The Best Cheap Compact Drum Kit On The Market
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- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
- In this drum kit review, I share why I think the Pearl MidTown is the best cheap compact drum kit on the market. I have played this kit on many of my gigs here in Japan over the past several years. I've used it in recording studios, concert halls, live music clubs and at private events.
In my opinion, its low price, durability, portability and sound make this the best cheap compact drum kit on the market. In this video, I also breakdown for you, my unique lightweight hardware setup.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Introduction
01:24 On the drum cart
02:24 Tour of the drum case contents
04:26 Setting up the bass drum
05:32 Setting up the floor tom
07:39 Drum hardware setup
12:47 Drum wood and sizes
14:38 Bass drum riser
16:05 Recording the MidTown
18:07 My recommendation
👉HERE ARE THE LINKS TO THE DRUMS AND HARDWARE. These are affiliate links and an easy way to support my UA-cam channel. Thank you 🤙
🥁DRUMS
Pearl Midtown drum kit: amzn.to/3uq93SI
🥁DRUM HARDWARE
Tama hi-hat stand: amzn.to/3qK2khN
Yamaha bass drum pedal: amzn.to/36RH7eE
Snare drum stand (this is equivalent to mine): amzn.to/3qFRKZ8
Yamaha drum throne: amzn.to/3Lk9dOF
Yamaha cymbal arms: amzn.to/3wF1SFq
Pearl drum hardware clamps: amzn.to/3qG9mEu
🥁DRUMS, HARDWARE AND CYMBAL BAGS
Protection Racket drum hardware bag (I couldn't find the exact same size. My hardware bag is 24" long. This one is the same width and height but is 36" long) : amzn.to/3uBt7xN
Protection Racket bass drum bag: amzn.to/35g3vhq
Gator cases snare drum bag (this is the equivalent to mine): amzn.to/3wIJfk0
Gator cases rack tom bag (this is the equivalent to mine): amzn.to/3uyBFWl
Zildjian cymbal bag: amzn.to/3tM33kk
🥁HAND TRUCK
Magna Flatform Truck: amzn.to/3IMwrLQ
__________
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This is really helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share this.
Steve thanks for the kind words and I'm so glad. This kit has gotten me so much mileage many gigs over the years. I just can't say enough. Let me know if you decide to get one too! Keep swinging my friend 🤙
I have a midtown kit too and I used it on many gigs. People are always astonished how good this cheap set sounds. I changed the 10'' tom to a 12'' pearl export tom. I can carry everything in two times to the stage. I really love this kit.
Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience! It's great to hear how you set things up and how much you enjoy the Midtown. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
I hope your kid grows big and strong. Make sure to feed regularly and put lots of TLC.
Fantastic playing and I appreciate how much thought you put into your gigging set-up. I had the Midtown kit a while back and loved it- especially the 13" floor tom which sounded larger than it's dimensions. Your ride cymbal mounted off the bass drum leg is ingenious!
Thanks Tom for the kind words and super comment! Thanks for watching too. Sounds like you enjoyed your Midtown as much as I do. Yes, the floor tom is often one of the drums that companies sacrifice to make a kit more compact. I totally agree, the Midtown floor feels like I'm playing a 14"x14".
And that cymbal mount off of the leg just saves me so much weight. For tight stages, it also helps. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Thank you very much for all the tuning and playing. Love your style. I’m in process of buying a mapex bebop kit. Looking forward to using your tuning tips.
Rich thanks so much for the kind comment and for watching! If you haven't already, you might also enjoy this video about tuning: ua-cam.com/video/1Tgo5zE2REo/v-deo.html and this one too: ua-cam.com/video/VDTSfxCNt3k/v-deo.html Let me know how it goes you can also contact me directly at vonbaron(at)jazzdrumschool.com. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Really appreciate the time you took for this. Thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment! I'm glad it was helpful. Let me know if you get the kit. I just used it the other day in the studio again. No one can believe it 's so cheap! Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Super awesome! Thank you so much for sharing this!
My pleasure! I hope it helps you to choose the drum kit that's right for you. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Von, thanks for the great advice, I pulled the trigger on this kit about six months ago and I attest, this is a wonderful little set for Jazz gigs, inspiring to play and very well designed. Thank you my friend 👍🏼
Thanks Jason for the update! That's great news. I'm so glad you like it. I'm still swinging away on my after almost 7 years. Happy gigging and keep swinging my friend 🤙
Excellent break down. Thank you so much.
Mark thanks so much for watching and the positive comment. I’m glad it was helpful🤙
Really nice playing, been playing drums since I was about 2-3 years old and I love taking inspiration from all different places. Love how in the pocket you are, taking notes for my own writing haha
Matt thanks for the kind comment and sharing about your drumming journey! I share your eclectic approach. If you ever need any help with Jazz drumming, I hope you'll take a look at Jazz Drum School: jazzdrumschool.com/ Over 300 lessons to get you swinging, comping, soloing and playing great with other musicians. Keep swinging my friend!
Great review. I've just got one of these! Thanks!!
Keith, thanks for the comment and for watching! I'm glad you found it helpful. I'm glad you got one of these kits. I think they're pretty versatile and sound great. Have fun with it!
Wow... That's a great detailed video... Appreciate it very much... I'm considering getting one too... Thanks man... Cheers. Great playing btw 👍
Ash thanks for watching and for your comment! I really think you can’t go wrong with this drum kit.
If you do end up getting it, let me know how you like it. Keep swinging!
Wow Man …. THANK YOU 🙏🏽 ….
