
Can you imagine how life as a performing drummer without music stands would be? If your answer is challenging and disconcerting, then we’re on the same page. However, it is not enough to own a music stand. You have to choose one that works for you as a drummer. This is why we’ve come up with this article on the best music stands for drummers.
There is no doubt that music stands are a critical part of any orchestra and even in practice rooms. They allow you to look at your music sheets without having to turn them ever so often. Indeed, music stands have been saving lives since, well, forever. However, you have to make sure that your stand is well suited to the instrument you play.
While almost any music stand will work for most instrumentalists, the stakes are much higher for a drummer. After all, you cannot exactly rearrange your drumset to be compatible with a wayward music stand. Therefore, you must have a stand that you can quickly move into your preferred position when drumming.
Understandably, you’re probably wondering how do I pick a music stand that’s perfect for drummers? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered. We’ve done our homework and created a comprehensive list of five of the best music stands for drummers. This way, you can streamline your choices to only the top-of-the-line options.
But before we dive into this list, let us first examine the criteria we used to choose our top five music stands for drummers.
Buyer’s Guide: Factors That May Influence Your Choice of Music Stands
As a drummer, there are certain variables you must consider when choosing a music stand. Here are some of these factors:
Portability
We cannot overstress how important this point is. Your music stand’s portability is essential, depending on where you use it and whether you’ll need to move it.
If you travel regularly and like to take your stand with you, it may be best to choose a more portable option. Indeed, foldable models make for more convenient handling and transportation.
Stability
Here is another factor you need to put into consideration when choosing a music stand. Can the product hold your music sheet or book without teetering? Does it have a stable support column and base?
All these are questions you must ask yourself before buying a music stand. Of course, we don’t have to tell you about the importance of a stable music stand. That said, we generally don’t recommend buying wireframe music stands as they’re usually not the best in terms of stability.
Flexibility
As a drummer, you undoubtedly want to be comfortable while you play. Well, the wrong music stand can quickly make this a distant dream. This is where the flexibility of your music stand comes into play. A flexible stand is one that is easily adjustable such that it meets your needs perfectly.
As such, you want a product with an adjustable height and a bookplate you can tilt. This way, you can strike a comfortable balance between playing your drums and glancing at the sheets.
Durability
The last deciding factor on our list of the best music stands for drummers is durability. Indeed, you don’t want to go through music stands as fast as you change your drumsticks.
Therefore, you want to invest in a stand that will last a relatively long period. Don’t worry. All the music stands on our list are the products of high-quality materials and superior finish. With proper care, they should last you ages.
Most Recommended Music Stands For Drummers
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Here is our selection of the best music stands for drummers in no particular order.
1) Manhasset Drummer Hi-Hat Stand (53DH)
First on our list is the Manhasset Drummer Hi-Hat Stand. As the name implies, the makers of the 53DH stand specifically had drummers in mind during the design stage. In other words, drummers and other percussionists can place the stand in an optimum position for performance — right above the hi-hat cymbals.
However, if you favour different placements, the stand works just as well in those positions.
The Manhasset Drummer Hi-Hat Stand features a full-size desk alongside a dual-clamp/dual-swivel mounting mechanism. This allows you to get your music sheet closer without blocking your audience’s view of your performance.
One critical advantage of this stand is that it offers you the option of a more expansive desk. The 53DWH has a four-score desk, which gives you the ultimate experience of a multi-sheet spread.
2) Manhasset 53D Drummer Music Stand
This is another music stand for drummers that is certainly worth mentioning. Also, from the makers of the 53DH, the 53D has a full desk with the perk of being more portable.
Furthermore, it features a 16-inch chrome shaft, which attaches at multiple angles. The stand also has a unique twist – a multi-clamp. In other words, you can secure your music stand to any of your toms without taking up floor space.
The Manhasset 53D Drummer Music Stand is a perfect fit for drummers at all levels. It does not matter if you’re a student or instructor. The 53D stand is a convenient and efficient choice. It even offers an unhindered view of the conductor for jazz drummers in big bands.
As a bonus, you can attach this stand to other peripherals, say a microphone stand. So, you get a fully functional music stand for the price of one!
3) Manhasset Music Stand (48TA)
This is another music stand that is quite popular amongst drummers. The 48TA Manhasset music stand features a rugged and ribbed aluminum body, which makes it more durable.
But don’t that fool you. The music stand is lightweight and extremely portable. Another point worthy of note is that the stand has a black baked-on and textured finish, virtually ensuring its colour does not chip.
The Manhasset 48TA music stand has reliable brass bearings alongside a grease-free heavy-duty inner shaft and the innovative counterbalanced ‘magic finger touch.’
This ensures you can maintain a one-handed grip on the stand. Besides, its automatic un-knobbed friction-tilt neck secures your sheet plate at any tilt position even with a heavy load of music.
Finally, the 48TA features a steel, heavy-gauge welded base, which ensures excellent stability while on stage.
4) PARTYSAVING Orchestra Sheet Music Stand (APL1359)
For our last, but in no way the least, option, we have the PARTYSAVING Orchestra Sheet Music Stand. The most distinguishing feature of this music stand is that it has spring extension arms on the side of its desk.
This ensures that your sheets stay in place and don’t turn over while you play. Furthermore, there are holes in its backplate, which reduce the stand’s overall weight without compromising its durability.
In addition, the PARTYSAVING Orchestra Sheet Music Stand has adjustable knobs on its support. This allows you to reset the stand to whatever height you deem comfortable. Concerning its adjustable height, the PARTYSAVING music stand has a height range between 21.5 and 48.5 inches.
Finally, the APL1359 music stand has wide supporting legs, which make it very stable. The feet also have rubber soles, which ensure that stand does slide about the place on slippery floors.
5) GLEAM Sheet Music Stand
Next on the best music stands for drummers, we have the GLEAM Sheet Music Stand. If you’re looking for the perfect combination of durability, comfort and portability, this is your guy.
The GLEAM has a metallic body that ensures you’ll enjoy it for ages to come. Furthermore, it has a very flexible design, which allows you to adjust the stand to your preferred height. Indeed, this music stand can go from 35 to 55 inches, which makes it perfect for drummers.
Moreover, the GLEAM Sheet Music Stand is also very portable. It has a convenient collapsible structure that enables easy storage and transportation. Let’s not forget that the stand also comes with its portable bag.
Besides, the adjustable-height is not its only area of flexibility. The GLEAM also has a tiltable tray with an allowance of up to 180 degrees!
Wrap Up
A music stand is an invaluable piece of equipment for the performing musician. Therefore, as a drummer, you have to choose a stand that suits your needs in efficiency and comfort. Hopefully, this article on the best music stands for drummers has been able to point you in the right direction. Remember, a music stand is an investment in your music career. So, choose wisely!
Ryan says
I purchased Simple Song and 80s Rock for beginning drummers to learn. Some of the sheet music is 3 to 5 pages. How do you do that on a music stand or flip page and keep playing? I’m missing something here.