The quest for right drum kit for each performance situation has left me owning multiple drum sets and a variety of sizes. Although I have tried a variety of configurations in hundreds of venues for a long list of musical styles, I still wonder if there is a best kick drum size that works for every gig.
After years of searching the Internet and trying new things, I’ve determined that the 20 inch kick drum is the most versatile size. If I were to own one size, it would be a 20 inch. But with all my answers, I still have lots of questions.
It’s not only about the size. Choosing the right kick drum involves many considerations. How loud should the drum be? What tone works best for the style of music? Are there any kick drum mounting brackets that could save space? And so on.
I know that I’m not the only drummer dealing with these kinds of problems, so let’s get into some potential solutions.
How loudly can I play?
Drummers in the beginner circles are sometimes labeled as being too loud. This can be because they are playing too loud for the musical situation or a particular part of a song. Kick drum size rarely has much to with this issue because it’s usually the snare and cymbals that are being blasted beyond musical taste. But it can still be a factor.
In the quieter settings, like music during dinner or coffee shops acoustic gigs, big bass drums with no muffling can become the enemy of musical taste. Although the size of the drum doesn’t take over this issue too much, I’ve found that smaller drums move less air and therefore make lower-volume sounds easier to produce.
The question is better turned around to ask, “How softly can I play?” If you can’t get away with playing quietly because you risk being drowned out by the guitar players, bring the big drum. Move some air. If it’s an upright bass, jazz singer, and an acoustic guitar, I use a 20-inch or smaller.
Sometimes I lean my cymbal bag up against the front head to further eliminate the threat of a kick drum that’s out of control. On the other hand, I remove the muffle ring on my 22-inch kick drum for loud gigs. Regardless of the situation, you need the right drum to facilitate a dynamic range that works for your musical goals.
Will the right kick drum head help the issue?
The kick drum size is about how much air is moving. Drum head choice determines the character of the tones traveling with that air. I like a kick drum head that has some attack and body, so I choose drum heads that can accommodate my preferences.
The Evans Emad system has been my head of choice regardless of the kick drum size. The coated EMAD has a warmer sound without compromising the attack. I use a coated on my 20-inch kick drum because I can use it for most styles of music and venues.
For years, I used the Aquarian Superkick drum heads on my 22- and 20-inch kick drums. Regardless of the kick drum size, these heads are great, especially with a hard beater. But they don’t work on all of my drums. For example, my 20-inch 1960s Slingerland kick drum is better off with a REMO or Evans kick drum head because the attack is better defined.
When the venue chooses not to mic the kick drum, and it probably should, I bring my 22-inch kick drum with a clear EMAD. The nice thing about the EMAD is different sized muffle rings that you can switch out as needed.
Like I said before, I prefer no muffle ring. This configuration gives me the most dynamic range. The downside is that it exposes you more to your kick drum technique. Honestly, we can talk about best kick drum size for pages here and all that really matters is what you play rhythmically and dynamically.
20” Slingerland w/ REMO head
20” Pearl 6 ply birch w/ Evans Coated EMAD
22” Pearl 6 ply maple w/ Evans Clear EMAD
16” Pearl 6 ply maple w/ Evans Clear EMAD
How does tuning the kick drum play a role?
You can have the best kick drum size for the gig, and it doesn’t matter if the drum heads aren’t tuned well. I prefer a tight front head and a batter that’s as loose as possible without losing tone.
The style of music can dictate your tuning, too. If I’m playing a loud rock gig, my batter head will be on the loose side to achieve plenty of low end frequencies and attack. Jazz gigs are a different story. The batter head will be much tighter to find the sustain of the drum.
I tune my kick drum heads the same way I would a snare drum. Check out this article on my Ludwig Supraphonic. It has a section on tuning with an illustration showing the order I follow to tighten the tension rods and fine tune the drum.
Is there a best kick drum size for every gig?
