Mid tom missing?

[LeftRightBack]

Why do some drummers have a mid tom/right rack tom missing?

Buddy rich, Gene krupa, Ringo Starr, John Bonham, John stanier? They all have a mid tom missing, why is that?

[drumbandit]

It's just preference, a lot of the time the 2nd rack tom isn't used so the ride just slips in its place.

Tom

[Ironcobra]

I'm not using my second rack tom right now, mainly because my kit is more fun without it.

[stasz]

They must have left in their other pair of pants, those rack toms just seem to get misplaced at times. It's a problem for most drummers.

Seriously, it's because they like it that way. There are no rules for setting up, so if a drummer prefers having his/her ride cymbal closer in place of a second rack tom than he/she can do that. Some drummers have three rack toms... some have nine... some drummers have none... Whatever works for you.

[harryconway]

It's not that the mid tom is missing. It wasn't there in the first place. It's what is known as a 4 piece drum kit. Bass drums fitted with a rail consolette fly 1 rack tom. Opposite the rail consolette is usually a cymbal mount. I'm not sure when the double tom mounts came out, but the rail consolette is replaced with a center flange on the bass drum. That means left and right rack tom, and no room for the bass drum cymbal mount any more. I have seen some bass drums with a second rail consolette added, so 2 toms could be fitted, and I've also seen plenty of center flange kicks with a cymbal mount added, and the right rack tom L-arm turned down/removed.

[stasz]

It's not that the mid tom is missing. It wasn't there in the first place. It's what is known as a 4 piece drum kit. Bass drums fitted with a rail consolette fly 1 rack tom. Opposite the rail consolette is usually a cymbal mount. I'm not sure when the double tom mounts came out, but the rail consolette is replaced with a center flange on the bass drum. That means left and right rack tom, and no room for the bass drum cymbal mount any more. I have seen some bass drums with a second rail consolette added, so 2 toms could be fitted, and I've also seen plenty of center flange kicks with a cymbal mount added, and the right rack tom L-arm turned down/removed.

Harry is right, I failed to realize this. Drum sets are now usually standard with 2 toms over the bass but older drum sets were designed differently.

[Michael G]

The double rack tom set up has around pretty much since the dawn of the trap set really, but were pretty awkward looking and they were spaced so far apart. Still, many drummers used it back than like Baby Dodds, Sonny Greer, Ray Bauduc, etc.. Mainly they had the rides sitting on the middle of the bass drum between the rack toms.

Because of that it really was just solely preference, it was always an option though.

[darkstar442]

yo dude its all about preferance. some drummers just also dont even need it for their kind of music. i mean i got 4 rack toms and i like it that way and its good for my style of music. i just think its fun when you have lots to play. its about preferance and some do it because they are gradually learning drums and dont want to start off with all toms and there is also the different sizes of kits to buy. so yea