SIZE, WEIGHT, SOUND, WOOD, and USE are the elements to consider first.  During my many years of helping of people find the right drum for them, I have discovered this process to be very personal for them, and myself as well. No two people approach their selection from the same angle. You may know your drum the instant you see it, or it may take some hours to connect with just the right one. I do hold the sincerest belief that each drum is either created to fulfill a connection with someone seeking it, or a connection is created with one or more people when it is made. After that, it is just a matter helping them find each other. That is what we are here for. Just as each drummer is on a journey, so too does each drum take it’s song where it is called. Drums do far more than make music. They bring people together, and move them toward being one. It truly can become a sacred journey, if you so choose. Think of the drums as little brothers and sisters, and follow them to where they play.