Really Generous of You to share such vital details & info 🙏🏽👍🏽🙏🏽
It's my pleasure! I share things that have helped me and hope they can help others. Thanks for connecting here 🤙
Excellent! Thanks for sharing.
Dennis thanks so much! I hope it was helpful in deciding what kind of compact drum kit to get. I still use this thing a lot and it never lets me down! Let me know if you decide to get it too and how you like it. Keep swinging man 🤙
Thanks for sharing. I have studied all of your lesson videos and they are excellent. I have learned a lot from you. You are a natural teacher. I really like compact kits. I also enjoy being creative with hardware. I currently use a Tama Club Jam. I don't have to be as compact as you but I can carry my kit into a venue in two trips and set it up in about 15 mins.
Bob, thanks so much for your kind words and for watching my videos! I'm really happy they have been helpful. f you didn't already, I think you'll also enjoy my online Jazz Drum School: jazzdrumschool.com/
Thanks also for sharing your personal experience with your compact drum kit. What kind of hardware setup are you using?
Fantastic video. I'm not even a drummer or especially a jazz drummer, but a pro musician and studio owner who probably stumbled on to this video after doing some light searching for a studio kit for my place. LOVE how thorough and open you are with all the detailed info, but you're nice and concise, not wasting time. You make that kit sound RIDICULOUSLY good! Never in a million years would I have guessed a pro player like you would have been rocking a $500 kit. (Of course, pro players know it's about 90% how you play and 10% the gear!)
Thanks for the kind words and for watching! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and I too was surprised just how good this kit sounded. I actually got it to gig around Japan and didn't exactly have high hopes. I wanted something that was decent but could get a little beat up moving it around.
As you could see in the video, it turned into my go-to kit. It's got a great sound no matter the drum heads and it records very nicely with plenty of tone and attack. If you're looking for a small kit for your studio, I can't recommend it more. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Mind blown on the bass drum leg cymbal stand…. How did I not think of that!!!
Bob thanks for the comment and for watching! Yes, that was a real light bulb moment for me too when I tried it. At first, I though nah, can't do that but then I saaw that I could and it changed my whole portable setup. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
I love the way you play your drums and also the way you set up your kid like it’s really interesting. Speaking of nesting I’m actually buying a Yamaha Hip gig Al foster and it’s gonna be my kit like how you do it. Love your channel it’s amazing.
Thanks Ryan for the kind words and I'm glad you found the video helpful! I had the Rick Marotta Hip Gig for a while. Great concept. Enjoy and keep swinging my friend 🤙
I made a converted bop kit myself all pearl export and it literally sounds amazing and perfect for small house gigs and recordings.Subbed,I like your setup and playing!🗽🛸
David thanks for watching, commenting and subbing! It's great to connect with you and hear about your kit too. I'd love to hear you playing it someday. If you get a video up, let me know. Keep swinging my friend🤙
Awesome ideas for my kit and care everyday setup!
João thanks for the comment and for watching! I’m so glad it was helpful. Keep swinging🤙
Thanks for the tips on achieving the small footprint of your setup. I’m currently clearing out a small room in my house and I’ll need to shoehorn in a small kit in order to practice at home.
The Yamaha cymbal arm configuration is a great idea and your video was very helpful….Blessings and continued success!
Thanks for watching and for your kind comment! I'm glad it was helpful. Yes, you'll definitely have a small footprint. That's one think I just love about my compact kit setup. All the best with setting up your practice space. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
I use the same Yamaha kick pedal and the matching Yamaha single brace hi hat stand. Super easy to set up and I have short plastic coated wire cables (made them myself with about $10 worth of parts from the hardware store) attached to my compact throne legs (2 front ones) which slide onto each pedal's braces at the heel pad while setting up. This makes for the exact same reach from the throne with no adjustments at all during set up and no creeping while playing. They are lightweight and bulletproof with no squeeking or any other age related defects. This set up has been used with several of my kits with no problems at all!
Love the kit! Love your playing! As usual, you nailed it!
Thanks always for sharing your expertise! It's great to hear other solutions to our common drummer problems. Great to connect my friend 🤙
@@jazzdrumschool While I don't break my kit down as far you do (I need a car for the long commutes to the jobs since I live in a rural area), I can fit all my hardware into one soft case with small wheels on one end. I also use soft cases for my bop kit and cymbals which I stack onto a small collapsible hand truck, held in place with bungee cords. I can carry everything in two trips and set up my kit in about 15 minutes because of my short cuts and "pre-setup" marks on my hardware.
Time is important for speed in setting up and saving energy for my tired body (75 years old) when packing up. Call it, ergonomics, efficiency or just being lazy, I will save as much energy and time as possible in everything I do. (Point of interest: W. Edwards Deming introduced the principles of ergonomics to the world after WWII for industry when the Marshall Plan was implemented. Only the Japanese were interested. Their first product using this was in a company called Toyoda/Toyota. Eventually, the rest of the world tried to catch up to Japan in manufacturing.
Thanks for your tips! Like you, I think Yamaha sets the standard for strong, lightweight and high quality hardware. There is no need for any double-braced hardware at all with Yamaha. I read somewhere that it is made in the same factory as their motorcycles which are also excellent. (I think their first product was washing machines. Now, they make all kinds of musical instruments known for their quality.
I chose that same drumset when I convinced my church to buy a set. I agree - it sounds surprisingly good. If I didn’t already have my Taye GoKit, I would happily use this as my compact kit. Oh, and coincidentally I just bought that Tama Classic hihat stand - I love it!
