Nothing will brighten up an aspiring drummers Christmas more than getting their first drum set. But buying a drum set as a Christmas gift for a beginner can be a somewhat daunting task.  Quality, size, sound and affordability should all factor into your decision and finding the perfect balance can be difficult. Familiarizing yourself with some of these topics is the first place start.

Practice Pads Are Essential For The Young Drummer

For starters, every drummer, whether raw beginner or rock star, needs some practice pads.  While everyone loves a solid drum solo, hearing it for the 10th time is likely to result in a headache  Drums are loud, but they also require a considerable amount of practice to play well, let alone master.

A practice pad allows a young drummer to get all the practice they need without driving their parents or housemates insane.  Learning drums takes time and a beginning drummer’s play is going to be a bit bumpy while the try to learn technique and rhythm. Practice pads allow the young drummer to quietly practice their technique as often as they need to.

Beginner’s Need Complete Drum Sets Too

Even for a beginner, it’s important to get a complete drum set. Cheaper sets may be missing a couple essential pieces and this can slow the learning process.  As a beginning drummer improves you’re going to need purchase the missing pieces individually, which will cost you more money than purchasing a complete set from the start.

Any quality beginning drum set worth its weight will include two mounted toms, a floor tom, a bass drum with pedal, a snare, a ride/crash cymbal and hi hat cymbals. Though, if your heart is set on buying a shell set that doesn’t include hardware there are a few quality options out there.

Find A Drum Set That’s The Right Size For the Beginner on Your Christmas List

The set you choose to buy should also depend on the age of the beginner you’re buying it for.  Younger-aged beginners will have the best experience with a quality made junior set. Children’s kits will be proportioned correctly to account for younger players’ smaller arms and legs. A set with a 20” bass drum and shallower toms is a good place to start. An oversized kit that’s too large for a younger player will only cause frustration and make learning to play that much more difficult.

Quality And Durability Are Worth Paying For

When people think of beginning drum sets they all too often think of cheap drum sets. Sure you can find a beginning drum set for less than $200 on the market but it’s not a set that is going to last very long, sound very good or be very fun to play. Sets this cheap are usually made of inferior materials, aren’t as durable and come with hardware that wears out rapidly.

In the long run, it’s a smart investment to pay a little extra for a resilient, well-made drum set that can grow with the beginner as their talents improve.

Clay Lyons writes about musical instruments for Sam Ash.

Related Articles:
Check out our roundup of Cheap Electronic Drums
Best Electronic Drum Set
Gift Ideas For Musicians