The last time I played in Cambridge, just across the river from Boston, the parking was horrific. I had to park at a CVS Pharmacy and walk three blocks with my drums, cymbals, and sticks. The best kick drum size for that night was my 20-inch Slingerland because it’s lightweight and fit on the small stage. I can usually fit a floor tom on the stage, but not that night.
I knew in advance that the stage was small and that the parking was an unknown. The best kick drum size for that venue was more about the access to the load in and size of the stage. The kick drum sounded perfect for the gig, but that was secondary to the other issues.
Summer gigs find me playing more patio bar and grill gigs. This means it’s tight quarters because restaurants don’t want to part with tables for added space. And being outside means that the best kick drum size is the one that can be heard yet still fits in small spaces.
Normally, these simmer patio gigs call for my 20-inch Pearl 6-ply birch drum with a coated EMAD sans muffler. This year, I’m trying something new – a 16-inch Pearl 6-ply maple floor tom with the jungle kit hardware pack (shown in the image below).
The jungle kick drum has a clear EMAD head. I saw someone using the EMAD heads on their floor toms in a YouTube video. This was just the push I needed to move forward with a jungle kit kick drum project. So far, this is the best kick drum size for patio gigs because it is punchy enough to get through the guitars and not so loud that it drowns out the vocals.
This article explains how to convert a floor tom into a kick drum. It includes information about the compatibility of the conversion kits with various drum brands.
How does the style of music affect the best kick drum size?
When I first got to North Texas, I found myself playing a lot of jazz. Consequently, I wanted an 18 inch kick drum because many jazz drummers where playing 18s and 20s. I had a 22-inch drum, and it was not the best kick drum size for most of my gigs.
It took me about five years to realize that a 20-inch kick drum could work for jazz, rock, blues, and the Top 40 gigs. Instead of thinking about how to make one drum work in several situations, I focused on what everyone else was doing, and it cost me a lot of money over the years.
At this point in the article, you must know that the best kick drum size is the 20-inch. This is obviously based on my experience and approach to gigging, but it’s also the drum that works for the most styles of music.
Instead of owning three different drum sizes, like I once thought, invest in different kick drum heads and microphones. I have both the Shure Beta 52 and Beta 91 microphones for my kick drum. I’ve used both mics for bands that had the input space, while other times I’ve used one or the other. It all depends on the drum, venue, and the sound support.
How does hardware affect the best kick drum size?
For gigging drummers, the hardware case is something that becomes an issue. Schlepping a heavy case it in and out of venues can be lessened with the right hardware. The question of which hardware to bring takes us back to the kick drum size and the ability to place instruments where you want to play them.
The ride cymbal placement is a huge factor in this best kick drum size determination. If the kick drum is too large and the space on stage is too small, it’s hard to place a stand close enough to the kick drum. I could bring a boom stand, but that’s adding more weight to the hardware case.
I use a flat base stand for my ride cymbal because the legs can sneak under the kick drum. This brings the cymbal closer to where I want to play it, and the flat-base stands are much lighter than the alternative. And forget about double-braced stands. Those stay home in the studio where they can’t hurt anybody.
Another solution to the hardware factor for best kick drum size is a ride cymbal kick drum mount. Many old kits have ride cymbal mounts on the kick drum, and there are several new systems available to purchase. I’ve been thinking about buying one to reduce the weight of my hardware case and to ease my setup process. Every bit helps.
What are NOT the best kick drum size?
I’ve never played a gig that would require a 24- or 26-inch kick drum. Those sizes seem to be the best kick drum size for hard rock, heavy metal, or recording big drum sounds. I’ve played hard rock gigs, but my 22 worked fine. Plus, it fit into my car without much room to spare.
The kick drum size that I will likely never bring to a gig is the 13-inch tom. It works great for making beats in my home studio. Aside from that, I couldn’t call it a best kick drum size for any reason. If looks are important, perhaps its size and unique hardware rig could look interesting for video or live performances at a comedy club or small-tent circus.
The best kick drum size for you depends on what’s comfortable in terms of the sound and the schlep. Let us know what size kick drum you use and why in the comments below.