Nice, nice, nice! Thanks for sharing your personal experience with the kit and the hi-hat stand 🤙
I'm a big fan of compact kits. Many of them punch well above their weight. Good to see yet another review on this kit and this one by a gigging drummer! Thank you and well done!
Hey thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. You must have a compact kit too. I'd love to know what you play on.
Yeah this thing has paid for itself so many times over and I have had 0 complaints from musicians or sound engineers. A good buy for sure. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
@@jazzdrumschool Had a Ludwig Breakbeats kit and really liked it, but sold it to get a Yamaha Stage Custom. Currently play that or a Yamaha Hipgig, and just bought a Tama Cocktail Jam. In my experience, they are so much fun and sound great. Take care!
@@TheNoColo WOW 🤩 YOU are the expert on this topic! You could do a video comparing all that you mentioned. Thanks for sharing 🤙
Excellent video. I’m considering buying a Midtown kit and your detailed descriptions and honest assessments were really useful so thank you for that. I need a small footprint, quieter (but not silent) practice kit. I was thinking of using Midtown shells, with Remo Skyntone heads and Agean R cymbals, as the general consensus seems to be that each of these produce slightly lower volume than their alternatives without massively compromising tone. I’d be keen to hear your thoughts on my intended setup.
Clark, thanks for watching and for your comment! I can't speak to the Skyntone heads or Agean cymbals but as for the drums, they'd do the trick.
I also made a video recently about the best quiet drum practice setup. ua-cam.com/video/x0FCIjc8TmU/v-deo.html In this video, I don't use my MidTown kit but I have used it before for my practice setup.
The video might also give you some ideas about dampening the bass drum without loosing too much tone or feeling. Many thanks again 🤙
A friend sold his Pearl Midtown kit to me today for a really great price. He even made some upgrades including changing all of the tom-tom and snare drum hoops to Pearl die cast ones, along with adding Canopus Vintage snare wires. He even threw in a 8” x 12” Pearl Export Tom-Tom in the same finish!
Ira! Great to connect here! Thanks for watching and for your comment. Sounds your friend made a great kit better. I've been following you too in your drumming lately. You so busy Cuz. Keep swingin' braddah 🤙
very cool mate
Thanks Donald for the kind words and for watching! Wishing you the best with your compact drum kit. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
This kit is incredible! It is my go-to kit for live shows. I did a Rush cover set with this kit and it sounded amazing
Thanks for the comment and WOW! A Rush tribute on this kit. Very cool. Would love to see a video if you post one. I'm glad you're happy with it. I sure am too. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
I'm calling cap on that. Not enough drums to be covering Rush....at least covering it ACCURATELY!
First album yes with John Rutsey@@laurenfazenbaker9777
Von, you, your travel kit, and your videos are all amazing! I don't foresee a trip to Japan, but if I did, I'd make sure to take in your show. The closest I've ever come to having a "Travel Kit" is whatever fits in the car..... Thanks and Blessings!
Thanks always for your positive comments and for watching! Yes, please let me know if you are coming to Japan. It would be super to connect!
@@jazzdrumschool I got to see some of Japan 49 years ago, and outside of Sasebo, the countryside was beautiful. I had a Bridgestone English Racer and my Minolta SRT 101 and off I went into places where no one spoke English. Is your Family Japanese?
Nice story! Hmm so 49 years ago. That would make you about 37 years old, yes? 😜 My wife is Japanese and we moved from Hawaii to the Kobe area 5 years ago. Japan has been good to us. Hope you can come back and visit again. 🤙
I subscribed at about 2nd bar. Stellar playing
Thanks so much Tim! Glad to connect with you. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Hey there my friend! Great video, unfortunate of me to be viewing it so late after it was uploaded, but I was planning on buying this as a studio set for my jazz bands rehearsal space, I was wondering what drum heads you used on all the different drum parts 🙏🙏 great video
Thanks for the kind words, comment and questions! I'm sorry you didn't see it sooner but I'm glad it came across your UA-cam feed. The drum heads I use are either Remo Fiberskyns or Evans Calftone heads.
Here are some affiliate links to get a better idea of what I'm playing on. Many thanks in advance for supporting this channel and buying through me if pick them up! Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Remo Fiberskyn heads: amzn.to/3IEyzru
Evans Calftone: amzn.to/3VmLBBh
Tools to do your craftsmanship. I use the Tama Club Jam, flat classic hardware set, hp50 pedal, and a lightweight drum throne. It’s ligh, fast, reliable, good looking and very nice sounding drum kit. You are fine too, Pearl it’s like a tank on the road. Thanks for the video!
Alexandre, I glad you found your best compact drum set. Thanks for watching and for your comment! Keep groovin' man 🤙
Nice work
Thanks John for the kind comment and for watching! I hope it was helpful in choosing a compact kit for yourself. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
wow, this is geat content! The production quality is so nice! I am really thinkin about buying this kit really soon. Looks and sounds amazing
Theodor, thanks very much for your kind comment and for watching. I really think you can't go wrong with this kit. It's lightweight and sounds great. 🤙
Cheerz !! 🍺 😎 👍
Thanks so much 🤙
Sounds great on stage! The tuning seems just right, not too tight and "tinny"
Thanks for the comment and for watching! It's such an easy kit to tune and it always sounds great. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Good idea to attach the cymbal stands to bass drum leg and tom holder with a clamp.
