Resources

Practice (smaller) Amps

Tube Amps

Bennett Piano Movers

Pearl Export EXL

Note to Students and Parents from our drum teacher Zack….

Here’s a good example of what you’re looking for – complete set with cymbals and hardware (stands). Pretty easy to find on Craigslist or Reverb (like Craigslist but only for musical equipment).

Drumsets are referred to by number of pieces, but the pieces refer to drums only. So a 4-piece kit refers to kick drum, snare drum, mounted tom (aka rack tom), and floor tom. A 5-piece kit typically has two mounted toms. Cymbal setups and drum sizes can vary. Tom sizes will vary and don’t matter too much. Typical kick drum sizes are 20″ or 22″ which is fine for most kids. Small kids do better with an 18″ or 16″ kick drum which are becoming more and more common.

Buying online is your best bet, especially for a used set. Brick and mortar stores sometimes sell used gear, but usually sell drums, cymbals, and hardware separately. Beginner kits with cymbals and hardware included are available, but then you’re paying retail markup for a brand new set. Online, you can often get a better quality/more durable set with cymbals and hardware included for the same or less money.

Brands to look for include Gretsch, Pearl, Ludwig, Tama, DW, Mapex, Yamaha, PDP, Sonor, Ddrum, and Premier. Most of those companies make everything from student models to pro models, so prices will vary widely. Beware of drumsets marketed for kids, they are often glorified toys that won’t stand up to abuse. Better to buy a used set by a known manufacturer than a new one by a knock-off brand. Lookout for dented or torn drumheads, cracked cymbals, and stands that don’t adjust properly (screws stripped, parts bent, etc). These are either deal-breakers or price leverage, as you’ll have to replace them.

Beginner bass amps

• Headphones make a big difference! Over-the-ear wired -headphones are preferred. Bluetooth headphones can have connectivity issues. Noise-cancelling headphones are even better.

• Make sure that you can hear your teacher clearly and speak up if you can’t.

• Find a quiet space for your lesson if possible with minimal background noise.

• If you are interested in improving the sound quality of your instrument, we recommend purchasing a USB audio interface for your computer. Audio interfaces are in high demand these days and you might have to check with a few different retailers for availability. There are also several more affordable interfaces for phones and tablets. If you have an instrument that does not plug directly into the interface, you will need to purchase a microphone and xlr cable and mic stand.

• Zoom has several audio adjustments that will improve your sound.

• Click “Advanced” under Audio and check “Show in-meeting -option to “Enable Original Sound”

• Once you are in the meeting click the option to “Turn on Original Sound” in the upper left corner

• Under “Audio Processing” in the Advanced Audio Settings, disable Suppress Persistent Background Noise and Suppress Intermittent Background Noise. Set Echo Cancellation to Auto.

We offer Pedal Steel and Lap Steel lessons, but if we are full, please contact Steve!

Steve Cunningham Steve@stevecunningham.net