10 Key Items That Every Working Drummer Should Have! 

Quick resume here for ya'll : 1:30 A drum key 2:47 Pack of dampeners (moongel for example) 3:55 Extra cymbal stand parts 4:59 Drum rug 6:09 Chewable antacids 7:10 Mini to 1/4 adapter or adapter cable 8:16 Hand towel for the stage 9:08 Metronome app 10:14 Versatile phone / cam mount 11:30 Last but not least.. Mystery item ! 12:45 Honorable mention : power bar Be blessed y'all ! Nice work Rob, you're the best !

Having the cymbal sleeves, etc. in a bag is clutch. One tip i thought up years back was to have a couple of rubber door wedges in your bag. Helps to keep the kick in place if you've forgotten your rug.

Fan!!! People break my balls about having a fan. In fact, in summer I bring TWO! My go-to statement is: "I always being my biggest fan." Good to know, I got that, plus covered. Thx Rob.

I totally bring every bit of those items! Also a few extra some might not even think about? 1. Water! You play better when properly hydrated! 2. Small Gatorade - after the gig replenish your electrolytes so you’re not soar in the morning! 3. Tylenol and Ibuprofen - best pain reliever ever! 4. Gaffers Tape - so many uses, so little time, and it doesn’t leave a sticky residue! 5. Waterproof medical tape - great for bandaging up those blisters or knuckle you banged on the rim! 6. Sports tape - never know when you might get some kind of soreness or stiffness? Little bit of this tape in the right spots can help you make it through the night! Those are my additional essentials to the ten Rob listed!

Before hitting the stage, grab a bottle of water... I’ve definitely been burned on this

Cymbal stand parts. Thank you my brother! Testify! I can't count how many times I've seen drummers giving advice on You Tube and there's no felts or nuts on their cymbal stands. Instant judgement but I've been doing this for 32 years and I'm allowed by now.

"You should be 100% comfortable 100% of the time." - Rob Brown 2018 (referring to performing) I have lived by these words ever since.

Rob Brown doesn't need a fan. He was born cool.

Lol... that’s my gig bag..... but one tiny thing is different.... my drum teacher told me back in 1997.... nail clippers..... before a show always clip or trim your hand and toe nails.... at least a day or two before.... you will have a better connection with the pedals and sticks... try it... been doing it since.

Killer tips brother. A good 35 years and never played a gig without an extra snare batter head, and and extra bass drum batter head, in my cases.👍🏼🇨🇦

Good tip, pick up a 4x6 rug and drill a couple small holes thru it for your bass drum legs so it’ll never creep. Also you can mark up the rug where your stands go and use the rug as a template for a fast and consistent set up.

Very good advice, besides the fan I also have those things on me for gigs. Only thing I would add: Gaffer tape!!

One item I always bring is a portable lamp to make sure I can see the set list. And a small set of tools that I may need for a drum repair. Oh, and a set of heads in a big cymbal bag.

I'm glad to know that I've taken each of these things to my gigs, including the exact same fan. I haven't always taken everything every time, and I use a gopro and tripod instead of my phone, but I pretty much have everything mentioned. I'd like to include earplugs. I never leave my home without them, even if I'm not playing. I usually have a pair or two of drumsticks in my backpack as well.

#10 all day! One of the best purchases I've ever made as well! I even stepped it up a notch and bought a mini industrial fan that blows a ton of air on low setting, runs quiet, and takes up the same floorspace as the fan you show in this video. Playing outdoor gigs in the sweltering hot and humid Oklahoma summers can be dangerous if you're not careful. Hydrate, shade, and bring your fan. You'll be ok. #MaximumThumpification

Been a drummer since 1963 and this is good advice. I use Imodium instead of Tums due to recurring stomach issues. Only thing I don't use is the camera mount because I don't need a social media presence at this point. I do use headphones instead of ear buds to protect my hearing.

Im not a working drummer, but i still take most that stuff every where im playing. I use rennies instead of tums, and i dont have a fan, but im glad i got most of those. Makes me feel like im on the same page as the pros. 👍

Spot on. I couldn't have made a better list. Just want to add to the tums part... Also carry Imodium. You never know when you'll need it.

I definitely like to have a small toolkit: screwdrivers, adjustable pliers. hex wrenches, etc., for any part on my kit that can't be adjusted with a drum key.

Always know where your towel is! Did the Beatdown actually go "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" on us?

