Should You Make your Own Drums?

From the dawn of time, people have been called into the life of drumming and rhythm-making, as if heeding the directives of ancestors and rock gods from around the planet, and perhaps beyond. In order to drum, however, these people have needed to make their own drums or percussion instruments, giving us all plenty of modern incarnations of drums to happily use in our own devotion to the groove within. With all of the options available to drummers and percussionists today, there are still those who want more. They want a different sound, style, feel or even just a different “drum” altogether. We understand, maybe more than you know.

So, why go through the process of making your own drums? Is it worth it in the end? Will you make your mark in the world of music? We can’t answer that, of course, destiny is a fickle creature and we’re more interested in drumming than answering life’s questions (although, drumming does answer a lot of those). Plus, as with any question posed to drummers, there aren’t easy answers. Only lists. We dig lists.

Reasons to make your own drums:

• You have an original sound that is all your own, through your own construction methods, materials, etc.
• You love the idea of customizing a drum set, hand drums, percussion instruments or all of the above to the needs of consumers.
• Your creative soul is in your drum-making or drum designing, and you cannot live without expressing yourself through your art.
• You like drums, a lot. More than the average drummer.

While these may seem logical reasons to make your own drums, you probably have other reasons that are justifiable as well. Maybe you don’t live anywhere that sells drums, or you’ve been banned from local stores for rocking out on their floor models. Despite the presence of quality, affordable drums sold in online stores that virtually deliver an in-person drum buying experience, you may just be stubborn enough to go out on your own and make changes in the world of drum making. We’re right there with you.

Reasons to “go pro” with drums:

• Professionally-made drums take the guesswork out of how to make drums, letting you fine-tune your playing rather than fine-tuning gaps in the rims, shell materials and thickness, heads, etc.
• You can get professional advice from drummers who have been in the business for years, and probably know what you want, or how to get you there faster.
• You don’t need an extra room for making drums, and all of the equipment that requires.
• Buying drums is faster than making them.

Professionally-made drums stand the test of time, which is why the “big” brands are so well-known; experience is a wonderful asset in any line of work. But, the joy of seeing a new drum unfold or a drum set come together is only amplified by the understanding that your own hands may have been a part of such an incredible feat of creativity and determination. Not everyone has the hands or soul of a drum maker, nor does everyone want to bear such a burden in life, but if the bug to build a drum strikes you, there is little you can do except follow the beat of your own heart. If that rhythm got you into drumming, there’s no knowing where it could lead you in the process of making your own drums.