Drummers: setting up your kit

[bosk1]

I know that a lot of how you set up your kit is completely 100% subjective.  But is there such thing as a sort of a "standard" setup?  I just have mine set up in the way that seems to make the most sense and feels most comfortable for me, and I'm fine with that, but where I'm deviating from the "norm," I would at least like to know I am doing so. 

FYI, in terms of my core pieces, I do have my instruments set up in the standard rock/metal configuration.  It's a 5-piece kit with 2 rack toms and a floor tom.  Hi-hit is to my left.  Crash is to my front left.  Ride is to my right over the floor tom.  As far as my other stuff, that's where I really have no idea if there is a "standard" or not and just have it set the way that feels the most practical for my playing.  Cowbell is on a bass-drum mount, so it is just to the right of my snare, in between the two rack toms.  I have a china to the right of my ride and a small splash to the left of it.  I want to add a second crash, and will put it where the splash currently is, and then plan to move the splash more toward the left-center of the kit next to the existing crash.  The second crash will likely have a slightly lower tone than the existing one.  I am assuming that for similar types of cymbals, if there is a standard, it is to set them up so that, playing from left to right, the tone goes from higher to lower just as it does with the toms.  But I have no idea whether that is true or not.  Anyhow, anything anyone can contribute would be helpful.

[Adami]

But seriously, this is my ideal set up for a 5 piece. It's how I have my Tama set up.

[bosk1]

  The pictures did not load the first time I opened the thread, so I only got red x's.  But I was pretty sure I knew what the top pic was going to be.

For the bottom one, it's not as easy to tell what everyting is in terms of his cymbals.  So, facing the kit, he's obviously got two crashes on either side of the rack toms and the ride to the left.  Looks like he's got a china to the far left, tilted toward him.  But there's some other stuff back there as well.  So, some questions about that setup:

What is the cymbal to the far right?  I that a third crash?  And for the crashes, where people have more than one, are they typcially different sizes/tones, or the same?  For instance, for the two right up front on his kit, they look like they might possibly both be the same size (looks like about a 16?).  Would that be typical, or would you have different ones?  If different, do you set them up from highest tone to lowest like I asked in the first post, or differently?

So, by comparison, my 10" splash is about where his crash is on the left.  When I pick up a second crash, I plan to put it there and move the splash over to a little to the right of where his small cymbal is.

[Adami]

My only suggestion is juste experiment. Try lots of different things until it's comfortable. I mean Bobby Jzambrekdjsd whatever has to crashes BEHIND him. You really can do whatever you want.


But as far crashes go. I have a 19 to my right, an 18 to my left, a 16 in the middle. My chinas are to my far right and well, you know where the ride is.

It totally depends on the music you play, I play a lot of rock, so I make sure the crash to my right is big and thick soundign so I can hold a heavy beat on it.


But like I said, it's better you not know "the norm" and just try crazy things until it's comfortable, that's what matters most.

[bosk1]

But like I said, it's better you not know "the norm" and just try crazy things until it's comfortable, that's what matters most.

  That's what I've been doing for the past year or so since I started, so I guess I'm on the right track.  I love my 16" crash, but had planned to go for a larger one when I add the next one.  Of course, I'll experiment with a few before I buy and see what sounds/feels like something I want.  But, conceptually, what is the difference between a "rock crash" and a "[no modifier in front] crash?"

[Adami]

Some crashes are thicker, brighter, more sustain, less sustain, they all vary.


What kind brand are you using? I only use Sabian, so my knowledge of models outside of that is limited. However no 2 cymbals are the same. Even if you have 2 that are the same brand, same model, same size same everything....they'll sound different. Make sure to test every one before you buy it, and make sure they have a return policy so you can test it out on your kit before you commit.

[bosk1]

I use Zildjian.  I'm not necessarily exclusively committed to them, but I like them.  Most of mine are the ZBT line, which is their bargain line.  So, of course, I'm not getting the quality of a real professional-grade set.  But they sound good, are durable enough for my playing style, and the price is right given that I only play them in my garage or the occasioal jams with friends.

But like I said, I'm not committed to playing those exclusively.  If something else sounds good and fits the budget, I'm all over it. 

