Drum Set Pieces Explained:

Drum sets are categorized by the number of pieces in the set. Pieces are defined by the number of drum shells on the set including the snare drum. Cymbals and other accessories have nothing to do with the piece number labeled to the set. A four piece kit is a common setup for jazz drummers and typically have a bass drum, snare, tom-tom and floor tom.

 

Sound Percussion SP 4 Piece Drum Set

Pictured above is the popular Sound Percussion 4 Piece Drum Set with Cymbals. This is a beginner drum set that can be bought brand new for around $300 with free shipping.

TAMA 4 Piece Drum Set

Another popular 4 piece drum set is the TAMA Silverstar Jazz Setup. Pictured to the left is the TAMA Silverstar 4-PC Jazz Shell Pack finished in Vintage Burgundy Sparkle.

For details on the TAMA brand Click Here.

While the four piece drum set is the basic setup for many drummers; more toms are typically added.  As each piece is added the drum set grows in size.  For example; if two tom-toms are setup above the bass drum, with a floor tom and snare this would be a five piece set.  The set number would also change (increase) if an additional bass drum is added or another snare.

A larger drum setup would feature two bass drums, two floor toms and three tom-toms with a snare.  This would be an eight (8) piece set; a common setup for heavy rock and metal drummers where more drumming versatility, double bass and frequently tom filling is typical.