Cleaning and maintenance

Have cymbal and wood cleaners on hand

Do a complete drum kit clean-up about every 6 months

Between clean-ups make sure you dust your drums often and use drum covers for protection

Oil your pedal chain every 6 months to maintain a smooth action

Make sure to un-tension your snares after every playing session

Do not over tighten cymbals for this causes cymbals to crack

Drum renovation tips

A very good way to bring back the shine and new look to older hardware is to give it a good rub-down with steel wool (make sure you wear gloves because steel wool is very toxic if it comes in contact with your skin)

Changing the heads and cleaning really well the bearing edges does wonders

Upgrade to nylon washers for your tension rods

Use tension rod silicon based restorer solution

Find out what finish your drums have and use an appropriate drum cleaning solution (wood cleaner, wrap polisher, etc.)

The best cymbal cleaner to use is the one made by the same company that made your cymbals. They know their cymbal material, finish solution and brand name composition best

Change your duck tape or sponge drum head dampeners to silicone pads like Moongel

Playing tips

The key to playing drums is to always explore new styles and techniques. Try to explore as much as possible by listening to a lot of styles of music and observing as many drummers as possible

If you can get instructional videos, do it. Also do not be afraid to mix techniques and music styles. I found a lot of times that I can insert blues or jazz techniques into a black metal song or the other way around

A very good source for a wide range of styles and techniques is progressive rock. Every drummer should listen to it, for it holds a world of knowledge

General tips

A good substitute for stick wraps are electrical and medical tapes

Use a tackle box (fishing accessories box) to store all your drum accessories in an organized and centralized manner

Use drum bumpers and covers to avoid dents in your drums and dust getting on them, like the ones produced by Beato

Use a carpet under your drums that you can mark on (duck tape is best) so you can set up your drum set fast and consistent every time

The best and most versatile front bass drum cutoff whole is a 6" off center one. It gives you drum response, sensitivity and direct power

Do not throw away old or destroyed drums or hardware until making sure there is nothing salvageable (rims, tension rods, washers, knobs, etc.). They are good things to keep on hand

Use tennis wrist bands for heavy playing

Buying drums

When buying drums make sure you invest a lot of research time before actually choosing the brand and model. There are a lot of drum brands and models, all with different characteristics and price tags. Know your budget limits and try to get the drum set that best meets your needs for the money

A good way to start is to browse the large online music stores like Musician’s Friend, Music 123, Midwest Percussion, Interstate Music and others. Also try to visit all the websites of the drum manufacturers and get as many booklets as possible. Also seek the advice of fellow drummers or of your city’s music shops

A good way to decide is to find out what your favorite drummers are playing, but always keep in mind that the instruments they are playing are not always the versions available to the public

I have, after about 5 years of research, decided that the best brands for me are Pearl for drums, Sabian for cymbals, Remo for heads, Pearl for hardware, Tama for Hi-Hat and throne hardware, DW for drum pedals, LP for Percussion, Ahead for sticks, Beato for drum bumpers and covers, Moongel for dampeners, AKG for headphones, Shure and AKG for microphones and SKB for drum and cymbal cases