The full family of drums and percussion — acoustic and electronic kits, hand drums, pitched mallet instruments, and everything in between.
- 118 topics
- 453 articles
Inside Drums & Percussion
All 118 topicsThe 12 most-searched of 118 topics. The full index is at the foot of the page.
Electronic Drum Kit
Electronic drum kits for quiet practice, recording and adaptable modern drumming.
5 topics
Xylophone
Xylophones are tuned wooden percussion instruments with a bright, articulate sound for schools, ensembles and performanc...
1 topic
Drum Kit
Choose a drum kit for practice, recording or live work, with acoustic and electronic options to suit every drummer.
14 topics
Claves
Bright, compact rhythm sticks that deliver a clear click for Latin grooves, ensemble work and classroom percussion.
Glockenspiel
Glockenspiels deliver bright, bell-like tuned percussion for orchestral, educational and studio use.
4 topics
Drum Sticks
Drum sticks shape feel, tone and control, with options for practice, performance and different playing styles.
1 topic
Chimes
Orchestral percussion for shimmering accents, dramatic swells and atmospheric colour in live or studio settings.
1 topic
Bongos
Add lively hand percussion to your setup with bongos for Latin grooves, teaching and live performance.
2 topics
Tambourine
Find tambourines for bright accents, rhythmic lift and versatile hand percussion across many styles.
2 topics
Tubular Bells
Tubular bells are pitched concert percussion instruments known for resonant, bell-like tones in orchestral and theatrica...
Maracas
Maracas add bright rhythmic texture and easy-to-use percussion colour for studio, school and live performance.
2 topics
Drums
Drums for every player, from complete kits to upgrade parts, with options for practice, recording and live performance.
26 topicsArticles on Drums & Percussion
All news
Maracas: A Complete Buyer's Guide
From gourd to fibreglass, seed to steel bead — here is what actually separates a great pair of maracas from a toy-shop disappointment.
Everything You Need to Know About Mapex Drum Kit
How to Set Up and Use Hi Hat Cymbals
A well-set-up hi-hat responds cleanly and feels natural underhand and underfoot. This step-by-step guide takes you through the full process, from stand assembly to playing position.
Alesis Nitro Max for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A gentle first-timer's guide to the Alesis Nitro Max, from unboxing nerves to a simple, encouraging first month of practice.
Frame Drum Explained: Features, Types and Tips
The frame drum is among the oldest and most geographically widespread percussion instruments in the world — from the Irish bodhran to the Persian daf, one design principle connects an enormous range o...
Common Cowbell Mistakes to Avoid
The recurring habits that cause most cowbell frustration, and the quick fix for each, from beater choice to mixing.
Electric Drum Set Explained: Features, Types and Tips
No drumheads making the final sound at all — here's how an electric drum set's pads, triggers and module actually work together.
Common Guiro Mistakes to Avoid
Most guiro problems are small habits, not a lack of talent. Here are the ones I see most often at soundcheck, and how to fix each in minutes.
How to Set Up and Use Paiste Cymbals
Correct setup makes a real difference to how Paiste cymbals sound and last — here's the full step-by-step process from mounting to maintenance.
Snare: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A well-chosen mid-range snare drum beats an expensive one that doesn't suit how you play. Here's what to check before you buy, at soundcheck-level clarity.
The Best China Cymbals for the Money
The best value options in the market span three price tiers. Here are the specific models worth considering and what makes each one stand out.
Handpan for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A calm, encouraging first-sessions guide to playing a handpan, for anyone who has just brought one home.
Steel Band Drums: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying a steelpan comes down to trusting your ears over the spec sheet — here's exactly what to check before you spend a penny.
Tama Drum Kit: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Matching the right Tama series to your budget and playing situation is the key decision — this buyer's guide covers every tier from student kits to professional configurations.
The Ultimate Guide to Alesis Company
From the Midiverb to ADAT to today's Nitro drum kits, here's the full story of Alesis and how it built its reputation for affordable gear.