Thanks for this comment too! Yes, I just thought, "What the heck, let's give it a try!" It worked out good and saved me a ton of weight in hardware. 🤙
Great video man by the way What drum heads do you use for this kit
Thanks for the kind words and question! In this video I was using Remo Fiberskyns:
1. Snare and Floor Tom - Ambassador 13" Fiberskyns: amzn.to/4aVfWfr
2. Rack Tom - Diplomat 10" Fiberskyn: amzn.to/3xFERVx
3. Kick Drum Batter Side - Evans G2 16": amzn.to/4b0bXh7
4. Kick Drum Resonant Side - amzn.to/4cWSDmN
The snare, rack and floor also have factory resonant clear 1-ply Remo heads. I've shared some affiliate links above. It's a convenient way to get your gear and an easy way to support my channel. Thank you and keep swinging my friend 🤙
Kit sounds amazing, haven't looked at prices, but Sonor makes a kit out of all maple similar specs. I am in the middle of making a kit like yours so I can get out and gig for the first time on drums. Thanks so much for sharing. And nice playing and recording!.
Thanks for the kind words and for watching! I think all of the major drum makers now have compact drum kits. I can't speak for the others but this one is just amazing. In fact, I was just in the recording studio again this week with it. The recording engineer and producer love the sound as do I.
Wow, so you're making your own drum set??? Are you going to do a video about the process? I'd love to see it or at least a pic of it when you're done.
The performance footage I included in this video was shot at a club here in the Kobe, Japan area. I have found that Japan has many excellent sound techs and recording engineers. I was really pleased to get both great video and audio from this performance.
Many thanks again and keep swinging my friend 🤙
Lol, not physically making the kit. I wish I was clever and had tools. I’m making it as in putting it together :). I own a really nice 7 piece for studio use. Really don’t want to cart that around. I also have a 7 piece TD50x electric set, but, it doesn’t do it for me, and still A LOT of lugging!!.
LOL! Well, with a handle like Tony "Carpenter" I thought, "Hey this guy is good with woodworking!" 😜 Cool, I'm glad your figuring out what works for you 🥁🥁🥁
Great video! I have the same kit and I love it :)
Thanks for watching and for the comment! Glad to hear you love it too. Yeah, I'm still pretty blown away how good it sounds for the price. If you've got any videos of you playing it, I'd like to see it in action. Keep swinging 🤙
@@jazzdrumschool I do have some videos on my channel if you'd like to watch them! thanks >:)
I’ll check ‘em out!
I watched some and left a comment! Nice to connect with you Alex 🤙
Great video! I really enjoy your videos and your playing, kind sir!
I must say that I am glad this setup and transport works for you, but it certainly wouldn't work for everyone. Speaking for myself, there is simply no way I would have the time (or patience) on a gig to have to disassemble two drums, put a bracket on and then re-assemble and re-tune two drums. I simply wouldn't have the time, patience or even floor space to accomplish this on my jazz gigs. I'm glad it works for you but I think this is a lot of work to save on one additional case that's pretty easy to carry (floor tom carried separately). To me, the benefits of having one less case pale in comparison than having to do all that intricate reassembly and tuning. Also, you're in Japan, so you most likely can obtain the special bags Pearl made for this kit I assume? The toms/snare all fit in one bag (fully assembled) and the bass fits in a second bag. Easy.
I love the hardware bag and compactness of it all! However, I would like to point out that two lightweight, flat base cymbal stands (like the Tama Classic, the DW Ultralight or even the vintage Ludwig 1400's) would be just as light (if not lighter) and be just as compact/easy to carry as two boom arms and clamps, plus you would get much easier positioning and adjustability, and faster setup and breakdown, and would really compliment the look of that kit!
Please understand this is not a criticism of you and I'm glad it works for you and I enjoy your videos and your playing; it's just that a lot of us "working drummers" would simply not have the time it takes to disassemble and re-assemble the drums like you do. You must have plenty of time before each gig. Keep drumming and thanks for the video!
Joey thanks for the great comment and sharing your personal experience! Nesting my drums makes it possible to take my kit on the trains here in Japan. Otherwise, I would certainly just keep my floor tom in one piece and throw it in another bag. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
I enjoy all your videos but what heads are you using on this kit?
It looks like Remo Fibre skins on the toms and front of the bass drum and some sort of clear Evans batter head on the bass drum but what are the bottom heads on the toms? Clear Ambassadors? I really enjoy your playing especially your brush playing.Thanks again.
Philip thanks for watching and for your kind comments! Yes, I use Remo Ambassador Fiberskyns on my toms, snare and front head of my bass drum.
The bottom heads on the toms are just the stock heads that came with the shell pack. They're Remo and probably an Ambassador clear.
I have to use this kit in many different musical situations. I find that the clear Evans G2 batter side head on the bass drum makes the kick more adaptable to funkier styles of drumming than a Fiberskyn.
I hope that helps. Thanks again 🤙
Great Video like it
Thanks so much Mark for watching and for taking the time to comment👍
Thanks so much Mark for watching and for taking the time to comment👍
Great video! I don't like the stock heads that Pearl provides. Your kit sound great. What heads do you use on that kit? They look like Remo Fibreskins? Evans G2 on the bass drum batter?
I agree totally about stock drum heads. Gotta change ‘em as quickly as possible.
Good eyes! I am using Remo Fiberskyns with an Evans G-2 kick head. Clear G-1’s also sound good on the toms. I often swap out the Fiberskyn on the snare with a good old G-1 or Ambassador batter costed head.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. Keep swinging🤙
Great soloing man, we’ll done
Thanks so much for the kind words and for watching! That was a really fun and creative night for the whole band. I'm grateful they got it on video. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Those Gibraltar or other brand cymbal stand extention arms are the best thing ever invented. I use them around the house too or helping me repair something or high ceilings painting for angles. I have the TAMA small flyer kit.