Oh, I should add that the crash, china, and splash are ZBT's.  The hi-hats and ride (actually, it's a crash/ride) are the "Planet Z" line, which I think is Zildjian's beginner, bargain-basement line.  They came with the kit from the guys I bought it from on Craigslist.  I'm not crazy about the tone from either of those, and I plan to eventually replace them.  For now, they're fine because I care more about just learning how to play (keep proper time, play good beats, and hit the instruments consistently) than about having my "ideal tone" for every instrument in the kit.  But some day, I'd like to have some nicer hi-hats and a much better ride.  I guess I can still keep the crash/ride in a different position at that point.  I'll use it a lot less.  But the more stuff you have available to hit, the more fun it is to play, in my limited experience. 

[SystematicThought]

I just got a drumset for Christmas and I am having the hardest time trying to get the rack toms in a comfortable position. Yes, they're mounted on the bass drum. Any suggestions on how those should be angled?

[jeebustrain]

back when I was first starting (in the early 90s), i used to experiment all the time with different setups (sometimes one a week). I used to just model them after any drummer I'd see with an interesting looking setup (Scott Rockenfield, Dave Weckl, Kenny Aronoff, Jimmy Chamberlin, Neil Peart, etc...). Sometimes I'd put stuff up randomly just to see what I could come up with. When I started to amass more cymbals, I really got into Terry Bozzio and started incorporating all kinds of ideas (stacks, bells, toms below the hihat, etc...). Kenny Aronoff and Billy Cobham got me down the path of putting my toms "backwards" (which was that way for a LONG time).

I'd say, don't be afraid to experiment and don't worry about what anyone else says about your setup.

This is what I'm rocking at the moment.

[scoutmasterdave]

I play an electronic kit (Hart pads, Roland brain and cymbals), but here is my setup:



Hi-hats are centered and driven by a Pearl remote stand (ala Danny Carey), and the pedal is to the left of the left double-bass pedal.  Toms are left-to-right high-to-low.

I love it - very compact, minimizes all unnecessary motion.  Now if only I didn't totally suck....

[The Letter M]

It's all really based on personal preference and, after a lot of shifting and experimentation, what you feel is comfortable for you, and not just in terms of where things are placed and angled, but how things sounds once you get it all in place.

When I first had my whole set together, I had it something like this:
https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v153/MarkyMarc/Taye%20Drumset%202003/
This gallery shows some of the varying set-ups I had with my drums as I tried to figure out what I liked. There's a bit of Phil Collins/Chester Thompson in there, as well as a bit of Carter Beauford (with the vertical left-side ride cymbal). I also tried out a tom-tom configuration that reflected the set-up that Drum Corps Tenors players use (having been a marching band geek, I was fascinated by drumline aesthetics and the set-up was fun to play on, almost a bit Bill Bruford-y).

Then the following year, I found more comfort in the standard, current Neil Peart set-up:
https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v153/MarkyMarc/Taye%20Drumset%202004/
With the toms positioned this way, I was able to cover some of Neil's current drum parts (as well as learning and transcribing "Limbo" on drums). That set-up seemed to be a natural evolution from the previous one, just shifting the toms a bit, raising the top two, moving my 14" rack tom to a floor-tom position, and adjusting the cymbals accordingly.

I pretty much kept that same set-up for the majority of 2004 and all of 2005. Then part-way through 2006, I tried out the classic 70's Peart set-up:
https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v153/MarkyMarc/Taye%20Drumset%202006/
Having a whole set of concert toms made this fun, and doing 8-tom runs is just fun to do, especially covering Rush songs! However, I eventually switched back to the Modern Peart set-up, but with some variations from the previous set-up, like using my two highest concert toms placed above the two highest tom-toms, allowing me to do 8-tom runs.
https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v153/MarkyMarc/Taye%20Drumset%202007/

Then in 2008, just as my father's music store was closing, I decided to set-up EVERYTHING I had at my disposal (and would eventually keep, at my dad's allowance), and so I birthed this "monster" that is based on Mike Portnoy's set-up, for the most part, with the tom-toms. I also made it so I could play an alternate kit on the left side (using the left-bass on my right-foot and using a snare and hi-hat on the far left). I also used this set-up for my Senior Recital a few months later.
https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v153/MarkyMarc/Taye%20Drumset%202008/

Like I said - setting up your drums is as unique as who you are. Set them up many different ways to discovering things about your playing as you learn how to play, and you may discovering unique ways of doing things.