Cymbal Stand for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Hardware shouldn't be confusing. This beginner's guide walks you through exactly what a cymbal stand does, how to set it up properly, and what to look for when buying your first one.
Cowbell for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A calm, step-by-step start on the cowbell: grip, a steady first pulse, finding the sweet spot, and adding simple accents.
Instrument Agogo: A Complete Buyer's Guide
It's two bells and a stick, but the details genuinely matter. Here's what's actually worth checking before you buy an agogo.
The Best Ludwig Drum Kits for the Money
Ludwig drum kits range from affordable beginner packages to US-made professional instruments. Here are the best at each price level.
Chimes: A Complete Buyer's Guide
From school percussion sets to professional orchestral instruments — what to look for, what to spend, and how frame quality and tube accuracy affect the playing experience.
Darbuka for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A genuinely welcoming instrument to start on — here's exactly how to begin with your first darbuka, from holding it to your first dum and tek.
Drum Pad Explained: Features, Types and Tips
From quiet practice pads to full sampling workstations, here's what a drum pad is, how it works, and which type actually suits the job you need it to do.
Practice Pad for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A practice pad makes daily drumming technique work possible without a kit. Here is what every beginner needs to know to start using one effectively from the first session.
Meinl Cymbals Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Meinl makes cymbals at every price level, from student brass to professional hand-hammered bronze — understanding the series structure helps you choose the right instrument for your level and style.
What Drums & Percussion Covers
Drums & percussion is the broadest family in music: it covers every instrument that produces sound by striking, shaking, scraping or setting a surface in vibration. The category divides into membranophones — instruments with a stretched skin or synthetic head, such as a snare drum or djembe — and idiophones, where the solid body of the instrument itself produces the sound, as with a xylophone, cowbell or claves.
Drum Kits: Acoustic and Electronic
The acoustic drum kit — bass drum, snare, tom-toms, hi-hats and cymbals — remains the foundation of rock, jazz and pop. Every component has its own page here, from choosing drum sticks and replacement heads to selecting the right cymbals for a given style. Electronic drum kits and percussion pads use triggers and sampled sounds, and are increasingly popular for practice, home recording and smaller venues where volume matters. Hybrid kits combine acoustic shells with electronic triggering, giving players the feel of real heads alongside the flexibility of on-board sound libraries.
Hand Percussion
Hand percussion spans dozens of world traditions. Congas, bongos and claves draw from Afro-Cuban music; the djembe comes from West Africa; the cajón from Peru; the bodhrán from Irish folk. Frame drums, goblet drums and shakers appear in folk, classical and popular music alike. When choosing a hand drum, the key considerations are playing technique, head material, tuning range, portability and whether it is intended for solo practice, ensemble playing or live performance.
Pitched Percussion
Pitched percussion instruments play identifiable notes and sit at the intersection of rhythm and melody. Xylophones, marimbas, vibraphones, glockenspiels, tubular bells and the celesta are all mallet instruments, found in orchestras, concert bands, musical theatre and studio production. The handpan — a relatively modern bowl-shaped idiophone — has attracted a dedicated following for its resonant, meditative tone.
Accessories and Smaller Percussion
The tambourine, triangle, cowbell, shaker and chimes might not anchor the rhythm section, but in the right moment they define a recording. This section also covers the accessories that hold everything together: drum sticks and mallets, beaters and brushes, mounting hardware, cymbal stands, drum pedals, replacement heads, cases and triggers.
All 118 topics in Drums & Percussion
A
B
C
D
- Djembe
- Double Bass Pedal
- Dream Cymbals
- Drum Bags
- Drum Cases
- Drum Hardware
- Drum Hardware
- Drum Heads
- Drum Key
- Drum Kit
- Drum Mutes
- Drum Pad
- Drum Rack
- Drum Rug
- Drum Shells
- Drum Sticks
- Drum Throne
- Drums
- Drums & Percussion (General)
- Drums & Percussion — Other Brands
- Drums & Percussion — Pearl
- Drums & Percussion — Tama
- Drums & Percussion — Yamaha
- Dw Drum Kit
