What are current trends that you like?

PorkPieGuy

PorkPieGuy

Platinum Member
I know that I am very quick to judge just about anything. We've talked about various drum trends that weren't exactly favorable or products that we thought were silly, unnecessary, etc. I thought it would be cool to name 2-3 drum trends or things that you see in the drumming community that you like or appreciate. Instead of just jotting down a list of 20 things, try to step back and think of just the 2-3 top trends you see that you like or appreciate. In addition, I think internet forums and videos are almost too obvious, unless it's a specific site, YouTube channel, etc. you'd like to mention (Of course, DW is the best of all!).

Here are my top three trends I really enjoy and appreciate:

1. Cheap drums are soooo much better than they used to be. It's almost sickening to go back and look to see what certain kits cost back in the 70s, 80s, and even 90s, then adjust the dollar amounts for inflation. We have so many great choices now that won't break the bank.

2. Choices, choices, choices! I remember walking into the local music store (that was an hour away) to pick out my first drum set. In my budget, I could have gotten a set of Tama Rockstars, Pearl Exports, or Ludwig Rockers. That was it. I chose the Tama drums, but these were my choices. Now, instead of having three, I have hundreds I could pick from. I paid $900 for my 5-piece kit, and it came with hardware (kick drum pedal, hi-hat stand, and a straight stand). Adjusted for inflation (from Google), $900 then is worth over $1500 now. I went to Musician's Friend an did a search for drum sets between the prices of $500-$1500. How many different drum sets are available? 160...and just about each set comes in a plethora of colors. Granted, a lot of these don't come with snare drums and almost none of them come with any hardware, but still...these choices are incredible.

I think these are my top two. I'll have to think about a third.

How about you? What are the top 2-3 things that are going well in the world of drumming right now?
 
Due in large part to your two trends, I’ll list the robustness of the used market.

In person, there’s Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Online, there’s Reverb, eBay, GC, Sam Ash and MusicGoRound off the top of my head that all feature a wide selection of used gear.

On top of that, there’s this forum and others that house an immense amount of information to help make decisions on value/quality/pricing.
 
Drum cams. It's nice to be able to see what the drummer is actually doing as opposed to just hearing it. In my world of go fast drumming, it makes things so much easier to be able to figure out. It helps a lot with learning new techniques/ideas also.
 
This whole trend of helpful online communities and free advice, learning videos, and materials is like, way cool.

Didn't have this growing up. I can't help but feel like people getting into things today have a much shorter learning curve than we did back in the "good ol' days".
 
Greater variety of bass drum sizes. It used to be that almost everyone played a 22", but now you can find pretty much any size you could conceivably want and it makes a big difference to the sound of the kit.
 
1.Custom builders using a vast array of exotic woods, easily accessible via the web. Growing up our only choice was between cheap plywood drums or expensive plywood drums.

2. Youtube. Such a resource!
 
1. I love that jazz kits are becoming more commonplace in a lot of rock n' roll and pop situations.
2. There was a trend that I felt really peaked from 2016-mid 2010 that favored SUPER dark and complex cymbals. I appreciate that this is starting to mellow out but am stoked that it has really pushed companies to produce some wacky and fun stuff for us all to buy.
3. Social media has allowed some private drum shops and companies to explode in the last decade and it's awesome to see success coming to some really good people that pour their heart into their products and customers.
4. I love the J-Dilla inspired hip-hop jazz. Chris Daddy Dave, Questlove, and the like have really pushed some cool rhythmic stuff into jazz that I would have never expected to hear going into the 2010's.
 
More companies are offering the traditional 14" deep bass drum again, hopefully that's not a trend!

A more minimalistic approach that appeals to gigging players. Cymbal companies have followed suit and started offering bigger multi-purpose cymbals
 
I agree with online helpful communities. I wish I was a kid and had all this knowledge at my finger tips.

Lightweight hardware. I have no need to strain my back gigging.

experimental looks and innovation in the snare departments at most companies.
 
Ultralight hardware
Seeing more 16” depth and shallower bass drums ( I hate bass drums longer than 18” deep ).
Smaller, Portable kits and nesting kits getting accepted more .
 
Seems like there’s a trend towards bigger crash cymbals lately. Like 19” and up.

I also like the whole putting wacky stuff on your drums/cymbals for added effects. Sizzle chains, ching rings, string of jingle bells, etc.

The burgeoning of small independent shops leaning towards vintage sounds and design.

Also waaaay glad about light weight hardware.

Man that’s pretty much all gear related. If we’re talking trends in PLAYING I miiight be hearing a but more swing and shuffle derived approach these days but might be wrong. Don’t listen to a lot of pop music so small sample size and all.
 
Your #1 pick is mine also, though I'd include mid-range kit prices as well.

I like the dry cymbals trend for two reasons; the sound of course, but generally the music that's being played with them. Seems like genres from R&B to metal are being played with more accents, syncopation, displacement, etc, and dry cymbals are perfect for that.
 
Mustion said:
Shallower toms and lighter weight hardware. Trends that are pragmatic...
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Jojo Mayer said in an interview that "drum manufacturers are not here to help the gigging drummers" - I wonder how many companies heard that internally growled at Jojo? I think it's true. In the quest for stable everything, gear got bigger and stands got heavier, but none of it helps the guy out gigging two or three nights a week. It's nice to see lighter options slowly finding its way to market. Yamaha's Crosstown stuff, and other light headwater (even if they just appear to be light), it all helps the gigging drummer. So that's a great trend.
 
I agree with the cost versus quality of mid level/entry level kits. I am pretty jealous of some of the kits my students get to start on versus the CB700's and Cosmic Percussion stuff of the past...
 
Bo Eder said:
Jojo Mayer said in an interview that "drum manufacturers are not here to help the gigging drummers" - I wonder how many companies heard that internally growled at Jojo? I think it's true. In the quest for stable everything, gear got bigger and stands got heavier, but none of it helps the guy out gigging two or three nights a week. It's nice to see lighter options slowly finding its way to market. Yamaha's Crosstown stuff, and other light headwater (even if they just appear to be light), it all helps the gigging drummer. So that's a great trend.
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More than Jojo I think the market has gotten older and/or more realistic about not having a team of roadies to carry around one's gear. Probably the same reason that bass amps seem to get smaller and smaller...
 
Mustion said:
More than Jojo I think the market has gotten older and/or more realistic about not having a team of roadies to carry around one's gear. Probably the same reason that bass amps seem to get smaller and smaller...
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Where Ampeg and their B15 bass amp lived for decades! It'll interesting to walk around NAMM and actively seek out little bass amps. I'll bet they'll be all over the place!
 
Bo Eder said:
Where Ampeg and their B15 bass amp lived for decades! It'll interesting to walk around NAMM and actively seek out little bass amps. I'll bet they'll be all over the place!
Click to expand...

oh man...the "Death Cabinet" as we used to call them...
 
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