Essential Drum Gear
This list is not the final word - just my spontaneous thoughts on what would help a drummer at various levels in their musical journey. It is taken from my observations playing professionally for many years and also teaching quite a bit.
Industry Standard Snare Drum
There are a countless snare drum choices out there.
Why not buy a proven classic and be immune
to upgrade fever, always wondering if this or that snare
might be the "holy grail"? The Ludwig Supraphonic
(any version) and the Acrolite or are these proven classics
and regarded as industry standards by many professionals.
The Supraphonic offers aluminum, brass, and bronze shells
while the Acrolite has always been aluminum.
Ludwig Supraphonic LM400
Ludwig Acrolite LM405
You can always buy others in the future, knowing you have the best possible sound, equal to or better than any drum at any price! What if you decide you want a different sound from the Ludwig? Varying combinations of heads, hoops, tuning, muffling, and snare wire will result in equal or better sound than a typical super-duper, platinum-plated, kryptonite shelled designer snare will. Overall sound quality and sensitivity are what's important. Appearance, hardware, collectibility and brand status are fine if you don't mind paying extra.
Drum Muffler
There are times when some drummers prefer a little less or no ringing overtones. These "tone-control" devices are great in the studio and can be used live. Snare drums are usually the most troublesome, although toms can benefit in many cases. The photo below is a link with a video demo and details on a very popular muffler/tone control used by professional drummers worldwide.
Drum machine
Want the ultimate metronome? Buy a drum machine and make sure it has bass built in. For playing along and perfecting your timing it's infinitely more fun than "click-click-click". You can even input complicated drum patterns and slow them down for improved learning. Below is the Boss DR-670, a very popular model.
Isolation Headphones
A drummer's best friend for playing along with music or recording. Your hearing is priceless and these can help protect it. The Ultraphones below offer the best isolation in my tests but are quite bit more expensive than the Extreme Isolation EX-25 and EX29 models. Always test headphones yourself for sound quality, isolation and comfort. Go to a local dealer or order from an online store that has a no strings attached return policy. If you're not happy with the phones you will not use them often, which defeats their purpose.
UltraPhones
Practice Pad
The key here is to get a model that feels good to you with your sticks and touch. The Roland RMP-12 below is one of the most feature packed and very quiet. Try out as many as possible or build one to your own liking. My homemade pad feels better to my hands than the many commonly available pads I've played. It was simple to make, using a high quality pad surface and base. Total price under $10.00!
Roland RMP-12
Real World Drum Book / DVD / CD
With so many excellent choices it's depends on your goals and preferences. Find a book that has pro level play-along tracks (minus drums) covering many different real world styles with a DVD video. Groove Essentials by Tommy Igoe fits that description. It's a natural and challenging next step after completing a beginner to intermediate drumset book such as "The Drumset Musician" by Rod Morgenstein. You can always expand into specialty areas as you progress.
Groove Essentials 1.0
Stick Control by Lawrence Stone
This is the "bible" of rudiments and hand combinations. A true classic among drum books. Required reading!
Secret Weapons For The Modern Drummer
JoJo Mayer is a master of drumming technique and his expertise shines in this presentation. Get your hands moving correctly and naturally. This DVD is a wonderful guide for all levels of drummers. Highly recommended!
Hearing Protection
Without your hearing intact the other items on this list don't matter. Please do not underestimate the extreme importance of hearing protection earmuffs! Your ears will thank you, and your enjoyment of music will not be compromised. Below is a Peltor earmuff that combines 29 DB sound level reduction with reasonable comfort. Although a bit of clamping pressure is felt, it improves and is a non-issue after a break-in period. It does help to take short breaks every 30 or 40 minutes. Another earmuff to check out is the Pro Ears Ultra 33.
Peltor Ultimate 10 Hearing Protection
Stick Holder
Simple but important accessory that makes life much easier. Stick bags are not the same. My favorite is the Meinl which is built tough and features a very functional yet simple design.
Good Fans Make Drummers Happy!
When someone in the audience says "the drummer looks hot", it's most likely due to the lack of a high velocity fan at a summer outdoor gig or inadequate AC indoors. Add a water bottle filled with your favorite beverage and you'll easily keep your cool.