Thanks for the great comment and for watching! I never thought to use drum hardware for home improvement projects! It makes total sense. Keep swinging on the Tama kit my friend 🤙
Thank you for the video. I have been looking at a Pearl Midtown, however have just seen a Sweetwater video on the Tama Club Jam Flyer. Do you have any thoughts on the Tama Club Jam Flyer? There are not many comparisons around so would welcome your thoughts.
Thanks for the comment and question! I am familiar with the Tamba Club and have played it. I wrote a review of compact drum kits that might interest you and I included this kit in there: vonbaronmusic.com/compact-drum-kits/ Keep swinging my friend🤙
@@jazzdrumschool thank you. I read your article just now. Very informative. I am going for the Pearl Midtown. I cancelled the order for the Tama club jam flyer, after discovering the 10 inch diameter snare drum is too small for cross stick playing, even with 7A sticks. I will check out more of your videos on UA-cam, for other gems.
Thanks for the update and for reading my article. You won’t be disappointed 👍 I’ve also got tons of solid Jazz drumming lessons at Jazz Drum School: jazzdrumschool.com I hope to see you over there too my friend 🤙
I use the Gabriel Pro Mini, best small kit in my opinion.
Great! Glad you found one that works for you. Keep swinging my friend!
It just goes to show, you don’t have to use expensive drums on gigs. If you are a good player and can tune, then you’re good to go.
A great video. I’ve seen plenty of your videos on Instagram and they are inspirational. Fantastic playing!
I owned the Ludwig breakbeats kit, which I used for smaller gigs. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it sounded. When I got it in the u.k it was about 350 pounds. It earned itself back. Nobody complained, nobody said it didn’t sound good. It was fab for what it could be used for.
I quite like 16” bass drums. They can work well for more styles than people sometimes realise!
Amen to that! Thanks for the comment, kind words and for watching James. Nice to hear about your experience with the Ludwig kit. Yes, tuning and heads are so important. I hope this tuning video helps drummers the way it has helped me.
If you've got a video of you playing your Ludwig kit, I'd love to watch and listen. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
@@jazzdrumschool Yes, it has definitely helped. Cheers! I think I'm going to do it and buy a set. I'm vibing the fiberskyns as well. I've used the tama classic stands for about 4 years and they are amazing. I seriously recommend checking out the flat base cymbal stands, far more sturdy than I originally thought. I'll have to look and find a video of me playing the old quest love kit. I was impressed with it! Keep on drumming!!!!!!!!!
Thanks James for the recommendations! 🤙
Thanks for sharing! I have limited space in my rehearsal room. What would you say is the minimum usable footprint on the floor?
Thanks for watching and for the question! I'd say, if you use regular cymbal stands and not my mounting system, about 8 ft. x 5 ft. will do it. If you use my mounting idea for the cymbals, you'll probably only need 7 ft. x 5 ft. Hope that helps and keep swinging my friend 🤙
Thank you!
Hey Von, have a kit coming. Looking at bass heads...gotta be bass drum head or tom heads fit OK? I can't find a Evans G2 Bass drum head. Seems there is a difference in the drum head metal rings. Tks!
Congrats on your new kit! Thanks for watching and for you questions. I would go with a dedicated bass drum head when you can. They're designed a little differently than tom heads.
I see what you mean though, it's hard to find! Come to think of it, I might also have a 16" G2 Clear tom head on my MidTown kick drum. Maybe give it a shot and see how it goes. Let us know here too if you do. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Another compact kit is the Dixon Little Roomer. It’s got a 20x7 BD, 10x7 RT and a 13x10 FT. Use it with a 1965 Ludwig Jazz Fest snare drum. Been using it for 3 years now. Made from Philippine mahogany and sounds great.
Great! Thanks for sharing and I"m glad you've found your go-to kit. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Hello. Please do more about this Pearl Midtown kit. I'm surprised to see such tuning capability of this kit.
Thanks for watching and for your comment! What specifically would you like me to share?
@@jazzdrumschool Thanks for your reply. I always have a hard time tuning drum kit, especially the budget one, to sound as good as shown in the video. Mostly uncontrollable ring and bad sounding in general.
Got it! I'll add a video about tuning compact kits to my list of future videos. I appreciate you taking the time to connect and for your request. Keep swinging! 🤙
@@jazzdrumschool Thank you. I'll keep doing that swing. 🥂
Im thinking of buying it. Should i change the resonant heads on the snare and toms ?
Thanks for asking your question over here too. I would just change the batter side heads. The stock resonant heads are usually okay. Keep swinging 🤙
I have a Pearl Roadshow 10x7, 14x11, 18x12, and 13x5snare that I converted into a nesting kit. I had the 18" and 14" sawed apart and added 18" 1/8" reinforcement rings at the opening and added latches.
This way the 10" goes inside the nesting 14", and the 14" goes inside the nesting 18". 4" different between drums means no need to take off any tom mount.
The 18" kick then gets latched back up and goes inside an 18x18" protection racket soft case, add the floor tom legs, then the 13x5snare on top of the bass, everything zips up fine in just one case.
I can even put my cymbals underneath the kick inside the case when I use my small set that has an 18 crash ride as my largest cymbal.
Paired with the Yamaha HW3 aluminum hardward pack with bag, and there's enough room to stuff my sticks, music stand, pedal and (small) throne in too.
Two bags for everything.
Wow! You've really thought this portable thing through! Great job. Any videos you can share?
@@jazzdrumschool Sadly no. Just some pictures. The drums I had sawed apart were just straight cuts, after adding reinforcement ring(lip) there's no flex even with the kickdrum with the 10" and a ride cymbal mounted on top.
