There is so much more to drum hardware than meets the eye. Here's what I mean...
A drum set can thought of like a house. Drum shells are the foundation, and the framework includes stands, lugs, hoops, tension rods, bass drum pedals, and so on. These make up the hardware of a kit.
To better understand these parts and what role they play, we should look at each area more closely. Starting with...
Lugs, Hoops, and Tension Rods
These three pieces of drum hardware are the "building blocks" a drum set. Believe it or not, they play an important role in how the drum will sound.
Lugs are the pieces of metal attached to the side of the drum. Their main purpose is to anchor the drum hoop (or rim), which is fastended by means of tension rods. Hoops are needed to hold the drum head in place and apply even tension for tuning.
Learn More About Lugs, Hoops, and Tension Rods, you'll be glad you did!
Tom Mounts
Once a drum is assembled, you have to mount it somehow. Keep in mind that we're talking about "toms". As a general rule, the snare rests on a stand and toms greater than 14" usually have legs to stand on their own.
Several tom mount styles are available today. Each take a different approach to hanging the drum. Some don't exactly compliment the look of the tom but function well. Others show off the drum but dampen the sound. If you want see what I mean, you can Learn More About Tom Mounts Here.
Drum Stands
Drum stands give our instrument the needed support and flexiblity to postion toms, snares, cymbals, and more. This piece of drum hardware adds a lot to the area a kit takes up and is the heaviest to transport. Stands can also be the most tempermental to set up.
Cymbal stands have more uses than you might think. These include holding toms, cow bells,tambourines, and of course cymbals.
The snare drum stand and hi hat stand are just as important to a kit (if not more so). Whether you're looking to buy a new kit, or adding on to one you already have, it's smart to know what's what. Go to the Drum Stands Guide for all the details.
Drum Racks
It seems that many drummers don't use a drum rack for their setup, Right?
Why is that? Maybe because we like tradition. Drums stands have always been used, so we'll keep it that way!
There are actually several reasons why it may be wise to consider a drum rack if you plan to keep your kit in one place since racks are a bit harder to setup and teardown (unless you have some roadies!). Technology available today has allowed designers to create drum racks that make playing more comfortable, exciting, and even healthier!
The only way you'll find out what I'm talking about is to Visit the Drum Rack Page.
Bass Drum Pedal
The use of our feet is one thing that makes drumming so unique. As we know, the bass line is central to giving any song it's feel. This is why the bass drum pedal should be like an extension of yourself. Choosing this piece of drum hardware is critical for learning to play well.
Where do you start? After all, the market is flooded with choices and the there is a big range in prices. Each bass drum pedal operates on the same principle but the mechanics and styling differ. So how do you know which one to go with? Bass Drum Pedals are Explained Here.
