Drums

Drum kits

During his time in The Beatles, Ringo Starr played six different drum kits.

1. Premier Mahogany Duroplastic drum kit, the one Ringo used during The Beatles' first recording sessions. It contained a 8" x 12" Tom, 16" x 16" Floor Tom, 14" x 20" Bass Drum, 4" x 14" Snare Drum, and three cymbals.
2. Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl "Downbeat" drum kit. Ringo's first Ludwig kit was purchased from Drum City in London and was actually delivered to Alpha Television Studios in Aston, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. The Beatles were making their first appearance as headliners on Thank Your Lucky Stars. Ringo last used his Premier kit during the rehearsal of this show and used his new Ludwig kit for the performance. It contained 8 x 12" Tom, 14" x 14" Floor Tom, 14" x 20" Bass Drum, 5.5" x 14" Snare Drum, Chrome Over Brass (COB) rims, and three cymbals.
3. 2nd Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl drum kit. A 3-piece Ludwig Downbeat (mini) oyster black pearl kit was purchased from Manny's Music Store in Manhattan in NYC just prior to The Beatles' first Ed Sullivan Show performance on February 9, 1964. Ringo brought from England his Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl snare drum, his cymbals and a new Beatles drum head.
4. Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl "Super Classic" drum kit. This kit was used most widely by Ringo during tours and recording sessions since May 1964. It also shows up in countless photo opp's and promotional movies such as: Hello, Goodbye, I am the Walrus, Hey Jude Revolution and many more. It contained 9" x 13" Tom, 16" x 16" Floor Tom, 14" x 22" Bass Drum, 5.5" x 14" Snare Drum, and two cymbals.
5. 2nd Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl drrum kit. Acquired just prior to August 13, 1965, right before the US tour, it appears to be used only in that tour.
6. Ludwig Maple "Hollywood" drum kit. Manufactured in 1967 and purchased in late 1968, this kit was used on Let It Be and Abbey Road. Ringo also used this kit when he performed with George Harrison at the Concert For Bangladesh, for B.B. King Live in London and for recording of Choose Love album. It contained 8" x 12" Tom, 9" x 13" Tom, 16" x 16" Floor Tom, 14" x 22" Bass Drum, 5.5" x 14" Snare Drum, and four cymbals. It also had Chrome Over Brass (COB) rims.

List of musicians who played drums in The Beatles' songs

Ringo Starr

A Day in the Life A Hard Day's Night A Taste of Honey Act Naturally Ain't Nothing Shakin All I've Got to Do All My Loving All Together Now All You Need Is Love And Your Bird Can Sing Anna (Go to Him) Another Girl Any Time at All Ask Me Why Baby It's You Baby You're a Rich Man Baby's in Black Bad Boy Be-Bop-A-Lula Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! Bésame Mucho Birthday Blue Jay Way Boys Can't Buy Me Love Carry That Weight Chains Come Together Cry Baby Cry Day Tripper Devil in Her Heart Dig a Pony Dig It Dizzy Miss Lizzy Do You Want to Know a Secret Doctor Robert Don't Bother Me Don't Let Me Down Don't Pass Me By Drive My Car Eight Days a Week Every Little Thing Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby Falling in Love Again Fixing a Hole Flying For No One For You Blue From Me to You Get Back Getting Better Girl Glass Onion Golden Slumbers Good Day Sunshine Good Morning Good Morning Got to Get You into My Life Hallelujah, I Love Her So Happiness Is a Warm Gun Hello, Goodbye Help! Helter Skelter Here Comes the Sun Here, There and Everywhere Hey Bulldog Hey Jude Hippy Hippy Shake

Hold Me Tight Honey Don't Honey Pie I am the Walrus I Call Your Name I Don't Want to Spoil the Party I Feel Fine I Me Mine I Need You I Remember You I Saw Her Standing There I Should Have Known Better I Wanna Be Your Man I Want to Hold Your Hand I Want to Tell You I Want You (She's So Heavy) I Will I'll Be Back I'll Cry Instead I'll Get You I'm a Loser I'm Down I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) I'm Happy Just to Dance with You I'm Looking Through You I'm Only Sleeping I'm So Tired I've Got a Feeling I've Just Seen a Face If I Fell If I Needed Someone In My Life It Won't Be Long It's All Too Much It's Only Love Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand Lady Madonna Lend Me Your Comb Let It Be Little Child Little Queenie Long, Long, Long Long Tall Sally Love Me Do Lovely Rita Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds Maggie Mae Magical Mystery Tour Matchbox Maxwell's Silver Hammer Mean Mr. Mustard Michelle Misery Money (That's What I Want) Mr. Moonlight No Reply Not a Second Time Nowhere Man Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da Octopus's Garden Oh! Darling Old Brown Shoe One After 909 Only a Northern Song Paperback Writer Penny Lane Please Mister Postman Please Please Me Polythene Pam

Rain Red Sails in the Sunset Revolution 1 Rock and Roll Music Rocky Raccoon Roll Over Beethoven Run for Your Life Savoy Truffle Sexy Sadie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) She Came in Through the Bathroom Window She Loves You She Said She Said She's a Woman Sheila Shimmy Shake Sie Liebt Dich Slow Down Something Strawberry Fields Forever Sun King Sweet Little Sixteen Talkin' 'bout You Taxman Tell Me What You See Tell Me Why Thank You Girl The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill The End The Night Before The Word There's a Place Things We Said Today Think for Yourself This Boy Ticket to Ride Till There Was You To Know Her Is to Love Her Tomorrow Never Knows Twist and Shout Two of Us Wait We Can Work It Out What Goes On What You're Doing When I Get Home When I'm Sixty-Four Where Have You Been All My Life While My Guitar Gently Weeps With a Little Help from My Friends Words of Love Yellow Submarine Yer Blues Yes It Is You Can't Do That You Know My Name (Look Up the Number) You Like Me Too Much You Never Give Me Your Money You Really Got a Hold on Me You Won't See Me You're Going to Lose That Girl Your Feet's Too Big Your Mother Should Know

• Percussion on numerous other tracks

Pete Best

• Ain't She Sweet
• Bésame Mucho
• Cry for a Shadow
• Crying, Waiting, Hoping
• Hello Little Girl
• Like Dreamers Do
• Love Me Do
• Memphis, Tennessee
• Money (That's What I Want)
• My Bonnie
• Nobody's Child
• Searchin'
• September in the Rain
• The Sheik of Araby
• Sure to Fall (in Love With You)
• Sweet Georgia Brown
• Take Good Care of My Baby
• Take out Some Insurance on Me Baby (If You Love Me Baby)
• The Saints (When the Saints Go Marching in)
• Three Cool Cats
• Till There Was You
• To Know Her Is to Love Her
• Why

Paul McCartney

• Back in the USSR
• Dear Prudence
• Martha My Dear
• The Ballad of John and Yoko
• Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
• Wild Honey Pie
• Percussion on numerous other tracks

John Lennon

• Back in the USSR
• Percussion on numerous other tracks

George Harrison

• Back in the USSR
• Percussion on a handful other tracks

Andy White

• Love Me Do
• P.S. I Love You
• Please Please Me

Colin Hanton

• In Spite of All the Danger
• That'll Be the Day

Session musicians

• The Long and Winding Road