Drum risers come in a variety of sizes, heights, and materials to suit your needs. Most drummers don’t have their own riser because the venue usually provides one. It’s best to choose a drum riser with a lightly carpeted surface to prevent unwanted movement of the drum set. When deciding on the best riser for a given situation, take into account your budget, the size of the venue, and the size of your drum set.
Drum risers for smaller, lighter drums start at around $350 US Dollars (USD). Professional drum risers can cost upwards of $2,500 USD. Consumers can save a lot of money purchasing used risers, but shipping them is difficult and expensive. Drum risers are usually divided into four, six, or eight pieces for smaller models. Cases are occasionally included in the purchase price.
Second, before purchasing a drum riser, consider the size of the venue or performance area. Three basic factors determine which drum riser is best for a given room: ceiling height, floor space, and storage space. Lightweight, four- or five-piece portable risers are ideal for smaller venues.
Drum risers are rarely found in bars and restaurants with limited space for bands. Tables are cleared later in the evening if they do, to make room for a band and a drum riser. From the audience’s perspective, even elevating the drum set 6 inches (15 cm) can provide significant sound reinforcement and visual enhancement. Sound resonance is built into even the most inexpensive drum risers, which improves the sound of the drums. The tone of the kick and low toms can be taken away hard, concrete floors.
Drum risers with 10 to 12 pieces are a good choice for larger concert halls. Other instrumentalists can accompany the drummer on the riser, making this a good choice for larger bands. These risers are usually over 100 square feet (9 square meters) in size and over 24 inches (61 cm) tall.
Consider a drum riser with wheels for each set if there are multiple acts with multiple drum sets performing on the same night. Because the drums are already set up on the riser and can be quickly maneuvered into place, quick transition times between acts are possible. Unless there is a risk of flooding, drum risers are not required in practice spaces.
Even the smaller four-piece models can easily accommodate a five-piece drum set. Consider purchasing a six- to eight-piece drum set for larger drum sets. Drum racks and cymbal stands increase the width of the drum set, necessitating the use of additional drum riser pieces.