As it’s likely you are new to drum kits, there are some important things you should know about setting up and maintaining your drum kit. Firstly, there is the matter of tuning your drums. Firstly, you need to know how to tune the snare drum.

Firstly, turn the snares off. This will make it easier to judge the pitch of the drum. You must first tune the top head. Turn each lug using a drum key to make the pitch higher. Do not tune the lugs in a circular sequence; it is better to tune a lug, then tune the one directly opposite to it. Repeat the process for the bottom head. To test whether the snare is in tune, play the drum lightly close to each lug, and ensure that the pitch is the same for all lugs.

For a snare drum, the pitch should be fairly high. On the bass drum, however, you must ensure that the pitch is neither too high nor too low. Tune the front head first, using the same method as for the snare drum, then tune the back head. For the toms, tune the bottom head first, then repeat the methd used for tuning the snare.

You must use your own judgment to determine how high or low you want the drums to sound; much is based on personal preference. There are many other considerations you need to make, one of which is the noise that your drum kit will create. One way to combat this is to use practice pads to dampen the sound of the drums.

Also, to dampen the sound of your bass drum, you can put a duvet inside. It’s very important to take the noise level of your drums into consideration, as you don’t want to upset your neighbours! Another issue which should be considered is whether you are right or left handed. The drum kit you buy will not be any different, but you must set it up differently.

If you are right handed, the snare, hi-hat should both be to your left as you sit down, and the floor tom and ride cymbal should be to your right, and vice versa if you are left handed.

The drum kit, as we now know it, first began to emerge in the 1950’s due to the growing global popularity of rock and roll. The role of the drummer became more prevalent due to the smaller ensemble found in rock and roll music than that of earlier big band music.

The importance of the drummer in rock music increased  through the sixties, as did the drum kit’s popularity. The drum kit began to establish itself as an iconic symbol due to the popularity of bands such as The Beatles.

The drums began to often take the role of more of a lead instrument, as opposed to solely accompaniment, thanks to drummers such as Keith Moon of The Who. Simultaneously, drum kits began to increase in size, and popular drummers began to use more cymbals and two bass drums. This trend continued into the 1970’s, highlighted by drummers such as Rush’s Neil Peart.

Also, the advancement of technology meant the incorporaration of electronic drum kits, sound modules and loops, a trend which continued particularly through the 1980’s and into the present day, opening huge possibilites as to the capabilities of the drum kit.

However, since the 1990’s, a trend has emerged for the simplification of music, and as such many drummers in popular modern bands tend to use smaller drum kits and avoid technologically-based drum sounds, making it easier for people taking up the drums to emulate popular drummers.

Undoubtedly the most iconic manufacturer of drum kits is Pearl Drums. The Japanese company, set up in 1946, initially manufactured just single drums. However, it soon expanded to manufacture a variety of percussion instruments. It was not until 1961 when Pearl began manufacturing drum kits, following the worldwide popularity of rock and roll music. However, these were inexpensive, and did not bear the Pearl Drums brand name; instead Pearl produced for various distributors.

It was in 1965 that the company began to develop into what we know it as today. A plan was created to turn Pearl into the world’s foremost drum manufacturer. Pearl began to develop high-end drum kits, surpassing the quality offered by well-established brands. It also increased its rate of production through the creation of new factories, and expanded its credentials as an international company.

Pearl not only has a reputation as a company of high-quality products, but also as one of great innovation. Since the 1970s, Pearl has pioneered new technology, using materials previously unheard of in drum manufacturing to try and optimise the quality and strength of its products. As a result of such things, Pearl Drums is one of the largest percussion companies in the world.

Dozens of notable drummers from a wide range of styles, such as Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Joey Jordison of Slipknot use Pearl drum kits, highlighting the quality of the products they offer. However, Pearl do not cater exclusively for professionals; it also offers mid-priced drum kits (around the £500 mark) for semi-professional drummers.