Absolutely the fan. Been using one for the last 30 yrs.

tama iron cobras have a slot on the slave pedal for their hammer key. all 4 of my pedals have that key on em, but there's still one in the tool box, the cymbal bag, and the stick bag. moon gels are in the stick bag too. extra felts, washers, etc. in the tool box, 5 kits, 5 rugs customized, one for each. tylenol, excederine, and other pills in the stick bag. i get to be lucky enough to be the sound guy for my band, so all the adapters and wiring are packed with the PA. the towel is something i havent thought about, but i keep kleenex. metronome app on both my old phone i use as a mini tablet and my actual phone. phone mount and cameras are now on the list. and now so is a fan.. might i add a multi tool, some pliers and a flat and phillips screwdriver, a spare hihat clutch, and an extra kick beater. there's probably more i have in my little gig toolbox but that's what comes to mind.

Don't forget your stick bag with extra stick and brush. we could use chopsticks but not too loud playing. great video thanks beatdown bobby brown!

A fan oh yes! A must! Especially for the drummer on the fluffy side like myself !

Great video! I might add - 1. sharpie for set lists, etc. 2. multi-tool with flat & phillips screw driver, knife etc. 3. snare cord and/or grossgrain ribbon to attach snares 4. sunscreen & bug spray for outdoor gigs 5. notepad for set lists, chart a tune, etc. 6. an extra snare head, or better yet, extra snare 7. a big tarp that will cover your kit for those outdoor surprises!

Excellent advice and list. May I suggest spraying your personal emergency items, felts, wingnuts etc with a squirt of fluorescent orange or other bright paint so you remember they're yours after the gig!

Oh Boy did I laugh when you pulled up the TUMS! I live on those but never thought to bring them to the gig. Thanks Rob.

One thing that a good idea is to bring your spare snare. Two extras I bring are a roll of hockey tape, not electrical tape, hockey stick tape. If your hands are sweating and your sticks are slippery, a small piece wrapped around your stick will make sure you don't drop it. Second thing is ibuprofen in with the tums. Ever get a headache right before a gig? Not fun. I recommend half tabs, half liquid gels. Take one of each and your headache is gone in under 20 minutes.

Hey bro, you always have the best advice!!!!! I have everything you described but two other things I think are important to carry are a small bottle of baby powder, to dry my hands, and a tarp to put over the drums in case of rain!!! Thanks for all you do and remember..... you always have a fan..... it’s me!!!!

O dude! I love this channel. Fans are my favorite thing in the world. No joke. I have the exact same fan blowing in my face right now. Haha. Amazing.

Hi Rob, ....spare bass drum spring , I had a gig, spring broke and I had to beg elastic bands to put around the beater, then around the stool (if you get me)! since then I have always carried a spare spring,and another pedal, (a cheapo) just to get through the gig, Doing a gig with no bass drum is no fun !!! Love the videos mate

A roll of gaffer tape (duct tape to those across the pond!) and an old snare or tom head cut from the rim to be used as a patch on the kick drum in the event of the beater going through the head has saved me on more than one occasion as a drummer and as a sound engineer. It's been a full on gig saver, not just for myself but for other bands on the bill. It's cheap as chips as well. I always carry those things with me.

A treasure trove of goodies. Thanks Rob!!

Great video as always. Agree 100% on the fan! Got one after decades of playing hot and I can't believe it took me so long to wise up.

Check out Glenn Fricker's drummer toolbox video too. I'm using a tackle box for my drum supplies but yeah a basic school bag for fan etc might be a good idea too.

Great post.....The fan particularly could literally be a life saver.

Dope hair.... Laughed so hard! Cheers Rob

Dude, your videos are great! I can't agree more with everything you mentioned in this video!! Having been a local drummer in my area for over 20+ years and doing some traveling, you learn what to keep with you at all times. I've played out of state at gigs and on a house drum kit and seen so many missing parts such as missing cymbal felts and wing nuts as you mentioned, drum heads totally messed up, snare stand ready to fall over...haha!! I myself have learned what to bring with me at ALL gigs (and you mentioned some of them also).....A drum rug/piece of carpet...cymbal stand parts...a small fan....bottles of water....snacks(gum, energy bar, etc)....extra drum heads(especially snare)...band aids( how many times have we smacked our finger on the rim and had blood going everywhere!! ha!!)....plenty of drumsticks....kick pedal(most house kits don't have them, but if they do, you might not like it)....I've purchased a rolling cart to load my drums on and hopefully make just 1 trip to load everything in. I've done gigs where you have to park and then walk forever to the stage...ugghh. Hopefully some of these ideas help!!

