Jared’s top pick of the hot rod-style options so far.

19. Headhunters Orb-X 25mm Mallets ($17.99)
Most soft mallets eventually wear away, or get ‘fuzzy’ and ‘pilled’. These don’t seem like they’d do that. They have a smaller tip than most mallets and have a nice weight to them. Very promising.

20. Headhunters Thunderclaps ($60.00)
The Thunderclaps consist of three ‘flaps’: the outer two are made of polycarbonate, and the inner one is maple. Four holes in the center panel give the resulting clap sound a lower pitch.

21. Headhunters Finger Flips ($35.99)
Like a weaker version of the Thunderclaps, these consist of plastic layers that smack together for a different kind of sound.

22. Headhunters Stingers ($22.95)
These sticks have a foam core surrounded by dowels. The rest of the construction seems like a standard hot rod, and they don’t feel too different, but they’re nice to play.

23. Headhunters Drumclaps small ($49.99)
Like a flappier version of the Castaways (the ones with the castanets), these will give you another unique way to hit your drums.

24. Vater Monster Brush ($21.95)
Surprisingly flexible, these plastic brushes are similar to brooms, and you can slide the bands up or down to fan them more or less. They feel nice (but a bit different, so you may want to try them yourself) and they look cool (bonus).

25. Headhunters Finger Snaps ($35.00)
The polycarbonate slats create sounds that imitate finger snaps, and they’re pretty cool.

26. Vater Splashstick ($29.99)
With thinner dowels than the Splashstick Rock model, and despite the name, you’ll get a thicker sound with these.

27. Headhunters Stinger Yellow ($22.95)
Another version of the Stingers from earlier (with a foam core and birch dowels), these get a great response, even when doing a full stroke roll.

28. Vater AcouStick ($21.99)
A mix of wood dowels with poly rods, these are supposed to be very strong. Give them a try.

29. Vater Splashstick Traditional Slim ($21.99)
This stick is very, very thin – and so is its sound. It has just. a few thick dowels and is like a jazz-sized hot rod: perfect for subtle applications.

30. Vater Splashstick Traditional ($21.99)
These are nice sticks with thinner birch dowels, and comparable to other hot rods.

31. Vater Bamboo Splashstick Slim ($21.99)
These sticks are so thin, they almost fall out of your hands. The Splashstick Slims are smaller than 7As and are suited for ultra-low volume playing.

32. Headhunters Ninja Tip II ($17.99)
Another brilliant Franken-stick, the Ninja Tip II consists of poly rods that are only exposed on the end, with the rest encased in maple. You can roll them down to expose more or less of the rods. They get a ton of rebound and really thin sound (“almost like it’s got a phase on it”). You can even do proper rimshots because most of the stick is wood. Plus, the rubber shoulder gives you more surface options. Talk about versatility!

33. Headhunters Echo Ball ($35.00)
For eerie cymbal sounds, check out the video (at the top of this page) at 49:15 to see how this stick pulls a cool echo sound out of cymbals – perfect for the studio or cinematic effects!

34. Headhunters Beavertails ($27.00)
You can play these flat to get a slap sound, or on the vertical edge for more definition. The Beavertails look like flexible paddles and come with a unique sound and feel.

35. Headhunters Cyclops Brush ($40.00)
They may look like traditional brushes, but they have a plastic bead for extra attack. While they have great rebound, the sticks seem to constantly turn in your hands, which might make it tough to get a consistent sound.

36. Headhunters Dreamcatchers ($40.00)
Nylon-coated loops give these brushes more definition on the cymbals. They’re very similar to the SandMans.

37. Headhunters Bing Bongs ($30.00)
The Bing Bong is a wooden dowel surrounded by plastic rods.

38. Vater Splashstick Bamboo ($21.99)
Basically your standard pair of hot rods!

39. Headhunters Rhino ($40.00)
Not your grandpa’s brush, the Rhino is like the Dreamcatcher, but with a rod instead of a loop that can move up and down to get new sounds and definition.

40. Headhunters Crossovers II Poly Bead ($30.00)
A true hybrid stick, these have a wood handle with a rubber grip, topped with adjustable plastic dowels and beads.

41. Headhunters Drumclaps Large ($60.00)
It’s lighter than the other Drumclap we tried, and has more holes for a higher pitch.

42. Headhunters Tublitz ($18.00)
Imagine polycarbonate ‘tube tips’ on hickory sticks, and you have the Tublitz. They’re supposed to be good for fast playing, and they are: they’re really responsive and sound great.

43. Vater Wire Tap Retractable ($39.95)
With three settings and a retractable fan, this is a great standard wire brush, something every drummer should have in their stick bag.

44. Vater AcouStick Solid ($21.99)
These hickory bundles come with protective ‘sections’ that give them a plastic/nylon sound on the drums, so if you prefer that organic wood sound, these may not be for you.

With so many different shapes and materials you can use to make sounds, the key is to try a few to see what you like and decide what’s the best fit for your playing environment.

Which of these would you add to your stick bag?