Drumset or Drumkit?

CCdrummer

Senior Member
Which do you use when referring to your drums? I always say "drumset". I always thought if you said "drumkit" or "the kit" you are just trying to sound cool.

Please chime in on this very important issue. ; )
 
People are very picky about drum semantics.

When I feel the need to put the word "drum" in the title I refer to it as a drum set. When I am talking to other drummers or guys in my band I will shorten it to "kit." But I would never call it a drum kit, makes it sound like a toy or something.
 
I think it's the very same thing with zero difference. I guess it's pure preference.
Being aware of both terms I would mix them up purely coincidentally.
 
i started off with drumset when i began playing 10 years ago and ended up with drum kit a few years back. but now i just call them "the kit"
 
I sometimes find myself saying or typing kit,but to me,it's a drum set,bass drum,snare,mounted tom,floor tom,and cymbals.

The bass drum was never "kicked" like some think it was.It was always played with a beater,and the snare drum was played with sticks,which is why there were usually 2-3 drummers in an orchestra pit...till the bass drum pedal came along.

So the term " kick" drum,was used erroniously by recording engineers,to differenciate the bass drum mic,(labeled kick)from the bass guitar mic,labeled "bass".

Sorry for the off topic,but it's kind of OT.

Steve B
 
I call it a trap set if there are a lot of percussive elements

I call it a drum set if the shells are the same and a drum set if it is a mix of different brands

I call E-drums pads
 
If I am talking, I just say drums. Adding set or kit to the verbal just seems a bit odd to me. "Hey, nice drums!" or "My drums are Pearl Wood-Fiberglass".

Typing, on the other hand, adding kit or set seems rather natural. "That kit in the picture is pretty" or "What drumset is the BEST for disco"?

I never use trap. To me a trap is something set to entangle someone or something.
 
for years it was my drum set. one guitar player used to say to me " your kit" and it always bugged me. now it seem like i only say kit. its the same thing, i think its British though to say kit. I saw a documentary on the royal horse guard and they talked about cleaning their kit. It was their gear really, helmets, breast plates, boots etc. but they said kit. so drum gear would be a kit i guess? Andy lives near england somewhere under a bridge in the wind chime district, maybe he knows!
 
I call it a "kit" if I'm talking to a musician, or "drums" if I'm talking to anyone else.
 
i think its British though to say kit.

Yes, I think it is. I don't think I'd even heard the term "drum set" until I came on here. And I'd certainly never heard "trap" until just now.
 
Like most people here, I would just say "the kit" as well.
Is it just me or does drum set just sound too formal?
 
"Trap set" is old school.
I just call it a kit. As in, "nice kit".
More people will know what you mean if you say "drumset" although proper spelling is "drum set" (two words).
If listing for sale on craigslist, just say "drums".
 
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