How to build a drum set: your DIY guide

How to build a drum set: your DIY guide

Every drummer’s dream is to have his own drum set. A drum set, technically known as drum kit, is an assembly of drums and other percussion instruments, cymbals usually, that are set up on drum stands and played by one player with the use of drum sticks and pedals operated by the player’s feet.

Here is a DIY guide on how to build a drum set:

How to build a drum set: a personal thing

For the drummer, setting up a drum set is a personal thing. Every decision involved is unique from one drummer to the next.

This includes the quantity of the drums, depth, and diameter, even the placements of the cymbals. A drummer can even set up a drum set from the scratch.

Do you want to know how to build a drum set of your own? Here are the methods:

Methods on how to build a drum set

Setting up your own drum set can be easy with the following methods:

Plan your drum kit.

Before you buy drums and other percussion instrument and put everything together, design your drum set. You do it by deciding how many drums you want, the diameter and depth of each drum.

Beginners start with snare drum and a bass drum but some players want to add toms to round out the kit.

Another decision to consider is the color of the shell and hardware of the drums as well as the wood used for each drum shell. The most typical choices are birch, maple, and beech.

Think of which percussion you want to include in the set.

There are many variations of percussion instruments that you could include in your drum set: agog bells, cowbells, jam blocks, wind chimes, wood blocks, orchestra bells, triangles, aux snares, special effects cymbals, tubular bells, and more.

Do you want electronic pads?

Electronic pads can add variations of sounds that you can’t get from the drums. You may want to include them to your drum set.

Purchase the hardware and shells.

When you order drum shells and hardware, you choose the finish and wood and you can decide to have the holes pre-drilled for the hardware. Some companies can even offer you built to spec drum shells and hardware.

You should know that drums need rims, tension rods with washers, and lugs. Hardware such as mounts and arms are required for toms while spurs are needed by bass drums.

Also, the snare drum requires a strainer, a butt, and a set of snares.

Purchase the required drum heads.

There are two kinds of heads that you should buy: a batter head and a resonant head. Make sure that the heads are ready before you set up the drums.

Assemble the drums by attaching the lugs.

Place each lug against each pre-drilled hole. Thread the bold through the drum shell and the lug. Put the nut over the bolt into the shell and tighten it but not overly. Each drum should undergo this process.

Fasten the remaining hardware.

The same process as above goes with the remaining hardware including the tom mounts, bass drum spurs, snare throw off, and snare butt. Thread through the bolt and tighten into the shell.

Fit the heads and rims onto each drum.

You begin this process by putting the drum head over the shell. Fit each tension rod through the hole of the rim and into the lug. Tighten each tension rod with your fingers. Then, tune the heads using a drum key.

Fit the snares onto the snare drum.

After you fit the heads onto the drum, attach the snares. Do it by loosening the butt and throwing off with a drum key. Then slip the snare ends into them. Tighten the butt then adjust the tension depending on your preference.

Finally, set up the drum kit depending on your taste.

Appropriately mount the toms and put the snare drums in the stand.

Now you are ready to play your own personalized drum set after following these methods. Make sure that you hand each hardware and equipment with care to avoid damage.

Also, do it in a well-ventilated area so you can build your drum set properly.

There you go, now you know how to build a drum set. Start planning and building up your own.