US SECTOR FOCUS: Drums and Percussion

Based on this month’s survey – sent out to over 450 MI retailers, globally – electronic drums & percussion represent a fairly static market segment in 2015.

While more participants indicated sales of these instruments were up this year than down or level (almost 38 percent), it was hardly a slam-dunk.

Trends that were frequently reported include the appeal of these types of drums to younger, intermediate players and the increased prevalence of hybrid (acoustic and electronic) drum kits, across all skill levels and ages.

Additionally, the “quiet factor” continues to be a selling point for electronic drums & percussion, appealing to apartment-dwellers, parents, and others who just can’t have (or don’t want) the volume that comes along with traditional, acoustic kits.

Overall, these instruments seem to be serving an ever-growing number of needs as technology evolves and price-points drop. As Anthony Mantova of Eureka, California’s Mantova’s Music notes: “Electronic drums meet so many different needs, such as keeping the neighbors happy, maintaining controllable volumes in church, and the ease of folding up for storage.  Those benefits span all age groups.”

Compared to this time in 2014, sales of electronic drums & percussion for your store are:

Up: 37.7%

Down: 30.3%

Level: 32%

“Electronic drum sales are up, but acoustic drum sales are way down.”

Chad Clausen

Brass Bell Music Store

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

“It’s a diminishing focus for us.”

Shane Kinney

Drum Center of Portsmouth

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

“Drums had a rough time in 2014, but this year sales are way up! We hand-built a great drum display that holds up to 16 drum kits, and subsequently drummers have chosen us as the place to go.”

Anthony Mantova

Mantova’s Two Street Music

Eureka, California

What’s the breakdown, percentage-wise, of total drum sales for your operation?

100 percent acoustic: 17%

100 percent electronic: 0.3%

100 percent hybrid: 1.7%

Close to an even split, across the board: 16.4%

Mostly acoustic: 55.7%

Mostly electronic: 8.5%

Mostly hybrid: .4%

“Even with most high-end [electronic] sets you can’t get a natural cymbal sound.”

Dan Patterson

Roger’s Pawn & Music

Fort Payne, Alabama

With respect to these types of instruments, what price points are doing best for your store?

Low-end: 42.3%

Intermediate: 50%

High-end: 7.7%

“The $500 to $1,800 price range is our best seller. Over $3,000 kits are selling at shops that avoid MAP pricing, local sales tax, and [offer] free shipping. Not paying sales tax on an over $3K item saves money!”

George Sigler

Ritchie’s Music Center

Rockaway, New Jersey

What brands of electronic drums and percussion instruments are the strongest sellers for your operation in 2015?

Roland: 60%

Alesis: 4%

Yamaha: 56%

Zildjian: 12%

Korg: 2%

Akai: 1%

Pearl: 9%

2Box: 4%

KAT Percussion: 12%

NFUZD: 2%

ddrum: 4%

Behringer: 8%

Pintech: 4%

“Other” 16% (The most commonly cited “other” brands were, in order: Tama, GIG, Percussion Plus, and Ludwig)

Can you describe the typical customer who purchases electronic drums at your store (age, ability level, et cetera)?

“Extremely mixed, from children to teenagers, to young/older adults – Usually hobbyists.”

Greg Allen

Long Island Drum Center of Nyack

Nyack, New York

“Parents that want to have the headphone hookup and low volume.”

Kurt Gilbert

The Hill Music Co., Inc.

Casper, Wyoming

“Church worship groups, apartment residents, and intermediate drummers who already own an acoustic kit. Ages vary.”

Steve Barone

World of Music

Erie, Pennsylvania

“Many parents buying a first kit for their children.”

Ronn Marriott

Long and McQuade Musical Instruments

Windsor, Ontario

Canada

“Beginners, or intermediate – 20-45.”

Mark Fullerton

Ted Brown Music

Yakima, Washington

“Younger age – 23-28 – Intermediate level of drums.”

George Copeland

North Channel Music

Elliot Lake, Ontario

Canada

“12-50 years old – novice,  intermediate, and semi professional.”

Rob Wilson

Footes Music

London

England

What larger trends have you been noticing in the electronic drums & percussion market?

“We are starting to see an increase in drum set sales, electronic and acoustic, and the price ranges move higher. Signs of an improving economy.”

Mike Guillot

Mississippi Music, Inc.

Flowood, Mississippi

“More church and school sales.”

Terry Nirva

Leithold Music

La Crosse, Wisconsin

“[There are] more percussion students now that they can have quieter drum kits to practice on at home.”

Kathryn Irving

Sound of Music

Abbotsford, British Columbia

Canada

“On a down cycle. Seems like every other year is decent on electronic kits.”

Eric Burgess

Alpha Music

Virginia Beach, Virginia

“Interest in accessory items to augment acoustics. This could be a larger market, but current prices are too high.”

Justin Hoppe

Cadence Music

Rochester, New York

“More hybrid setups are being used, adding a pad or two to the acoustic set seems to be a growing trend.”

Adam York

The Music Store, Inc.

Tulsa, Oklahoma