What do you think about small drum setups ?

B

Baturalp

Junior Member
Hello i have some question about my drum setup.
I have 4 piece pearl kit (22"-12"-14"-13"s) and i have 3 cymbal hh crash and ride (before i have 2 crash cymbal but i sold one of them) i usually play pop rock and sometimes rock songs.
I am comfortable in this setup but i want to learn something about that. 2nd crash or china is necessary. Can it effect possitive my drum play?
Shortly is setup effect our drum play or not ?
 
If the cymbals are different sounds, I see no problem. You can only hit one at a time so I don't think it can hurt your playing. If you like 2 crashes I say go for it. 2 is certainly not unusual
 
Baturalp said:
....
Shortly is setup effect our drum play or not ?
Click to expand...

I think your setup can influence how you play.
If you have more drums/cymbals, you'll probably incorporate them into your style.

Many, many drummers do, and have done, just fine with exactly your setup.
 
I greatly prefer two crashes, one on each side. More about playing ergonimics rather than sound palette, since the crashes could easily be identical!
 
If I'm using a crashable ride, then one crash is enough. If I'm using a heavier/ping ride, I'll use two crashes.

An extra tom gives you different drum fills, but it moves the ride further away to the side, which can effect your timing and comfort for a while.

Of course, some styles of music call for multiple toms and cymbals, effects, side snare, etc. but actually its pretty rare to need all that gear for regular gigs.

Your current setup is very close to what I use for most of my gigs, except I use a smaller bass drum.
 
I am playing the same sizes today at band practice. We play blues and classic rock. For cymbals I will use 14" Paragon Hats, a 17" AAX X-plosion Crash, and an 18" AA El Sabor (crash-ride). Peace and goodwill.
 
Love 'em. Had bigger kits in the past. Always ended up with a stack of toms in the corner.
 
My work revolves mainly a 22" light ride and a pair of 17" hi hats. I only add a 20" thin crash to balance out the look. Would you believe some people freak out if I only have the ride and hats? The kit must look normal. Weird.
 
Ringo Starr only had two cymbals plus hats, and he did okay.
 
I usually play a 5 piece kit with hats, 2 crashes, and a ride.
100_5823_zpsmeoz5oim.jpg

I have no problem with a 4 piece with 1 crash---I gave this one to my grandson for his birthday a couple of years ago.
12-27-2014005_zps038102f0.jpg
 
wildbill said:
I think your setup can influence how you play.
If you have more drums/cymbals, you'll probably incorporate them into your style.
Click to expand...

This is very true! If I sit down at a kit with extra toms and cymbals, I play them. Rather, I overplay them. I learned long ago to bring exactly what's needed for a particular gig... no more, but no less. 95% of the time, that means 4 pcs, hats, and a ride & crash. Maybe 3% involves fewer toms or a single ride/crash, 1% involves an extra tom or additional cymbal (China,) and the remaining 1% I bring out the concert tom array! :)

But in every case, it's all about the right drums for the gig at hand, and that's not only how many pieces, but the sizes and cymbal types as well. That's the reason most busy drummers have multiple kits, snares, and cymbals: to get the best sounds for the particular gig or session.

Bermuda
 
Before I had a china, I'd use to crash my ride or do a dirty ride (shoulder of the stick instead of the tip) on it instead if I wanted to replace the china sound. Be careful with your technique as you do this as this might damage your ride cymbal if you aren't using proper technique.

For crashing, you should do swinging motions, preventing you from striking right through the cymbal but rather kind of sliding off the edge of the cymbal; striking just above the edge of the cymbal with the neck/shoulder of the drumstick. Matt Halpern from Periphery explains this technique pretty well on YouTube.

For dirty riding as I like to call it, I don't know how it's called by other drummers, you just hold the stick linear above the cymbal and drop the thickest part of the shoulder on the middle of the cymbal on the spots as you would normally ride it.

I could give you tips all day about how to prevent your cymbals from breaking if you need them hahah. I've spent hours of research and practice.

The reason why I got an actual China is because I was going to record my first album with a band that required me to utilize a China becuz thatz br00tal mate
 
The crash mounted on the tom arm is my primary crash. My recording kit is set up the same way, but I also added a china to the mix.
1860_zpsriq3wgaw.jpg
 
I have a small kit that I've used at gigs and for recordings. Does just fine for me.

TJS Custom Maple
20"x12" bass drum
13"x5.5" snare
10"x6" floating tom
13"x7" floor tom
 
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I like to play a small set up because it makes me focus on my groove and time keeping rather than doing fills all over the place. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
 
I like them for practicality. I don't play more than a 5 piece anyway so I just lose a floor tom.

I have a little 60s Meazzi Hollywood concert tom kit I use for very small gigs but the 18" bass drum is gorgeous played wide open. It's 18/12/14.

I couldn't play a big setup because I'd overplay and I couldn't be arsed to set it up all the time. Anybody who can without a drum tech you have my admiration :)

I have crashable rides and lots of crash rides so the 2 cymbal approach is no bother at all but I do prefer a second crash. I use a cymbal arm from the 2nd crash to mount my ride. Save lugging another stand around
 
Only you can answer this.

Bring the right tools for the right job.

When I play at church, I have to play a five-piece (12, 14, 16 toms, but the 14 is on the left side of the hi-hats). I also have hats, two crashes, a ride, and a splash.

When I play Americana music with my friends, I have a kick snare, hats, and a crash ride.

I show up with what I need, nothing more, nothing less.

If you feel as if you need more "voices" in order to support the music, then by all means, get more stuff. If you don't, then don't.
 
I will generally take a small setup to gigs. I have an 18" kick, 10" popcorn snare, 12" tom, 14" floor, with a hi-hat, One 18" crash, and a 20" Crash/Ride. Sometimes I'll have a secondary 17" crash but, with the Crash/Ride, I find that I need the second crash less.
 
I tried getting used to "small" set ups, but I don't like it. Maybe by small you mean fewer or less?.Small toms and bass drums are out for me. I,d rather leave a drum or 2 at home, but I need the sound I want.
 
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