Tasodrums
Stands for drums and cymbals
You can set up a drum kit in lots of ways, and the stands you choose have a big effect on that. Some stands can do many things, while others only work for one specific drum.
The basic stands you need for a drum kit are:
- Snare stand
- Hi-hat stand
- Stand for the toms
- Stands for the rest of the cymbals
When you need to buy stands separately
If you buy a complete drum kit, all the basic stands usually come with it. This also includes the bass drum pedal, even though it isn't a stand, because it belongs to the "hardware" category.
If you buy your kit as a shell pack, on the other hand, you only get the drums. Cymbals and their stands aren't included.
Snare stand
The snare stand is pretty self-explanatory. It's the only stand you can put the snare on.
Good to know about snare stands
You can also put toms on a snare stand, though. You can use it with a practice pad too, to get the pad in a better position than, say, on the edge of the couch or on your lap.
A snare stand is a safe buy because even a cheaper stand will get you far. A stand handles use and moving around well, so there's no point buying a stand worth hundreds, especially at the start.
Snare stand - options
Hi-hat stand
Just like the name says, this stand is where the hi-hat cymbals go. Unlike the snare stand, this stand has no other use.
Good to know about hi-hat stands
The hi-hat stand is a unique stand with only one purpose. You play the hi-hat cymbals with sticks like other cymbals, but thanks to the stand, you can also play the hi-hat with the pedal.
You can also put different effect instruments on top of the hi-hats or on the stand's rod to get more sound options.
The most important thing to pay attention to when buying is that stands come either two-legged or three-legged. Especially if you have a double pedal, it's a good idea to choose a two-legged stand so you can position all the pedals sensibly.
Hi-hat stand options
Stands for the toms
You can position the toms in lots of different ways.
Good to know about tom stands
Options for positioning the toms:
- On the bass drum mount (tom mount)
- On a snare stand
- On a cymbal stand
- There are also separate stands just for toms, but you very rarely see them used on drum kits, so I won't go into them here.
One small exception is the floor tom, which usually stands on the floor on its own legs. You can put the floor tom on a cymbal stand too if needed, but it never goes on a snare stand.
The most common ways are a tom holder on the bass drum and a snare stand. The choice depends on whether your bass drum has a tom mount (not all of them do), or whether you'd rather have the tom next to the bass drum on a snare stand for some other reason. This is typical especially when you only use one rack tom. The choice affects the tom's sound and resonance a bit, but when you're buying your first stands, go with whichever way puts the tom best within your reach.
Snare stands were already covered in the previous section, and the same ones work. See more tom holders.
Other cymbal stands
The rest of the stands are for the other cymbals, like the ride, crash, china, splash and so on.
Good to know about cymbal stands
There are two kinds of cymbal stands:
- Boom stands, which have a separate boom arm you can adjust horizontally
- Straight stands, where you can adjust the cymbal's height and tilt, but you can't move the cymbal to the side.
Both stands are equally good. The choice depends on where you want the cymbal to be. The safest bet is to buy boom stands, because you can set them up either way.
With cymbal stands you can also relax. They handle basic use for years just fine. Maybe not the very cheapest ones (avoid the Millenium brand), but otherwise even the more affordable stands will do.
Options
Extra: Drum rack
Especially when your kit has lots of drums, buying a drum rack is an option to consider. A rack helps with space, and it lets you attach cymbal holders to the rack in more flexible ways instead of having everything on its own stand. If you have to haul your kit around a lot, a rack might not be the best solution. It's heavy, and setting it up and taking it down takes at least as long as with regular stands.
