A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as a cowbell, wood block, chimes or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single drummer. The 5 piece drum kit represents one of the best available drum sets for the beginners.

Different manufacturers include different components in a 5 piece drum kit. Some manufacturer would suggest that a full sized 5 piece drum kit will include cymbals, bass drum pedal, throne, double-braced hardware, drum key. Whereas, other manufacturers would like to include Bass drum, Snare drum, Floor tom, Hi-Hat, Crash cymbal, and Ride cymbal in a 5 piece drum kit.

Most entry-level drum kits are made of basswood, poplar, or Philippine mahogany, which is cheaper wood that does not produce a high quality sound. It is perfect for a young teenager just starting out. Higher-end drums use more expensive wood such as birch or maple, which produce a rich, more resonant tone.

A brief history

Drums were the original musical instrument, dating back to at least 6000 B.C. Rhythm and melody are the two primary features in any piece of music, and drums function as a purely rhythmical medium unlike any other instrument. The modern drum set did not exist until the 19th century, with the addition of pedals to allow a percussionist to manipulate cymbals or drums with his feet.

Different components of a 5 piece drum kit

Though a variety of combinations are available in a 5 piece drum kit in the market, we would be discussing a standardized drum kit which normally includes a bass drum, a snare drum, a tom drum, a hi hat, a crash cymbal and a ride cymbal.

Bass drum
A bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. There are three general classifications of bass drums: the concert bass drum, the kick drum, and the pitched bass drum.

Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a tubular drum made of wood or metal with skins, or heads, stretched over the top and bottom openings, and with a set of cords stretched across the bottom head.

Floor Tom
A floor tom is a double-headed tom-tom drum which usually stands on the floor on three legs. They can also be fixed to a cymbal stand with a drum clamp.

Hi hat
Hi hat is a core element in the drum set because it is used as the primary time keeper. It is actually a pair of cymbals mounted on a specialized stand. A hi-hat is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in jazz, rock and roll, and other forms of contemporary popular music.

Crash cymbal
Crash cymbal is a type of cymbal that produces a loud, sharp crashing sound and is used mainly for occasional accents. They can be mounted on a stand and played with a drum stick.

Ride cymbal
A ride cymbal is a type of cymbal that is a standard part of most drum kits. Its function is to maintain a rhythm, rather than to provide accents. The main ride cymbal is normally the largest cymbal in a drum kit.

About the Author: Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars, bass guitar gears , drums, drum sets,5 piece drum kits, and synthesizers, keyboards.
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Cymbals are used to express part of the vocal range of the drum set. A standard drum kit setup requires only cymbals. But there are different kinds of cymbals which can the drum set a full house. In this article we will be discussing Hi hat, Ride cymbal, splash cymbal, china cymbal, crash cymbal, sizzle cymbal and suspended cymbal.

Brief description of the various cymbals

Hi hat
Hi hat is a core element in the drum set because it is used as the primary time keeper. It is actually a pair of cymbals mounted on a specialized stand. The hi-hat consists of 2 cymbals. The lower cymbal remains stationary while the upper cymbal is attached via a clutch to a narrow metal shaft. This goes down through a hollow tube into the pedal, where it is controlled with the foot. A hi-hat can be played open, closed, semi open or the pedal can be manipulated so the cymbals clash together.

Ride cymbal
A ride cymbal is a type of cymbal that is a standard part of most drum kits. Its function is to maintain a rhythm, rather than to provide accents. A right-handed drummer will normally place the main ride cymbal near his right hand. Ride cymbals vary in thickness, which has an influence on attack, volume, and tone of the sound.

Splash cymbal
A splash cymbal is a small cymbal used for an accent in a drum kit. Splash cymbals and china cymbals are the main types of effects cymbals. Splash cymbal sounds great when hit in unison with a snare drum or tom. The name splash gives quite an idea as to how the cymbal sounds. The normal function of a splash cymbal is to provide a short, often highly syncopated accent.

China cymbal
China type cymbals are manufactured to have a dark, crisp, and explosive tone. Their origins can be traced back to the gong in both sound and shape, and thus they are given their name china. The china cymbal is often used like a splash cymbal. China type cymbals typically have a bell that is cylindrical or shaped like a truncated cone with its base the top of the bell, an outer rim that is turned up in the reverse direction to the main bow of the cymbal.

Crash cymbal
Crash cymbal is a type of cymbal that produces a loud, sharp crashing sound and is used mainly for occasional accents. One or two crash cymbals are a standard part of a drum kit. They are mounted on a stand and played with a drum stick.

Sizzle cymbal
A sizzle cymbal is a cymbal to which rivets, chains or other rattles have been added to modify the sound. The most common form of sizzle cymbal used in a drum kit is a large ride cymbal with a number of rivets loosely fitted but captive in holes spaced evenly around the cymbal close to the rim.

Suspended cymbal
A suspended cymbal is any single cymbal played with a stick or beater rather than struck against another cymbal. The first suspended cymbals used in the modern orchestra were one of a pair of orchestral cymbals, supported by hanging it bell upwards by its strap.

About the Author: Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, and synthesizers. You can find the best marketplace for guitars, drums, and synthesizers at these 3 sites: guitars, bass guitar gears , drums, drum sets, cymbals, and synthesizers, keyboards.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com