Mad About Drums
Pollyanna's Agent
Hi Folks
Well this is my first thread.
I’ve been playing drums for 30 years; I’m 53 now (I know I started the drums late, but had a try at guitar before that), music and drumming are the love of my life.
About two years ago, I noticed that I started to feel pain in my lower back and knees, especially the right knee, at the beginning I ignored it, but it never stopped, so I went for medical advice and an X-ray. The Fact is that I have two worn out collapsed discs in my spine.
I felt quite bad about that, but given the fact that I wasn’t feeling any pain when I was not playing, I thought that maybe I’ll find a solution.
I did research on the web, read magazines and gathered as much information as possible. I even found an article about drummer’s pains in the French “Batterie Magazine”.
So, armed with my infos and facts, I started the process that could eventually stop or minimise my pain.
Body and drums position are the most important factor when playing the kit. There is only one rule to follow: eliminate all sources of tension.
You need to seat correctly on the throne with a straight spine and a straight head, if you curve your back while playing; the shoulders are curving forward restricting arms movements.
Adjust the height of the seat so that your legs are not bending more than an angle of 90° minimum.
Then I started to position the drum elements, one by one starting with the snare, then the bass and Hi-hat. The rest of the kit is build in a manner that I don’t have to turn my body while playing, everything is within easy reach and the highest elements being the crash cymbals and the china just below eye level.
The kit is build like a three storey building:
On the “ground floor”: the pedals (that was easy…)
On the “first floor”: the snare and the floor toms, same height and same angle
On the “second floor”: the two hi-hats (L&R), rack tom, ride cymbal, same height, tom and cymbal same angle
On the “third floor”: the two crashes and the china, same height same angle (except for the china)
I also replaced the Tama Camco bass drum pedal after 22 years of faithful playing (worned out spring and bearings) with a Mapex Falcon to give a new lease of life to my foot and knee.
The good thing about it: it’s working… no pain anywhere, even after 3-4 hours on the drums.
That has taught me a lesson (a bit late, you might say) about the importance of the body position in relation of the instrument.
NB: If you’re reading music while playing, place the sheets in front of you if possible, not on the side, long play with your head turned to left or right is creating torsion in the spine.
Well this is my first thread.
I’ve been playing drums for 30 years; I’m 53 now (I know I started the drums late, but had a try at guitar before that), music and drumming are the love of my life.
About two years ago, I noticed that I started to feel pain in my lower back and knees, especially the right knee, at the beginning I ignored it, but it never stopped, so I went for medical advice and an X-ray. The Fact is that I have two worn out collapsed discs in my spine.
I felt quite bad about that, but given the fact that I wasn’t feeling any pain when I was not playing, I thought that maybe I’ll find a solution.
I did research on the web, read magazines and gathered as much information as possible. I even found an article about drummer’s pains in the French “Batterie Magazine”.
So, armed with my infos and facts, I started the process that could eventually stop or minimise my pain.
Body and drums position are the most important factor when playing the kit. There is only one rule to follow: eliminate all sources of tension.
You need to seat correctly on the throne with a straight spine and a straight head, if you curve your back while playing; the shoulders are curving forward restricting arms movements.
Adjust the height of the seat so that your legs are not bending more than an angle of 90° minimum.
Then I started to position the drum elements, one by one starting with the snare, then the bass and Hi-hat. The rest of the kit is build in a manner that I don’t have to turn my body while playing, everything is within easy reach and the highest elements being the crash cymbals and the china just below eye level.
The kit is build like a three storey building:
On the “ground floor”: the pedals (that was easy…)
On the “first floor”: the snare and the floor toms, same height and same angle
On the “second floor”: the two hi-hats (L&R), rack tom, ride cymbal, same height, tom and cymbal same angle
On the “third floor”: the two crashes and the china, same height same angle (except for the china)
I also replaced the Tama Camco bass drum pedal after 22 years of faithful playing (worned out spring and bearings) with a Mapex Falcon to give a new lease of life to my foot and knee.
The good thing about it: it’s working… no pain anywhere, even after 3-4 hours on the drums.
That has taught me a lesson (a bit late, you might say) about the importance of the body position in relation of the instrument.
NB: If you’re reading music while playing, place the sheets in front of you if possible, not on the side, long play with your head turned to left or right is creating torsion in the spine.
