Knowing When To Let Go of Your Gear

You’re not going to use the same drum set your entire life. In fact, the more experience you develop through playing, the easier it is for you to branch out and experiment with new drums and gear sets. Let’s say you have a collection of cymbals — the first set of cymbals you purchased. You used them for over a year and then, let’s say you bought yourself a new, more expensive set of cymbals once you felt you had enough introductory knowledge. That first set of cymbals was your introduction to this new instrument, but now that you’re developing experience, you don’t necessarily need them anymore. What do you do now?

You could put that set of cymbals in a closet and let them collect dust, holding onto them for purely sentimental value. But that set of cymbals you learned on could be put to use somewhere else, helping another up-and-coming drummer hone his percussion skills. Holding into these cymbals with no intention to use them is not only selfish, but it does no favors to the cymbals, which must be practiced in order to be making their optimal sounds. Don’t hold onto your gear for purely sentimental value — give it away or sell it so that someone else can get the most out of it.