The snare is positioned between your knees when sitting at the kit.

Snare drums are usually 14 inches in diameter. They are also available in 10, 12 & 13 inch varieities. The depth can vary from 2 1/2 inches for a piccolo snare to 14 inches deep for a marching drum. The most common depth is 4 to 6 inches.

The snare drum was first used in marching bands. It was also known as the side drum because it was carried to the side of the drummer. Also used in orchestras, the snare drum is an integeral part of the drum kit in modern music and has been since the drum kit originated in the early 20th century.

It is called a snare drum due to the snare wires on the bottom which give the snare it's distinctive sound. There is a lever on the side of most snare drums that will switch the snare wires on and off.

Also known these days as a kick drum. The kick drum is placed on the floor and is struck by pushing the pedal with your foot. There are usually spikes (also called spurs) attached on each side to prevent it from sliding forward. Commonly available sizes are 18 to 24 inches in diameter and 14 to 20 inches deep.

Bass drums often have a hole in the front skin. This is to let more sound out and also for putting a microphone inside when recording or playing live. Kick drums often have some sort of muffling placed inside the drum to prevent excessive resonance. Placing a pillow or towel inside the drum touching both front and back skins is a great muffling tool.

Generally, most drummers play with one single pedal. Pedals are attached to the front hoop of the drum with a clamp. When the pedal is pressed the beater swings forward and strikes the drum.

Some players, especially heavy metal drummers, use double pedals so both feet can control pedals for greater speed and power.

Originally drummers used two bass drums for this purpose and some still do. It looks great but can be a rather expensive and space consuming way to play kick drums with both feet.

These drums are often just called toms. They come in two common varieties, mounted toms and floor toms. Sizes can vary from 6 inches to 18 inches. Depths can also vary from 6 to 18 inches.

Mounted toms are usually mounted on the bass drum.

Sometimes toms are mounted on stands for greater flexibility of positioning and better resonance for both the toms and the bass drum.

Floor toms usually have 3 legs and sit on the floor. The sizes vary from 14 to 20 inches in diameter and depth.

Ride cymbals are the biggest ones as they range from 18 to 24 inches in diameter. They are great for Jazz and come in all sorts of thicknesses and styles.

These are the cymbals you hit when a band kicks in or explodes, or to give subtle emphasis with swells. They range in sizes from 14 to 22 inches. There are many varieties, shapes, thicknesses, weights and colors.

Hi-hats are two cymbals attached together on a stand. The top cymbal is attached to a spike which is controlled by the foot pedal. The hi-hats make sound by pushing the pedal (usually with your left foot) or being hit with the sticks. Hi-hats originated from orchestras and marching bands where they used two cymbals clashed together. The correct position for the hi-hats is when one cymbal is floating above the other with your foot off the pedal. It is a rather simple process to get the cymbals like this. Push the pedal down with your foot about an inch (2-3 cms). If it doesn't go down, loosen the wing nut on the top. Once your foot is down, then tighten the wing nut at the top. Hi-hats come is sizes from 12 to 15 inches and also come in various of thicknesses and style.