How to Install a Drum Kit

Place your bass drum in the center position. The bass drum is the first drum you’ll need to install, and from here you can build the rest of the kit. Place the bass drum on the floor vertically so that the outer side (usually with a logo or brand) is facing the side where you intend to sit.

Install the bass drum pins. Grab the two metal legs attached to the bass drum and insert them into the holes on the sides of the drum. Tighten the retaining rings by twisting the fist. You’ll need to make sure the drumsticks touch the ground and lean forward slightly so they can take most of the weight of the drum when you stomp on the pedals. Some drum kits will have built-in legs that you need to loosen, place them on the ground, and then tighten.

• Note that some bass drums will have spikes on the tips and others will have smooth legs. For carpeted floors, you can use both, but avoid using spiked feet on hard surfaces like wooden floors as they can leave holes and scratches.

Install the bass drum pedal. Usually, the part of the pedal that you use to kick the drum is fixed to the bottom of the bass drum with a screw ring. Place the bottom edge of the pedal unit under the middle bottom of the bass drum, then tighten the top of the pedal unit by turning the screw. The pedal should “clamp” to the bottom edge of the bass drum and hold it in place.

• Other pedal constructions (e.g. double pedal) will require more complex assembly. Refer to the instructions that came with your pedal for more information.

Place your chair behind the bass drum and adjust its height accordingly. Use the knob or lever under the seat cushion to adjust the seat up or down. Experiment with different pitches by sitting in a chair and kicking the bass drum a few times with the pedals. This movement needs to be comfortable and easy. Most drummers play with their knees bent about 90 degrees.

• However, you can also try other arrangements – almost any seat height is acceptable if you can play it easily and can kick the bass drum without pushing it forward. .

Insert the spool drum into the bracket. The snare drum is usually placed on a low stand with 3 adjustable horizontal arms to fix the drum. Usually, the ends of these branches are rubberized so that the paddles don’t move while playing. Mounting the bracket is quite easy, you just need to spread the legs below to keep the stand upright and use the upper part to lift and adjust the angle of the branches.

• The snare drum needs to be fixed on the branches of the stand at an angle, but you can arrange it in any position that you feel comfortable with. For example, Daru Jones, a drummer who has toured with artists like Jack White, plays the drums in a strange arrangement with some drums tilted downwards towards the floor.

Adjust the paddle drum for a comfortable height. Loosen the main nut on the drum holder to adjust its height via a central interlocking column. You need to keep your paddle drum at the right height so you don’t step on it while playing. This elevation is usually slightly above your knees.

• For most rock styles, you’ll need to place the snare drum in front of and slightly to the left of the pedal so you can hit it with your left club (if that’s a right-handed setup) and the The awl is almost flat when hitting. This helps you hit the sound clearly and allows you to hit the edge when needed.

Place the baby drum above the bass drum. Most bass drums have a metal ring on the top to place on the two subdrums in the same way as you would if you put the bass drum foot. Usually there will be two separate holes above the bass drum, each hole for a pole to set up the drum. Sometimes you only see one hole, and in that case you will have to place both cocks on the same center column. Note that the correct way of mounting the spools varies depending on the brand of the drum, so you should check any installation instructions from the manufacturer if you are unsure how.

• How to correctly place the baby drum is based on personal preference. However, you need to make sure they are placed close enough and at the right angle so that you can quickly switch between the drums while sitting (usually this means you need to tilt the drum head towards you and slightly facing each other).

Attach the foot to the floor drum and place it in the proper position. Most floor drums have long, thin metal legs with rubber soles and a small curvature to keep the base away from the edge of the drum. Loosen the knobs on the side of the floor drum and insert the foot (base facing down). Tighten the nuts so that the drum stands slightly above the base and is level. Try sitting in a chair and hit a few times to make sure it doesn’t move as you play.

• Usually, in a right-handed drum kit setup, the floor snare drum is placed in front of and to the right of the bass drum so you can hit it comfortably with your right hand.

Adjust the height of the floor drum to be equal to or close to the height of the snare drum. You need to be able to hit the floor snare without trying too hard, so adjust the foot so that it is horizontal and roughly the same height as the snare drum.

• Of course, as mentioned above, if another position makes it easier for you to play, feel free to play in that position.

Open the double cymbal holder and place the lower cymbal on top. The double cymbal stand is straight and of medium height, usually with a built-in pedal and three legs on the bottom. Spread the legs of the stand so that the cymbal is firmly supported. Then place the lower part of the double cymbals on the support and turn the cupped side up. Usually, to do this you have to thread the narrow end of the holder through the hole in the center of the cymbal. This cymbal just needs to be placed in its place and does not need to be fixed to anything.

• If you have trouble distinguishing the top and bottom of a double cymbal, keep in mind that the upper cymbal will have the name and logo of that manufacturer, while the bottom is usually not marked at all. Usually, both parts are basically the same structure, so you don’t need to worry much.

Install the upper part of the double cymbal. Turn the lower nut on the cymbal joint, which holds the top of the double cymbal on the support. Place the top of the double cymbal between the two spacers inside the coupling. Retighten the bottom nut and place the cymbal coupler on the bracket. Test the double cymbals by hitting and pressing the pedals at the same time. It needs to make a small click when the pedal is depressed and a very loud squeak when the pedal is not pressed.

• Usually, the double cymbal is placed to the left of the snare drum for you to hit with the right stick (which is placed diagonally above the snare drum). The pedal is usually pressed with the left foot.

Mount the tall cymbal on the stand. Typically, tall cymbals that come with a stand have a curved base and three support legs and a diagonal setter. Spread the legs out to support the entire rack, then unscrew the nut at the top of the stand and place the tall cymbal between the two spacers. Then re-tighten the nut, but don’t over-tighten it, as the cymbal needs to be able to “swish” when hit hard. Finally, tighten the fist and adjust the cymbal to a height that you are comfortable with.

• Usually, the tall cymbal is placed to the right of the drum set, high above and behind the floor and bass drums. The cymbal alone is placed above the stilt to some extent, but not too close to obstruct access to the drum.

Assemble the cymbal with other cymbals. Most standard drum kits have at least one breaking cymbal. This cymbal stand has an adjustable arm like that of a tall or simply vertical cymbal. Loud cymbals are installed similarly to tall cymbals. Do not over tighten the nut as it is important to allow the cymbal to swing freely.

• Breaking cymbals are usually placed on the left side of the drum set, high above and behind the bass drum and double cymbals. Any additional cymbals are usually placed on the sides and back of the pedal drum.

Test your drum set. Assuming you don’t need any more parts, congratulations, your drum set is completely set up. Check the drum set quickly to see if all the parts are in place and in the order they should be played. Make sure you can reach any part of the drum kit to play the solos without difficulty.

• Some drummers prefer to customize their kit setup by adding more drums and other accessories. Here are a few popular options that you can refer to:
  • Double pedal
  • Metal Muzzle/Bell Bell
  • Sub-drums (usually tuned to specific notes)
  • Wind chimes, bells and other percussion accessories