Challenge sharing drum kits

SbrickwallS

Senior Member
Anybody else ever run into this problem?

So, we get a chance to open up for a national touring band and the headliner asks me if I would play on the headliners kit to avoid time tearing down/setting back up between us and them. I always agree to this request when it comes up as it's good buisiness and share kits with other bands as needed, but I was tested pretty good on this dudes kit. If you can see the heads on his drums were completely loose, maybe finger tight at best, and there was a good 6" or more distance between the tom toms. As a rule, I try to never adjust somebody elses kit so that they are good to go when they hop up to play. Also, this drummer also ran some extra lights/effects from a work station by his hi hats so there was no adjusting even if I wanted to. I was able to fit my snare in place of his, as his was sitting (no snare stand) on the top of his kick drums with the hoops keeping it in place. It is always a challenge to play on different sets but this one was crazy! lol Do any of you run across this as well?

http://youtu.be/qqnZ8yEi9Vk
 
That is why I will do everything in my power not to share kits. Between the placement, ridiculously high cymbals, loose heads (say nothing of the mismatched heads) I cant imagine that you were having a whole lot of fun back there.

The only time I will agree to share kits is in a festival type situation with more than a couple of bands. Even then I will usually put up a pretty big fight if there is anyway to play my own kit. Whats funny is that my guitarist love sharing cabinets. It makes everything easier for him. Different strokes I guess.
 
Whats funny is that my guitarist love sharing cabinets. It makes everything easier for him. Different strokes I guess.

I absolutely hate sharing kits too.

But that's not exactly comparing apples to apples. See if your guitarist would be as accommodating if he had to share the same guitar with everyone else.
 
I absolutely hate sharing kits too.

But that's not exactly comparing apples to apples. See if your guitarist would be as accommodating if he had to share the same guitar with everyone else.

I agree with you, that is a better comparison. If he had use somebody elses guitar, head, cabinet and pedals he would likely sing a different tune.
 
Did you have to change up your fills at all? It does'n't seem like you play many tom fills, which is understandable when they're horribly out of tune.

Also, that's some solid playing man! Good stuff.
 
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Thanks willc87, appreciate that man. No, I tried not to change anything at all due to this band is a tribute band, some people will notice if the fills are played differently. Others just don't care. lol Some of the other tunes call for quite a bit of tom fills that were a challenge to pull off but I didn't think about posting them. I posted this more just to show the condition of the drum kit, but I can post a more challenging song if your interested.
 
Here's a concept- you play sticks, not the drums. Playing another act's kit should be a welcome challenge, like playing 9 holes on an unfamiliar golf course. Of course you'll do better in the familiar zone but what fun is life without a challenge here & there? :D

As for me, I'm quite surprised that the headliner even entertains allowing you to use their kit. It's cool when it happens though! :D


Anybody else ever run into this problem?

So, we get a chance to open up for a national touring band and the headliner asks me if I would play on the headliners kit to avoid time tearing down/setting back up between us and them. I always agree to this request when it comes up as it's good buisiness and share kits with other bands as needed, but I was tested pretty good on this dudes kit. If you can see the heads on his drums were completely loose, maybe finger tight at best, and there was a good 6" or more distance between the tom toms. As a rule, I try to never adjust somebody elses kit so that they are good to go when they hop up to play. Also, this drummer also ran some extra lights/effects from a work station by his hi hats so there was no adjusting even if I wanted to. I was able to fit my snare in place of his, as his was sitting (no snare stand) on the top of his kick drums with the hoops keeping it in place. It is always a challenge to play on different sets but this one was crazy! lol Do any of you run across this as well?

http://youtu.be/qqnZ8yEi9Vk
 
BillRayDrums you made the perfect analogy man, and couldn't have said it any better myself. I don't mind the challenge as I feel like it will better prepare me for future unsavory playing condidions.
The purpose of my post was twofold. One, just to talk about the challenges us drummers have come across when we are asked to perform on unfamiliar kits and two, the condition of this particular kit I was asked to play on considering it was a national touring act. All of the other national acts I've been lucky to open for have had me set up in front of the drum riser as their kit will be set up and covered until their show. Probably because their kits were nice? lol So, when asked if I minded sharing the headliners kit I was sure it would be fine since I was told that the basic drum setup was similar to mine. Just didn't expect the condition and unorthodox placement. I have learned through the years though that the best way to network with other bands and venues is how easy you are to work with and ability to adapt is essential. It was a fun night despite the challenge and I would share the bill with this band again if ever asked. Just sharing this particular experience because it was so bizarre, as I'm sure others come across some crazy situations themselves.
 