Gaff tape, band-aids or first-aid tape, lightning cord & charger, portable charger, leatherman wingman or similar, music stand light, advil and pepto are some of the new things I added.......and now a fan. Thanks Rob! ps: I'll need a suitcase pretty soon for all this stuff.

Amazing video class Rob! Love it!!

Brilliant! I remember asking you a couple of months ago about spares and you answered but this video is above and beyond! Can’t live without a fan, I also bring micropore tape if I feel a blister coming on, plus ALWAYS musicians earplugs (if not using in-ears). Save your hearing! Top quality content as always - thank you Rob 👏

Very good hints! Thanks, Bob!

You are always my go to channel for drums Rob. Love it man thanks 🙏

Hahahaha hell yeah with the drum key I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dig pliers out of my car at the last minute

Bang on. All mandatory items, because if you don't have them? YEAH. THAT feeling. One thing I always included in my hardware bag at all times was a small tool kit. Needle nose pliers, small vise grips, a few wrenches (and I would advise buying ratchet wrenches), a small hammer, a small collection of screwdrivers and assortment of screws/washers/nuts/bolts, flashlight...and a multi-tool as well/anyway. A small separate bag just for a basic tool kit. You can contain all of these items in a baseball cap, so a very small cloth bag will contain it all in one neat, compact package. You can tear down and rebuild your entire kit and all hardware down with this simple, inexpensive handful of tools - AND latex GLOVES. Hope some think this is useful. Has been to me, every time I've needed it. PEACE!!

Thanks for sharing this video because it does make you think about what you need on stage

9 out of 10! Tums, never thought about it. I usually drink club soda. But it's awesome to know I am validated in what I carry in prep. Also a small tool kit. An 11 in 1 driver and crescent wrench juz in case.

Brother Rob! I thank the Lord that I found you!!! Your videos have greatly inspired me to push me to practice harder than I ever have before!!! We have a fishing channel but I'll be releasing a drum video tomorrow! It would be an honor and a blessing if you could check it out!! God bless you my drumming Brother!! ☝️

I carry an extra set of drum heads for each of my drums, just in case.

Awesome list Rob - makes sooo much sense. Especially the fan :) been there!

Great advice, thank you!

Leatherman has come in handy for me

I always bring my No.1 my faithful little FAN..

You rock brother! I need to get a set of felts. And in ears. My present band is old school with stage moniters. The phone holder very cool! thanks for the tips!

Great vid man! 3 other items, all of which I’ve given to other musicians to get through a gig. 1st a multi-tool. Having one has saved my night and more than one guitar player’s. 2nd is a small roll of gaffer’s tape. 3rd are bandaids. Bleeding all over yourself and your drums is totally preventable. Keep up the killer info! 🤘

Awesome video, as always man! I was surprised you didn't mention sticks in your backpack. But maybe those are hard to forget.

Hey I have never needed any antacid after junk food before but I always carry head ache tablets. If the house subs are pumping loud and you are not the first band. They come in handy. 🐢

Great content as always bro! I pretty much bring everything with me, except for the phone mount and the fan. Oooh i laughed so hard at the fan, didn't see that coming! 😂

The list is real! I'm glad I have all those things. I suggest bringing a pencil with a good eraser if you have a rehearsal and need take notes on charts. Great advice Rob!

Good stuff Rob have most of all those things

I have in my gig bag: Burn cream, asprin, sunblock, tums, no doze, cheap sunglasses.

Great Video. I'm with you on almost everything. I will add the fan and a Phone/Cam mount. I also carry a few mic and speaker cables with adapters as well as a small tool kit. Thanks bro. for the in site. Oh, Tums or alka seltzer is going in my bag. lol

Amen Rob! Don't forget along with the tums.. Tylenol or some kind of pain relief :) I Always travel with my little personal pharmacy LOL

Don’t forget Imodium for the dreaded “gig butt.”(For those of us who get nervous no matter what the gig is.)

Great video bro!

HAHA! Tums! Me too....! Been there, done that...

