Drum Maintenance

Taking care of your drums is important not only for increased lifespan, but for tonal quality as well. Here are a couple tips to keep your drums in top performing condition.

1. Storing: Drums that are made of wood are affected by the weather drastically. An increase in humidity will cause wood to swell, while drier weather will cause wood to shrink. This constant swelling and shrinking can cause drums to crack over time. Store your drums in a cool and dry area, with a humidity level of around 45% to 55%. A general rule of thumb is that if you’re comfortable then your drums will probably be comfortable in that environment as well.

2. Drum Heads: Depending on how much you play, drum heads will need to be replaced every so often. For a touring musician with a lot of gigs, this may be once a month or even less. For an amateur or beginner, it may be more time than that. When a drum head has lost its life you can tell because the tone of the drum will sound much more dull. It may even sound like you’re hitting a piece of plastic, rather than the drum vibrating itself. In addition, you can see the wear and tear on a drum head pretty quickly. If there are a lot of markings, scratches and general wearing of the plastic, then you probably need to replace them soon. Drum heads run from about $10 to $25.

3. Cases: Whenever you leave the house with a drum or drum set, make sure you carry them in cases. Drums are perhaps the most neglected when it comes to transportation due to the durable nature of the instrument. Not only do cases protect your drums, but they also make it significantly easier to carry.

4. Tuning: Tuning your drum head keeps the drum sounding responsive and rich. There are a few ways to tune a drum; the best beginning instruction is to ask your teacher. Try different levels of tightness to get different tonal qualities. In addition, try tuning both the top and bottom drum heads for more tonal combinations!