Also - you guys must know one thing: I am not right-handed! I write with my left hand, yet I learned how to play drums right handed (I also play right-handed traditional grip). I can also play left handed a bit, and play open-handed, rather than the standard cross-handed. But my ambidextrous drumming is no where NEAR the skill that some great/famous drummers have, but I'm working on it by doing grooves/patterns right-handed, then switching it to left-handed every few measures/phrases. It helps limb independence, which I have a bit of, but still would like to work on a lot more.

-Marc.

[bosk1]

Like I said - setting up your drums is as unique as who you are. Set them up many different ways to discovering things about your playing as you learn how to play, and you may discovering unique ways of doing things.

I see.  So if I should set them up in a way that truly reflects how I play, I should set them up so that they suck. 

But, yeah, I see what you are saying.  And I'm not afraid to break convention.  I just wanted to know whether there are conventions in the first place. 

[The Letter M]

Like I said - setting up your drums is as unique as who you are. Set them up many different ways to discovering things about your playing as you learn how to play, and you may discovering unique ways of doing things.

I see.  So if I should set them up in a way that truly reflects how I play, I should set them up so that they suck. 

But, yeah, I see what you are saying.  And I'm not afraid to break convention.  I just wanted to know whether there are conventions in the first place. 

Well of course there are standards - like with any "band" instrument, particularly guitar, you have standard tunings, but there are also alternate tunings. For drums, your first post seems about "standard" as far as a 5-piece kit goes, with a couple crashes, a ride, a splash and hi-hats. There's not TOO much you can do, except the placement of cymbals. If you have other stands you can hang the toms/tom-arms off from, you can move the toms around so you have have one on the bass drum and two on your right, in a double floor-tom configuration. Or you can move your two rack-toms in front of your snare so the 2nd rack tom is where your 1st one was. This set-up works well if you have a double-bass pedal as it centers your feet around the snare and the toms around the snare above it.

As for setting up cymbals, that's whatever you want. Matching tones to reflect the descending tone of toms is ONE thing you can do, but it's also important to place them based on where you play most, meaning if your right hand likes to crash a lot, put a GOOD sounding crash that can take a lot of hits on your right, usually above your ride cymbal. Doesn't have to be the higher one, or the lower one, just the one you like most. It's about frequency of use as much as tone and placement. On my big set-up, I place Splash cymbals in certain places where I know I use them most, so I put the better sounding ones in the spots I'm more likely to hit.

Also, you can change your ride cymbal placement based on what's more comfortable for you. For the "standard" set up, I found that the ride was too far for me, so I usually move the toms over (as I said above); take out the 2nd tom (over the bass drum), which brings it a lot closer, a lot of jazz drummers set up this way; or put the ride cymbal ABOVE the 2nd tom using a boom-arm cymbal stand. It raises your arm a bit more, but it can also bring it a bit closer.

It's all experimentation and finding out what fits best for YOU. Remember, you play the drums, the drums don't play you (unless you're in Soviet Russia).

-Marc.

[Volk9]

People HATE my drum setup. The tom's are farther away than standard drumsets, and people usually find it a challenge to play on my set. But, its customized towards my playing style, so they work perfectly for me.

(I'll try to get a picture soon)

But definately just experiment and try different things to see what fits your style, not anyone elses.

[kirbywelch92]

I would say your set-up is perfect Bosk, both in what it is now and what you intend it to be. The only thing that ever remains a constant for me is that the snare MUST be above my knees. You're doing minor damage to your back and really limiting your technique if it's below your knees.

In the end though, it really doesn't matter. One of my favorite drummers, Kieth Carlock, has some of the most strange technique every conceived and a weird set-up, but he executes it perfectly. Here's a good video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qNb4W2xrPM&feature=related

[missedthepoint]

This really is so subjective. Adami is right when he says experiment.
I've not really got anything more to add without repeating what other people have said.
Oh, all i did was repeat what Adami siad. Oh well