Great tutorial Rob! I have all but in ear monitors..most of the gigs I play they provide a monitor by my side..but I do need to invest in some just in case..you just reminded me ..i need some more moon gels!😁👍🇨🇱🥁🥁

Very good video! Congrats

Hi all, great content as ever. Do you mind if I jump in with another suggestion? A gigging tool kit with a few items such as an adjustable spanner, a pair of pliers, a cross-head and flat blade screwdriver and some superglue. I manage to fit this into a small section of my hardware pull-along sled and wow, has it saved my backside a few times. Not to mention when the guitarist needs pliers and snips when changing strings or when hardware decides to prank you ten minutes before performance. Oh, and of course, duct tape. The things you learn, eh! Cheers, Pete

As always, great stuff! You are the best drum educator I’ve found. There are other good ones for sure (c’mon Harry Miree - you are hilarious!) but only one can be best. Question: what are the black blocks behind your rack Tom mounts? Triggers?

One question Rob: does "in your eyes" by Peter Gabriel and " you cant hurry love" by Phil Collins count as gospel?

I use my own brand of ‘rumble filter’ but those antacids take care of making the right noise at the right time. S’pose the main idea is a bit of zen, thinking what you may need for those ‘if **it happens’ moments.

Tums... Amen. great idea.

I have the same Honeywell as that and its always in my van.

drum key on key chain saved my ass many times! good one.

EXTRA STICKS!!!!!! A few pairs! If you don't suffer from breakage or a runaway, there's always 'the collectors'.

Brilliant vid Rob, never laughed so much during a drum tutorial! All good stuff though and thanks for the heads-up about Tempo - yes it is available on Android. Cheers :)

Ear buds are definitely a big one. I always use them at gigs, just to stay on the safe side. :)

I've tried all sorts of metronome apps, and the one I use the most is Soundbrenner. It's a very solid, basic, free app. For more advanced features (polyrhythms, songs, etc.), I have Tempo Advance and PolyNome. I used to prefer the latter, until they rewrote it and made everyone pay for it a second time, and changed the interface to one I consider to be slow, cumbersome, and unintuitive, as they overloaded it with features (a metronome does not need an inbox!). Tempo Advance has a weird interface, but it isn't difficult, just...different. Unfortunately, the last update to Soundbrenner now makes it crash upon launch. Hopefully they'll sort it out quickly.

Moon Gel and stick Bag , x2 phone for click Track

Thanks a lot for you chill and inspiring lessons! Do you do paid form checks for self taught drummers?

Make sure your "cymbal parts bag", item nr. 3, contains a hi hat seat! Hi hat stands without a seat are a nightmare, hi hats will swing all over the place. Have encountered many seatless hi hat stands despite limited experience.

Great advice Rob. Are you gonna do another Worship drummer video? What would be a good snare drum for worship music? I'm thinking about getting a new snare.

We need part 2

Ear plugs!! They could save your entire musical career. When you show up to play a loud gig, and for whatever reason it ends up wayyy louder on stage than you were expecting (guitar player goes a bit crazy, or you find the drum fill is screaming at you) you’ll be glad you have a pair of ear plugs to hand. Get the mildly expensive “musician” ones that let a bit of high frequency thru, so you can still hear what you’re doing. Though even foam plugs are better than no plugs. You can also wear a pair of in-ears not connected to anything. Seriously. It only takes one super-loud show to leave you in a very bad place if you don’t have ear plugs handy. You’re welcome.

Hahaha a fan!! Yes! You are the bomb! Thank you!! Hey Rob, this is a bit off-topic but how do you get SoundCue? I can’t find it! I have an IPhone but can’t find the app!

The bubble guts! Hahahahaha Great vid man.

A good deodorant, essential if you're hanging around after your set. No one wants to stand next to Mr Stinky!!!

What drum bag do you use to carry all this?

The only thing I have to add is the phone mount, I carry everything else you mentioned! I’d also add some Tylenol or aspirin for when that headache or wrist pain kicks in 😉.

A bring your Keys and Extra gears , Sticks , moon Gel , water Extra Cymbals Felt and stands also Snare x2 just in case your Snare Breaks , Drums Heads Mics stands Extra ever thing 4x

“A Long Time”. Hahaha. Your soul may be old, but your corpus is just starting out...Thanks for the good stuff!

What about a snare drum? I’m a beginner and haven’t played a single gig yet, but I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to bring your own snare drum, even if the venue’s got their own drum kit, no?

Im no working drummer yet but damn i clicked faster than light

Dope hair! Legend...

Bubble Guts....how long until we get that on your next round of hoodies?

What kind of phone mounts would anyone recommend

Add: 1 Roadie; 2 Substitutes; 3, 4, or 5 Groupies Rock & Roll!!! :D :D :D

Holy crap, I got 9 out of 10.

Hi Rob, what is the brand of drum key you have? It’s really cool looking.