Ciao, a settembre mi trasferisco in Giappone. Anch'io sono un batterista jazz and blues. Hai mai provato la tama club jam flyer? Se sì cosa ne pensi? Sono molto indeciso specialmente per il floor Tom di diametro 10x9. Grazie in anticipo 🙏.
Giovanni thanks for the message! Great you're moving to Japan. Where are you going to be living? I"m in the Kobe area. I haven't tried the Tama Club Jam Flyer. There are so many great compact kits out there now. Nice to have so many choices. The Pearl Midtown has worked so great for me. Let's stay in touch 🤙
Hi,
First of all, thanks for your passion about drum.
I am far from doing any kind of tuto/review on UA-cam so fellows like you save us shy drummers around the world :)
I own this kit since few years and feeling like it could be nice to add a second floor tom to gain more possibilities.
I play mostly in my small home studio, so space was one of my decision factor.
So I am not sure what dimension I should take for the second floor tom: 14"x14" or 16"x16" (both available on Pearl Export line with right dark red color).
Do you think the 14" would be too close to the current 13" ?
Should I forget the space saved and just take the 16" to have a clear sound separation from the 13" ?
Nol, thanks so much for your comment and great question! If I was you, I'd go for the 14-inch floor tom and tune it lower than the 13-inch. That would keep a nice balance of sound within the kit. I think since the bass drum is only 16-inches, a floor tom of the same diameter would be competing in sound with the bass drum.
Just my thoughts. Thanks for watching and taking the time to connect. Let me know which size you decide to use. 🤙
@@jazzdrumschool Don't know why but I completely forgot about the bass drum size !
I agree it makes sense to consider a different size then for the second floor tom.
Many thanks for your advice, I'll go for the 14".
My pleasure Nol! I love talking about drum gear. Anytime my friend🤙
@@jazzdrumschool
Hi,
I've just received the 14-inch floor tom (order took ages).
Export serie gears doesn't share the exact characteristics ... but using the same head and for this price I won't argue too much.
The result is a good compromise, with the right tune it has enough space between the 13-inch and the bass drum.
It gives a nice extra punch to this little drum kit.
Many thanks again.
What kind of playing heads are you using on your set for this video? The kit sounds great!
Thanks Don! I'm using Remo Fiberskyn heads. Ambassadors on the snare, floor and kick and a Diplomat on the rack tom. Here's the link to a review of the drum heads I use: ua-cam.com/video/B6Q_KZcQNWA/v-deo.html Keep swinging my friend🤙
Great video however I would take that floor Tom leg lug and put it in the bag with the screwdriver thus saves from removing heading from floor Tom altogether. My two cents. Love the simple explanation and links to everything you do and say.
Thanks Ron for the suggestion and for watching! Appreciate your kind words and I'm so glad the video was helpful. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
I’m 58,and I’ve owned multiple compact drum kits,with bass drums around 16 by 14,16 by 16,or 18 by 4,and they’ve all sounded pretty good. The issue I have is with the 10 inch rack & the 13 inch snare; they all sound so thin & 1 dimensional (the floor Tom’s all sounded pretty good,13 or 14inch. Do you rework your Bering edge? Change to die cast hoops,or polyurethane your shells to sound better??? I know heads make a huge difference- what combination do you use???
Thanks for watching and for sharing your experience! I haven't modified my drums in any way. The heads I like are Remo Fiberskyn or Evans Calftone heads because they open up the sound a lot on any sized drum I use them. Maybe try those heads even if you're playing rock. The 10" rack in particular will really sing. I've put an affiliate link below to the Evans heads. Thanks for your support and keep swinging my friend 🤙
Evans Calftone: amzn.to/3SygHo3
I have a midtown same color, I ended up triggering it with a 2 box module because I lived in a second floor condo. Gave it to my son and grandkids when I moved to Florida . I have another kit
Jeff, thanks for sharing and for watching mu video. That's an interesting idea. How was the vibration into the floor from playing hi-hat and bass drum? That seems to always be the ticker when playing drums on the 2nd or above floors.
Sounds like your son and grandkids will have some fun with it too! 🤙
@@jazzdrumschool I did a lot to help with the typical kick drum floor vibration problem. I put Roland Noise Eater pads understand kick and hi hat pedals and also the snare stand and floor tom legs. Also I used used soft e drum beaters from Drumtec, and everything went on top of exersize mats covered with carpet. It was restrictive anyway but necessary to keep playing, lol! I am three e kits in from that one
Thanks for sharing Jeff! Good to know how you tackled the vibration issue. Keep swinging!🤙
All kits are good these days
I agree Marc! The technology in drum manufacturing has really improved and there's a more consistency even in the low cost compact kits. I can only speak to the Pearl Midtown because I use it but many drummers here have also shared about their compact kits. Lucky we have so many choices! Keep swinging my friend 🤙
Hi Von, I’m 70 yrs old retired. I now have more time for drumming. Thanks for your great idea for using the bass drum leg to support your ride also how you connect the other cymbal. What other compact drums have you owned and played? Is poplar wood lighter than maple? Which wood is warmer?
Ted, thanks so much for the comment, questions and for watching! I'm glad the video was helpful. In the early 2000's I owned a Rick Marotta Hip Gig kit. I really tried to like it because of it's compactness. At the end of the day though, the kick sounded like a cannon and the toms and snare were really pretty thin.
I then wanted to buy a Manu Katché compact kit but they just got too ridiculously expensive. That's when I found the Pearl Midtown. Yes poplar wood is lighter than Maple and Maple definitely projects more with a warmer sound.