Thanks willc87, appreciate that man. No, I tried not to change anything at all due to this band is a tribute band, some people will notice if the fills are played differently. Others just don't care. lol Some of the other tunes call for quite a bit of tom fills that were a challenge to pull off but I didn't think about posting them. I posted this more just to show the condition of the drum kit, but I can post a more challenging song if your interested.

I gotchya, post up some more!
 
Of all the instruments to share, drums are hands down the most problematic to share from the player's standpoint. Seriously, I would love to see how other musicians would handle it if say for instance a keyboard player had no F# note and his stool was way too low and his pedals were really slack feeling or if the guitarist had to play a guitar that is twice the normal size lol. A fit would be pitched!

Also when they played, the tone would have to be crap. Because 99 times out of 100 that's what I encounter. I would love to see the shoe on the other foot for just 5 minutes lol! Is that wrong?
 
Ha larryace, I know right ! ! ! I know it's logistics as it's just easy for the others to just plug in their gear and go vs all of the time and space it takes to set up/mic/tear down/re-set up/re-mic a drum kit for two bands, so I get it. But damn, you are so right. It is by far the hardest for drummers to share unfamiliar kits but we seem to be the ones in the band that gets forced to share when it's called for. And I see others successfully use my kit quite a bit, and I give us drummers a ton of credit for pulling this off. Go us ! ! ! hehe
 
Hey fellas, thought I'd share a funny deja-vu moment. I posted a video of me playing on a quirky drum kit that I was asked to share way back in January of 2014. Well, as luck would have it we were booked to play with these guys again this past weekend, in the same venue and absolutely nothing had changed. I thought it was funny and again it turned out to be a really fun show, but that kit . . . my God! lol
Here's a shot from this past show last weekend.

http://youtu.be/gF5lZfttOwo
 
I don't mind the gap between toms. After all, we deal with the gap between mounted tom & floor tom all the time, but the floppy / dead heads would drive me crazy. Not from a playing POV, I don't rely on bounce from the head, it's just knowing it could be so much better with a little care / knowledge.
 
I'm enthusiastic when I show up at some music festival and the coordinators insist on using a provided kit to "cut down on time" between groups.

Then I tell them I'm left-handed ;)
 
Glad I play functions/weddings now, got out of the original scene a while back, way too much hassle from too many egos. If I had to use anyones kit I didn't know I was always very grateful but I'd treat it as my own, I've seen way to many kits get destroyed by idiots including my own once (and only once.)Headlining was a ball ache because it was assumed I'd let any shed builder knock the crap out of my beloved tubs.

Lets face it if your kit costs £30 or £3000 it's still your pride and joy and if someone else breaks something it comes out of your pocket. Heads aren't cheap either even if you play a 4/5 piece as I do.

The scary thing was they get offended when you tell them to bring their own kit. If you aint got the gear to play the gig, don't take the booking! You don't see guitarists lending guitars/amps/pedals to people they don't know.

A lot of it also comes down to lazy crap sound engineers who can't be arsed to twiddle a few eq knobs and move a few mics.
 
Totally agree Simple! I don't mind the challenge but how about a little pride in your kit man! lol

Matt, I've been lucky not to be asked to play on a left handed kit as of yet. That may be more of a challenge then I'm up to.

Mikyok, most of the scenarios that require sharing kits is usually from the headlining bands that insists on setting their kit up on the drum riser before the show and not willing to set their kit up before their set more so then from the soundman from my experiences. This particular band was traveling and came in around 6 to set up, then left for their hotels. Of course I could always set my kit up on the floor in front of the drum riser, which I have done a couple of times, but my ego usually gets the best of me and I go for the spotlight on the riser! hehe It' all good though, it keeps us on our toes.
 
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