Andrea
There is no clear answer when deciding which musical instrument is best to play. Some people might gravitate towards the guitar because of its popularity, while others may prefer the drums because of their energetic sound. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and what you want to get out of your music-making experience. The guitar vs. drums question has been asked time and time again.
While there is no definitive answer, there are certainly some pros and cons to both instruments that can help you make your decision. If you’re looking for a new instrument to learn how to play, then we have some good news for you. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on an expensive guitar or drum set to start playing. So, which one should you choose? Let’s look at some of the most important factors to consider.
Key Factors to Consider
Drums
Cost
The cost of a drum kit varies greatly depending on the brand, model, size, and accessories. The kits include kick drums, snare drums, and toms. The average price ranges from $500-$1,000. If you’re interested in purchasing a complete drum set, expect to pay between $2,000-$3,000.
However, if you plan on buying individual pieces, such as cymbals, snare drum heads, etc., expect to pay anywhere from $100-$300 per piece. You’ll also need to purchase additional equipment necessary to practice with your new drum set, like stands, pedals, microphones, headphones, etc. Acoustic drums tend to be more affordable than electronic drums.
Loudness
You measure the loudness of your drums in decibels (dB). A typical drum set produces around 100 dB. Therefore, a drummer who practices on a low-quality drum set will only be able to hear about 60% of the notes he plays.
Conversely, a drummer practicing on a high-quality drum set will be able to hear up to 120% of his notes. It means that they will hear more notes, allowing him to develop better technique and timing.
Also, when choosing a drum set, you’ll want to keep in mind the quality of the sound produced by each drum. For example, a high-quality drum set will have a rich, full sound with crisp highs and deep lows. On the other hand, a low-quality drum set will be thin sounding with a lack of bass response. You won’t hear the nuances of the different sounds within your song.
Portability
A drum set is typically too large to fit into a car trunk. As a result, many musicians opt to use portable drum sets instead. Portable drum kits come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. Small drum kits weigh less than 15 pounds and easily fit inside a backpack.
Medium ones weigh between 16 and 25 pounds and can usually be carried under one arm, while the large kits weigh over 25 pounds and require two people to carry them. You can always go with a larger drum set if portability isn’t a concern.
The demand of the Field
To become a professional musician, you’ll need to perform live on stage. In this case, having a sturdy drum set is essential. Drummers often stand on top of their drum set and bang away for hours on end. As a result, drum sets must withstand extreme pressure without breaking.
Typically, drum sets are made of wood, steel, or Aluminum. Wood drum sets tend to be the least durable, but they are also the cheapest option. Steel drum sets are much stronger than wooden ones, but they are also significantly expensive. On their part, Aluminum drum sets are the strongest and most durable but extremely heavy.
If you plan on performing live, then you’ll want to invest in a drum set that has the following features:
• Sturdy construction
• Durable finish
• Easy to assemble
• Good range of percussion instruments
• Great value
Complexity
The complexity of a drum set depends on the number of parts required to assemble it. More complex drum sets require more skills to assemble and maintain. They are also heavier and louder. In addition, these kits require more maintenance since they contain many moving parts.
On the other hand, simple drum sets are easier to assemble and maintain. Although they aren’t as loud, they still provide a great deal of versatility. Also, they tend to be lighter and smaller.
Guitar
Cost
The cost range for guitars depends on the type of guitar you buy. Entry-level instruments for both acoustic and electric guitars start under $200. High-end guitars can run upwards of $10,000.
For a price of under $1000 you can find stage-worthy electric and acoustic guitars that offer extremely high value for the money.
Moreover, you’ll also need a stand, guitar amps, microphone, cables, etc. As such, the total cost of a guitar will vary significantly. However, it’s safe to say that a beginner guitar costs much less than a professional guitar. If you’re not sure what kind of guitar you’d like to get, check out our guide on the best guitars for beginners.
Loudness
As mentioned above, loudness is measured using decibel levels. An entry-level acoustic guitar produces around 90 dB. It means that a guitarist practicing this type of guitar will hear about 80% of his notes. On the other hand, an electric guitar produces around 110 dB. The guitarist playing this instrument will hear all of his notes. Some electric guitars are capable of producing up to 140 dB.
If you’re looking for a louder guitar, you might consider getting a higher-end model. These guitars tend to produce around 130 dB or even higher. With these instruments, you’ll be able to hear up to 150% of your notes.
Portability
If portability is essential, you should look for a smaller-sized guitar. Entry-level models are usually around 12 inches long. Electric guitars are generally bigger than acoustic guitars. They can measure anywhere from 14 inches to 18 inches long. The longer length allows you to play chords without having to bend down.
