Drums and Percussion

Are you looking to buy a new set of drums, or wondering where to find the right cymbals for your drumkit? Perhaps you want a set of electronic drums that you can plug your headphones into and play anywhere, anytime, day or night. Or has one of the countless other instruments in the wide world of percussion caught your eye? Our Drums department covers the entire percussion spectrum, from Orff instruments for early music education to complete drumkits for stadium Rock bands, as well as a vast range of accessories, from spare screws to drum cases. This buyers' guide is designed to help you find your new drumkit – or any other percussion instrument! – and the right accessories from the huge selection available in Thomann's Drums department.

Which drumkit is best for me?

As a beginner, you should be thinking about buying a complete acoustic drum set: A traditional drumkit. These come in all sizes, for all ages, and on every budget, and are already equipped with cymbals and all the other necessary hardware. Equally, more advanced drummers often buy just a set of shells – the drums themselves – and add the rest of the hardware they need individually. Alternatively, they might opt for a high-quality, premium drum set from one of the well-known brands such as DW, Sonor, Yamaha, or Tama. Either way, you can expand your drumkit with individual shells, which are available in all sizes and designs. As your drumming prowess grows, for instance, a new snare drum is a good way to fine-tune your sound: Snares are the heart of the drum set, and will make a huge difference with relatively little effort. But what if you are looking for something else entirely? How about an electronic drum kit? Modern electronic drums offer almost the same feel as acoustic drums and can produce almost any sound imaginable. They can also be played virtually silently using headphones, which will keep your neighbours happy too.

The right cymbals for Jazz, Metal, Pop, and Rock

If you are just getting started in the world of cymbals, we recommend buying a cymbal set with at least one hi-hat, one crash, and one ride cymbal. In our drums department, you are certain to find the right cymbal set for your needs, from an inexpensive set for beginners to distinctive-sounding professional sets. And whenever you feel like you need to add something new to your sound, our huge variety of individual cymbals has everything from trashy splashes to sonorous gongs, with renowned manufacturers such as Zildjian, Sabian, Zultan, and Meinl guaranteeing quality.

Which percussion instruments are suitable for beginners and pros?

Just take a look around our percussion section, and you will soon see that this is truly an instrument category with something for everyone. Our percussion instruments for children, all sold individually or in a variety of complete sets, are an entertaining introduction to the world of rhythms and sounds. With a conga, a bongo, or a tambourine – to name but a few options – you can quickly expand the sonic possibilities of your band, and a cajon can even replace an entire drumkit for an unplugged gig.

The best hardware and microphones for your drums

Drum hardware includes everything from bass drum pedals and hi-hat stands to the almost endless variety of racks, arms, and mounts that you need to set up and operate your drums. As with a drumkit itself, if you buy a complete hardware set, you will save yourself the trouble of piecing together all the individual components. Hardware sets are available in every price range and with a variety of finishes. Of course, if you know exactly what you want, you can also put together your hardware from our huge selection of individual components. Drums are notoriously loud, but you will still need amplification when you're playing with band, making drum microphones an essential accessory – all the more so when you are actually recording, of course. You can get drum mic sets for your entire drumkit for very little money; equally, our selection includes many dedicated microphones for bass drums, overheads, or toms, for every budget and for every playing style.