Drum Live! Drummers Community - Drum Solo Artist

This blog is intended to help beginning drummers with a logical and systematic method for finding their OWN IDEAL positioning for the components of their drum kit.  The emphasis is on comfort and easy playablity and NOT "cool" looks. 

Lots of beginning drummers know where the  various components are usually located when the drums are set up.  If you DO need a quick familiarization of drum terms, then here a really GOOD one that Rob (Little Drummer Boy) has created:

http://www.drumsoloartist.com/live/drumforum/index.php/topic,334.0.html

Therefore, I will talk about specifc adjustments and will not deal with definitions of various drum set components.

We can easily see that the drum set mounts and stands are adjustable for different heights and angles.  The bass drum pedal and hi hat pedal are also adjustable.   This allows the drummer to get every component adjusted to their own personal preference.

That's one of the unique situations about your drum set....... you have the ability to position the components so they are comfortable for your playing.  Everyone has different heights, arm lengths, and leg lengths…..so everyone has slightly different placements that feel better for them as individuals.

I’ve often seen beginnings drummers want to set their drums up to visually emulate the drum set-up of a favorite drummer.  That may or may not work best for them because of their physical characteristics.  So where do you start to get the best set-up for you?  I’m going to use an illustration with a five piece drum kit, two crash cymbals, a ride cymbal, and hi hats.  I realize that not every beginning drummer has THIS particular configuration, but it will work fine for the explanations I’m going to provide.

Where do you start first? 

Drum Throne (stool)

Although this is often the least considered piece of hardware, it is the very foundation of your balance…..your stability……your comfort……and it should be suitable for anchoring your body for long periods of time at the drum kit.  The seat should feel “good” to sit on.  Most of the really cheap thrones actually DON’T feel that good to sit on…..much less for long periods of time.  So, do yourself a favor at the very beginning and spend a few more bucks for a good, solid drum throne. 

It should be sturdy enough, so the upper tube won't slip from your body weight sitting on the seat.  A memory lock for the vertical tube is a really good feature, since it helps to lock the position in place.

You should adjust you throne so that the seat does not cramp or bind at the place where your underside thighs hang off of it.  For those who play “heel” down it is usually best that your legs make basically a ninety degree angle to the floor.  For those who play “heel up” or maybe even BOTH “heel up” and “heel down”;  I recommend elevating the height of the throne just a bit more…. so that even though you heel touches the pedal, it isn’t supporting the weight of your legs on the floor.

Bass Drum and Hi Hat

Place the bass drum and the hi hat at distances so that your feet are comfortably positioned above and on the pedals.  This is why the height of the throne IS SO IMPORTANT.  Unless your foundation is solid and comfortable, you will fatigue easily and never get the control you need to master the feel of these components.

Play some patterns with just these components.  You may find that you will need to alter the height of your throne, or the distance of the hi hats and bass drum to get these positioned for your own ideal feel.  

Snare Drum and Hi Hat Height

Next, set up your snare drum stand and snare drum.  Depending upon your seated height and arm reach, this positioning will also be unique according to your own body characteristics.  Some drummers play the snare drum where the drum head angle is tilted.  Some prefer the snare drum set perfectly flat.  The most typical angle today, seems to be with the head tilted slightly toward your crotch. HOWEVER, position it WHATEVER WAY is easier for you to play on it.  The trick is to adjust the height and angle so that you can play with you wrists and arms relaxed.  You should be able to comfortably play a stroke or a roll, as well as a rim shot, at the angle that best suits you. 

Next you want to raise or lower your hi hat height so that the top cymbal is comfortable to play on……and so you don’t accidently smack your snare drum hand while playing a hi hat cymbal pattern.   Most drummers seem to have the hi hat height a bit higher (to significantly higher) than the snare drum height.  Again, it is a matter of finding the most comfortable playing position.

Rack Toms

You may have one rack tom…..you may have three, but for the sake of this example I am assuming two.   Today’s modern tom mounts permit quite a bit of flexibility, so it is worth it for you to spend some time finding out exactly where your ideal playing positions will be.  Some drummers mount two rack toms on a floor stand with the snare drum almost against both of them.  This has become a popular way to position them over the years.  Other drummers mount the rack toms onto the bass drum with one tom almost touching the snare and the other tom to the right of it (in a right handed set-up).

The typical tilt is slightly toward you to facilitate a solid stick impact position.  Extreme angles, though sometimes used, do tend to make the stick impact position harder on the wrists for some players.

One again, the key element is to find a comfortable position where you can move from your snare drum to the rack toms in an easy flowing movement.  You don’t want to have to move your arms and wrists too far because you sacrifice comfort, speed, and control.

Floor Tom

At this point, you have found the most comfortable playing positions for your throne; your bass drum; your hi hat; your snare drum; and your rack toms. It is now time to position your floor tom.  If you have your rack toms on a floor stand, you need to simply find a comfortable position for your floor tom beside your right leg (in a right-handed set-up).

If you have your rack toms mounted on the bass drum, you can place your floor tom close to your right leg (in a right-handed set-up) and almost against the shell of your second rack tom.

The height and head angle of the floor tom (as with everything else) depends on what is most comfortable for you.   Some drummers prefer the floor tom slightly lower than their snare drum.  Some drummers like it tilting toward them while others prefer it flat.  It’s completely a matter of whatever position that allows you to move from your snare drum or rack toms in a smooth flowing motion. 

Cymbals

The ride cymbal is typically played with the right hand in a right-handed set-up.  Many drummers prefer it set fairly low to the side of the second rack tom and  the floor tom.  This allows you to comfortably play on different places on the surface and bell of the ride cymbal.  Drummers who prefer this position usually do so because they find it tiring to have to raise their arm to play the ride cymbal in a higher position.  If you do tire from having your arm raised when playing the ride cymbal you can loose control of both tempo and feel.

Now there are many drummers that DO play the ride cymbal in a higher position.  Some folks think that having the ride cymbal set up high looks very cool, but once again, you need to place it in a position and tilt angle that is most comfortable for you to play it.  If that preferred position IS HIGHER and you CAN COMFORTABLY play it that way, there is no rule that states that you can’t do it that way.

The crash cymbals to the left and to the right are the final components to place.  In this sequence of finding the IDEAL spot for each component, these cymbals should be placed where you can play them without having to overreach.  The left crash is often seen placed between the hi hat and the first rack tom; tilted so that you can easily crash the edge but also play the bell if you want to.  The right crash is typically placed to the right side of the ride cymbal at a height that is easy to play off of either the ride cymbal or the floor tom.

That’s it.  This systematic approaching to positioning all the components of your drum kit is based on finding the IDEAL placement for your physical characteristics.  There is no reason to pretend that a placement is comfortable when it really isn’t.  Your playing will suffer if you elect to go for “look” instead of playing comfort.

Now that you have found YOUR personal set-up preferences, here are another blog that may help mark them.

 http://www.drumsoloartist.com/live/blog/view/id_170/title_beginning-drummers-setting-up-your-kit/

If you are a beginning drummer with trouble getting everything in a comfortable playing position, then maybe some of these pointers have helped.

Cheers!

KEN SANDERS

IBJAMN in Nashville

Tags: Beginning Drummers

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