A portable guitar will allow you to take it along wherever you go. You can practice in the park, on a bus, or even at home. Additionally, if you’re going to school, you can bring your guitar with you so that you don’t have to worry about lugging it around.
The demand of the Field
Acoustic guitars are most popular among students learning how to play the guitar. And while they’re great for beginners, they aren’t useful for advanced players. Electric guitars are more versatile because they offer a wider variety of tones. It makes them ideal for both beginning and experienced musicians.
However, if you want to learn how to play the guitar, you might want to first invest in an acoustic guitar. That’s because these guitars don’t require an amp.
Complexity
Both acoustic and electric guitars typically have six strings, but they can have more, like twelve-string guitars. If you stick with an acoustic guitar, you’ll have to pick between a classical guitar or steel string acoustic guitar. The main difference between the two is size, design, and string-type (nylon or steel string).
If you’re going to read music and learn classical techniques with a teacher, you will want to pick a classical guitar. If you want to be a songwriter, go with a steel-string.
Guitar vs Drums Difficulty
If you want to be a musician, it pays to learn how to play the drums and read drum notation. But if you don’t have much experience with drums, some things can make drumming difficult for beginners.
The first thing that makes playing the drums difficult is using your hands to play them. Other musical instruments that require hand movement are guitars.
The second reason playing drums is more challenging than guitars is that they require more coordination and agility. You need to know when to hit the cymbals, snare, or kick drum. Moreover, you are required to keep track of the location of different parts of the kit at any given time.
In addition, drummers often have to perform while standing up. That means that their feet must stay on the floor. If you’re not used to this, it will take some practice before you get the hang of it.
Drumming is more complex than playing the guitar because drummers have to work out complex rhythms. They have to figure out what beat to play during each measure. It’s something that most guitar players don’t have to worry about. Because guitarists only have to focus on one note, they can easily improvise a new riff without overthinking the rhythm.
But drummers have to pay attention to both the notes and the timing. So they have to spend a lot of time practicing to develop an ear for music. However, if you decide between choosing a guitar or drums, you should probably stick with the guitar.
There are a couple of reasons why the guitar is easier to master. First, it has fewer strings than a drum set does. Secondly, it doesn’t have as many moving parts.
How to Record Drums and Guitar at the Same Time?
You need to record each instrument individually and mix them later to make a sound recording. The reason is that it’s challenging to reproduce specific frequencies accurately in a live setting; the room acoustics and how loud or quiet different instruments are can cause problems such as feedback or ringing tones.
However, there is increasing interest in capturing the whole band live to capture the live energy. In this case, you may want to consider using an audio interface that allows the simultaneous recording of multiple inputs.
You’ll also need to be careful about which microphones you use for drums and guitars. If your drummer uses a kick drum mic, you won’t get any of their snare sounds. Likewise, if you use a guitar amp with a built-in microphone, you won’t pick up other instruments.
The most common type of drum kit consists of four bass drums (also called tom drums), two-floor toms, one hi-hat cymbal, three crash cymbals, and one ride cymbal. A typical set will include:
- A single rack tom.
- A double-headed floor tom.
- A single-headed floor tom.
- Two single-headed rack toms.
- A single-headed bass drum.
- A pair of hi-hats.
- A couple of crashes.
- A couple of rides.
Some kits have additional percussion items, such as timbales, cowbells, shakers, chimes, tambourines, gongs, and woodblocks.
The first thing to do is to buy a cheap mic stand. It doesn’t matter what brand or model it is. But it should be something sturdy and long enough to hold a couple of mics. Then, invest in some decent headphones. These don’t have to be expensive, but they should be comfortable and offer excellent sound quality.
Finally, get yourself a small mixer like the Zoom H4n or a similar device. The best way to start is to try recording just the drums. Start by finding a song that has a simple beat and practice playing along with it on your own. Once you feel confident, add in the vocals and other instruments.
Conclusion: Drums or Guitar, Which Instrument is Best to Play?
The right instrument drums or guitar is purely a personal preference. Both instruments provide significant benefits, but only one can help you succeed as a musician.
If you’re serious about learning how to play the guitar, I’d recommend starting with it. But if you’re looking to become a professional musician, you should learn to play the drums. It’s because drummers earn much higher wages than guitarists. They also tend to work more hours per week.
Drums guitar lessons are available from various online sources. Some of these websites offer free trial periods so you can see whether you enjoy the classes before you commit to paying money.
If you’re new to music production, you might not know where to begin when it comes to choosing the right software. Whether you’re just getting started or you’re looking to upgrade your current setup, our guide should help you find the perfect piece of software for your needs.
