The drum kit

1 Crash cymbal | 2 Floor tom | 3 Toms 4 Bass drum | 5 Snare drum | 6 Hi-hat

Other components

Ride cymbal | China cymbal | Splash cymbal | Sizzle cymbal Swish cymbal | Cowbell | Wood block | Tambourine Rototom | Octoban | Hardware

Drum hardware refers to the parts of a drum or drum kit that are used to tension, position, and otherwise support the instruments themselves. Occasionally, the hardware is used percussively as well (as in the rim shot.

[edit] Drum parts

[edit] Drum head

1 Holder clamp, 2 Rim, 3 Tension rod, 4 Lug, 5 Snare butt

A drum "hoop" or "rim" may be made of metal, wood, or other materials and is used to hold a drumhead against a drum shell, either with bolts through metal "claws" attached directly to a hoop, or bolts through holes in a flanged rim. The bolts, called "tension rods," are screwed into threaded "lugs" attached to the drum shell, in order to tighten and tune the drumhead.^[1] A "drum key" is a type of wrench often used to screw the tension rods into the lugs.

[edit] Drum Badge

1 Drum badge and grommet, 2 Snare strainer, 3 Throwoff lever

While not required for operation, most drum manufacturers label their products by way of a drum "badge". The badge is a label attached to the drum shell with a grommet, which is embossed with the manufacturer's name or logo, and often a serial number as well. The grommet doubles as a "vent" hole for two-sided drums^[2].

[edit] Bass Drum Legs

The bass drum(s) in a drum kit usually sit on the floor, and as such require support to prevent rolling. Two adjustable legs are attached by clamps to either side of the drum^[3].

[edit] Bass Drum Pedal

Most kit bass drums are sounded by a beater which is actuated by a pedal mechanism. See bass drum pedal for more information.

[edit] Tom drum

Tom-toms have clamps attached to the shell to mount them on stands and holders. Rim-mounted clamps are known as "Rims" or "ISS" mounts. floor toms have clamps to hold their three legs.^[4]

[edit] Snare drum

Snare drums will often have a "strainer" on one side and a "butt plate" on the other to hold the snare wires to the drumhead. Snare tension is controlled with a screw on the strainer. A strainer may also have a "throwoff" lever to deactivate and move snares away from the drumhead if a tom-tom sound is desired.^[5]

[edit] Stands and holders

1 Hi-hat rod and clutch 2 Tom and cowbell clamp holders 3 HiHat legs and pedal

Metal stands and holders are used to support percussion instruments or microphones. Floor stands are often tripods and telescoping. Snare drum stands have three arms as a "basket" to cradle the drum. Tom-Tom stands and holders may sit on the floor or be clamped through a mounting bracket on top of a bass drum, and have extending rods which attach to clamps on the tom-tom. Cymbal stands have a threaded bolt or "cymbal post" to hold a cymbal down with a nut. Cymbal "stackers" allow additional cymbals to be added to an existing stand.

Tom-tom and cymbal stands may have a "boom arm" attached to extend holder reach, and a "tilter" to move instruments into a desired position. Smaller "clamp holders" may also be used to attach more instruments to existing stands. Drum "racks" are stands surrounding a drum kit onto which percussion instrument holders may be clamped. "Memory locks" are clamps used to make drum and telescoping positions permanent.

Hi-hat stands, remote hi-hats, and X-hats are also considered to be hardware.^[4]

For details on hi-hat stand hardware, see Hi-hat

[edit] Drum throne

The drum "throne" is a three or four-legged padded seat or stool the drummer sits on while playing. Thrones may be shaped like round cushions or in a saddle design. Throne heights may be adjusted to accommodate the drummer.^[4]

[edit] Drum pedals

Bass drum pedals, timpani pedals, and hi-hat pedals are considered to be drum hardware.^[4]

[edit] Drum hardware manufacturers

• Axis Percussion
• Gibraltar Hardware

[edit] References

[1]