Still, the Midtown sounds great anywhere, anytime and because it's lighter, it's so much easier to transport. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
I've been drummin for a few years on school drum kits and crappy electronic kits, thinking it may be time to grab my own acoustic kit and this may be the one.
Thanks for the comment and for watching! You won't be disappointed. I love mine and use it all the time in my studio and take it to gigs. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
I know im late, but would these drums fit me for practice, gigging, maybe even recording sometimes in the future? Im looking for some special drum kit, yet not expensive and large. And if i could ask, is the hardware that comes with the kit a little lighter too?
Thanks for the questions and for watching! I use this drumset for everything you said. It's incredibly versatile and sounds great anytime and anywhere I play it. I created my own little hardware setup but the hardware that comes with the shell pack, looks lightweight.
If you will be driving to your gigs, I think it will be no problem. I was taking my kit on the train so it was important to make my hardware setup as compact and lightweight as possible. I hope that helps and keep swinging my friend 🤙
Hi, I thought you'd be the best person to ask about this. Do you know if normal tom heads will fit onto the bass drum? (regarding the bass drum hoop), or do I strictly have to go for 16inch bass drum heads only. Thanks
Scott great question and thanks for watching! I would go with a dedicated bass drum head. I believe the hoop is designed to fit with a bass drum hoop. Once I had a what I thought was an 18' bass drum head that kept slipping out of the wooden bass drum hoop. Turns out, it was a tom head and not a bass drum head. So, just to play it safe and not waste your money, go with a dedicated bass drum head. Hope that helps! Keep swinging my friend 🤙
@@jazzdrumschool Hi! Thanks for answering. Following on, I notice you have a G2 on your bass drum, do they have these with bass collars or is this a tom collar which fit on? Thanks again.
They have it with a kick drum collar and this is what I have. I'd recommend the kick drum version. It will probably work better but they seem hard to find.
Hi, i am considering buying pearl midtown, but i see different series, mt564 et mdt764, respective price 499 and 651, do you know the difference? ThankS
Thanks for the question and for watching! I just checked and can't see any difference. So, I would go for the cheaper one with the hardware included. Why not save money and get more gear?! I hope that helps and have fun swinging on your new kit my friend 🤙
im a novice drummer soon to be intermediate i want to go down the jazz path would you recommend this drum set for me? Bonus question! I can currently get the Zildjian special dry set cymbals for a good price do you think those are a good set of first cymbals for an aspiring jazz drummer? Or is this way too specialized a kit for a novice?
Thanks so much for watching and for your questions! There are a number of great kits out there. This kit is super and I also wrote an article about this you might enjoy: vonbaronmusic.com/best-drums-for-jazz/
Since I'm not endorsing any drum maker, I can freely share which kits from which brands I like best. All, I have personally played over the years.
I have the Special Dry 14" hats and love them. To me, it doesn't matter your skill level. Go with the cymbals that inspire you to play. Keep swinging my friend!
I'm preparing to purchase the Midtown. New drummer here, can you tell me which hihat, ride and crash cymbals you have in this video? Thank you!!
Katherine thanks for the comment and for watching! That's exciting! You really will enjoy the kit very much. I just built a new drum studio and my Pearl Midtown fits perfectly in there.
Regarding the cymbals, I’m using a 20” Zildjian Kerope on the right and an 18" Zildjian A Custom Fast Crash on the left. I’m also using mixed 14” hi-hats, Top: K Constantinople, Bottom: K Custom Dry
Here's a nice article I wrote about that Zildjian A Custom Fast Crash cymbal: vonbaronmusic.com/zildjian-a-custom-fast-crash/ It's not too expensive and oh so versatile. I hope that helps and please feel free to email me directly with any other questions vonbaron(at)jazzdrumschool.com
If you need any help with Jazz drumming, I hope to also see you at Jazz Drum School: jazzdrumschool.com/ Keep swinging my friend 🤙
@@jazzdrumschool Awesome, thank you! I'm interested in learning some basics and different styles and will check out Jazz Drum School!
@@jazzdrumschool awesome thank you! I'd like to look into learning different genres and styles of drumming and I do love Jazz and will check out Jazz Drum School, thanks!
Would the 10” Tom fit inside the 13” Tom? Since you’re opening up the floor Tom anyway?
David thanks for the question! Actually because of the suspension mount that comes standard, it doesn't fit. It might if I removed that but then I'd have to drill a hole in the drum. Thanks for watching my friend 🤙
Sounds much more high end than you'd think!
It really does yeah? It was one of the first astonishing things I discovered about this kit. Thanks for the comment and for watching. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
How does this compare to the Gretsch Brooklyn Micro kit? I know there is a big price difference but just wanted to ask compared to quality and sound.
Thanks for the question and for watching. In listening to videos with the Gretsch kit, I get the sense that the Midtown is a bit punchier and has a wider frequency range from the lows to the highs.
The Gretsch kit sounds great too. The quality of the build, I can’t speak to because I have not actually played one myself.
I think it all comes down to how you’ll use your kit. I use my Midtown for everything from straight ahead Jazz to Funk, Pop and even a little Hip-Hop.
If you’re looking for a versatile compact kit, I think the Pearl Midtown is super.
I hope that helps. Let me know what you decide on. Take care and keep swinging 🤙
Thanks very much for your input. The gretsch kit considering its price is expected to have much better build quality but I am glad that it is possible to achieve a great sound with midtowns. Do you know if the midtown kit has a better build quality compared to Pearl Roadshow drums?
