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To really bring the beat in a sound system, you’re going to want to invest in a subwoofer. But to bring the beat if you’re playing in a band, you’re going to need a bass drum.
As an integral part of a basic drum kit (along with a snare, hi-hats and cymbals), a bass drum (or kick drum) is typically the largest member of your percussion family, used to bring lower pitches and to add a punchy thump to your sound mix.
“The bass drum and snare drum are just like husband and wife,” says Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson, the drummer for Of Monsters and Men. “They communicate with each other. The kick drum provides the deeper thumping tones that drive the songs and the snare drum is the snappy drum that adds a back beat.”
While bass drums come in a number of sizes, a standard bass drum is most commonly between 20-22 inches in diameter. (Bass drums in an orchestra or in a drum line will be much bigger, but for the purposes of this article we’ll refer to a kick drum in a rock band-style setup).
Bass drums are comprised of a cylindrical shell (typically made of wood), with a drum head that is “struck” using a mallet attached to a foot pedal. Because the bass drum is controlled by your feet, it’s placed on the floor, at the bottom of a drum kit. Look for bass drums that come with “feet” that help stabilize and secure it so it doesn’t shift when you’re kicking away.
These days, you can find a number of solid bass drums online. Hilmarsson suggests going “for one with a deep warm tone,” and to “go for the bigger sizes that are not very deep in width.” Consider a portable bass drum if you’re going to be traveling a lot or if you don’t have a ton of space. You’ll also want to find a grippy and fluid foot pedal if your drum kit doesn’t come with one. The only thing to do after that is to put your drum kit together and let loose.
“Drums are the backbone of the band and the most expressive instrument you can play,” Hilmarsson says. “It gets the heart going and turns the body on. It’s a release and an outlet to let off steam.”
