Set Up

We'll start with the basics, and that means kit set up.
I've seen people play a range of kits: some with only the basics, like this sort of set up.
and others who play something on a whole different scale.

For me, I prefer something in the middle: a slight variation of the 'normal' rock kit.
Currently, my set up is as follows (although it's prone to changing from time to time).
Note, I don't play a DW Kit, so ignore the brands of both the drums and the hardware. I only use the Kitbuilder to illustrate set up ideas.

Regardless of what sort of music you want to play, when you set your drum kit up you have to obey one rule:
It must be comfortable.
If your drums are set up so you're stretching or bending awkwardly then you'll soon run into trouble.

Some useful tips when it comes to setting up your kit.

1. Your seat/stool should mean that your thighs are more or less parallel to the ground, with your knees at a 90 degree angle.

2.  Your snare drum should sit so that the batter head and rim are just above your thighs. I find this helps avoid either hitting your legs with your hands by accident, or constantly hitting the rim when you play.

3. Your tom or toms should be within easy reach, at an even angle. I see far too many kits where the toms seems to almost face each other. You're the one playing, so everything should face you.

4. Your hi-hat and bass pedals should sit so that your feet rest naturally on them when you're on your stool. Again, they should be angled to face you.

5. Cymbals are touchy ground. Some people like them heavily angled, whilst some prefer them horizontal. Generally, I think they're best positioned at a slight angle (the left side would be the striking surface, in this instance), as such:

If you hit your cymbals horizontally they they're prone to cracking, but if you angle them too much they'll be difficult to hit properly and, let's face it, they'll just look stupid. This really is just my preference though - all that really matters is that when you play, you hit your cymbal at such an angle that you don't split the thing in half.
Again, make sure your cymbals are easy to reach. What's the point in a lovely big crash cymbal sitting so far away you have to stretch over your bass drum to hit it? Or, just as bad, cymbals that are too high. You should be able to look down on all of your cymbal. You'll go through far fewer cymbals if you play down onto them. A great example here, from Jerry Brown:



(Notice the tiny angle of the cymbals, and that they're not up above his head).

6. Your bass drum can really sit wherever you want. Most people use it as the central focus for their drums, setting everything else up around it. The only thing to remember is that having the front of the bass drum raised (only about an inch or so) off the ground helps is resonate properly, and provides a slight angle so your pedal will hit the skin correctly (again, creating a better sound).

7. Put the whole kit on a mat or an old bit of carpet. Not only does this stop anything from sliding about if you have wooden floors, it also stops any oil etc from your pedals ruining whatever's underneath (be it wood, laminate or 'good' carpet). I once moved my kit into a friend's house to do some recording and when we packed up I noticed the spikes on my pedals had dug grooves in the wooden floor. Safe to say, they weren't happy.


So there you go. Hopefully now your kit will look nice and professional.
If you don't think these tips are any good then that's fine - the most important thing is that your kit suits you.
Everyone's different, and every kit is different too.

Count Me In...

I wanted to start this blog as a forum to share my views on drumming. I've been playing for 9 years, and have experience of both teaching myself and formal lessons. I figured this blog could be useful for other drummers - ranging from those who are starting to learn to those who are a bit more experienced - to have a sort of reference point if they can't find a teacher, or if they just fancy learning by ear but don't really know where to start.

I aim to cover, however sporadically, issues such as the basics (names for everything/how it works etc), guides on how to set a drum kit up properly, rudiments and practice techniques. Then, in later posts, I can go on to cover more advanced areas like open-handed drumming and the controversial issue of stick-tricks. I won't aim for any particular schedule or routine, but if you want my views on any subject just let me know and I'll see what I can do.