Sorry for the delay! I'm sorry, I don't know about the build quality comparisons. Just know that the Pearl Midtown is kickin' Here's a recent video of it in action.ua-cam.com/users/shortsXW_P188Qh24?feature=share Swing on my friend!
Thanks for your feedback. Just wondering, what sizes are those cherry finish Yamahas behind you? Is it a bop kit?
Can you not replace the mount with a lower profile one so you don't have to remove it every time?
Thanks for watching and for the suggestion! I suppose I could but I'm so used to doing it that it's really no bother. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
That's great in certain situations, I try not to break down as much as possible. My goal is, from the time I park till I get into the venue, set up, mic'd up, cables and in ear set up to our rack in 30 minutes. Tare down in under 15min
Thanks for your comment and for watching! Yes, this kit needs a little extra time for set-up. If I'm in a rush, I can get it set up in about 10 minutes. Sounds like you've got some extra goodies you have to take care of so I can see that every minute counts.
What kind of music do you play that requires in-ear monitors?
@VON BARON DRUM LESSONS we play a bit of everything. All types of shows from casinos to private clubs. The in ears are a game changer for setup time and the sound man loves it! We're completely self sustained where we hand the sound man our tail he's ready to go. We also run our own pa for the shows that require that. Our whole show we set up in and soundcheck in an hour. Our best break down of the entire setup and loaded with checks in hand was 20 min.
@@jeffstumpf822 Holy moly! That sounds great! Yes, being in control of your own sound is super and really necessary. What in-ears do you use?
@@jazzdrumschool I use the Shure 846. We run a soundcraft ui24 for the ear rig. There are 4 of us so we can all run Stereo mixes which just makes it that much nicer! I use 2 different kits depending on needs so I have the Eq saved for each kit on the soundcraft. Its not always perfect but damn close.
Love it! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I'm gonna check out those in-ears. Share a link of your band too if you've got somethin'. I'd like to see you all in action.
If your budget is tight could you consider to buy a cheap drum set? I'm talking about unknown brands like Eastar model EDS-540. Bass Drum 16 inch, Rack tom 12 inch, Floor Tom 14 inch and Snare Drum 14 inch. Also includes one hihat stand and regular cymbal stand, taking in consideration for practice and gigs, not for recording (It is another story). I got a really good deal but not sure to take it.
Thanks for watching and for the detailed comment! It's great that we have many choices and it all comes down to what we like to hear. If you get that kit out on a gig, make a video and share it. I'd love to hear your drumming and how it sounds. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
I’m not a drummer … but always interested in have a decent quality drum kit around the house for top notch drummer who stop by … to record as well as to just jam with LIVE
Great! Sounds like fun. Keep swinging my friend 🤙
I went with a Whitney Penguin & don't have any of those problems.
Thanks for sharing. It's the first I've hear of that and just checked it out. Interesting kit. Got any videos of you playing it? I'd like to hear it in action.
@@jazzdrumschool Thank you for your reply. Don't get me wrong, please, Pearl has been making some of the finest drum kits are infact Theirs. I met JT Whitney at a drum show at the Remo factory for Jeff Hamilton. I'll check out your site too. It's nice to meet people with the same interests, have a nice day.
Hey Daniel! Thanks for the follow up comment! No problemo man. I'm always happy when drummers find the drums that make them swing. Keep swinging that kit my friend 🤙
@@jazzdrumschool You too, thank you for the reply, have a great day.
What drumheads are you use on this kit?
Thanks for watching an for the question! I'm using Remo Ambassador Fiberskyns. 🤙
@@jazzdrumschool thank you for your answer🙏 You make great materials and inspire me✋
Thanks so much my friend! I am pleased that I am able to help you with my UA-cam videos. If Please take a look at my online Jazz Drum School: jazzdrumschool.com/ and if you need some private lessons, I'd love to help you through Zoom. You can sign up here: vonbaron.setmore.com/? Many thanks again and keep swinging 🤙
Bro your bass drum is smaller than my floor tom
And it's all I need. Thanks for watching and commenting. Keep swinging 🤙
All that for compactness and still using a 14 snare?.....barbaric! ;)
(Sorry 13) (looks like a 14 compared to the small size of all the drums
🤣🤣Yeah that would be barbaric wouldn’t it! Nope, when I travel on trains with this kit, I use the 13” snare. It actually sounds pretty good considering the size. Thanks for watching and for the comment 🤙
I don't like anything mounted on my kick drums. You are the opposite and mount literally everything on your kick drum. Funny. Impressive package volume for transport. I also love small drums like the pearl.
Thanks for sharing about your setup! Yes, it's all out of necessity. When I record with this kit, I use dedicated cymbal stands and only mount the rack tom. How do you set up your rack tom(s)?
@@jazzdrumschool I either use a rack or mount it to a cymbal stand. But I do exclusively play self-build electronic drums so sizes of all drums vary wildly depending on the situation. On thing is a constant though: nothing gets mounted on the kick. I love to see approaches of other drummers since there are just so many options. Thanks for your reply. Cheers!
Very Tasty, and Great Hands. Thx for sharing. I’m 72 and need to “freeze dry” my whole kit. I’m “on call” with several bands and 2, more steady-ish.
I Play church organ also since age 15 ~~🤣🤣🤣🙏🙏🙏
Be Well, My Percussive Brother
Wow you are busier than a bear in a beehive! Thanks for sharing your experience!
At least your using the best hardware on the market (Yamaha), too bad it's not surrounding a Yamaha Bop Kit.
Thanks for the comment! So you have a Yamaha Bop Kit? Tell me more about it, I’d like to know your thoughts.