Downgrading my kit

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
So I bought the great set of DW's over a year ago and I figured, better get everything now, because I'll be sorry if I don't. So I got 2 floors, 14 x 14 and 16 x 16. After playing them for a year, I reached the conclusion that I don't prefer 2 floors. I need my 16, but the 14....is where I want my 16 to be. So I stopped using the 14 floor. I'm much happier now, too many choices is not good for me. I'd rather do it with less drums than more. Any new kit from now on will have 2 racks and 1 floor. That's enough to keep me busy for the rest of my life. Plus less load in, less set up, less break down, less load out and less to put away. I feel both guilty (for having but not not using a beautiful DW floor tom) and liberated.
Plus it's more balanced for me, I now use 3 toms, high medium and low, and 3 crashes, short, medium and long. There's no pressing reason I posted this, just to share I guess, cause I can...(finally have people who are interested in this kind of thing, thanks to all)
 
why would u ever give up using such a beautiful drum...jk actually i did the exact same thing just with a rack tom now i have 1 rack 2 floors
 
+1 on the single rack with two floors.

All my toms are 12/13/15/18 two up, two down. For me, it's the 12" that feels like one too many and causes me to over think my fills. I feel a little guilty seeing it laying around, so sometimes I throw it up on the kit just to not make it feel like so much of an orphan (and it's kinda fun in small doses).
 
One thing you can do for at home practice, not gigging, is put the 14FT to the left of your hat. Incorporating a left side FT and using it helps balance out left and right side weaknesses in fills.

Always moving left to right reinforces some left side weaknesses.
This also helps with creativity.

I also like it because I can get a double floor tom thing going on open handed and rip right through the middle with a different feel.

It's fun and interesting. Try it.
 
One thing you can do for at home practice, not gigging, is put the 14FT to the left of your hat. Incorporating a left side FT and using it helps balance out left and right side weaknesses in fills.

Always moving left to right reinforces some left side weaknesses.
This also helps with creativity.

I also like it because I can get a double floor tom thing going on open handed and rip right through the middle with a different feel.

It's fun and interesting. Try it.

Very interesting, this never even crossed my mind. I don't like swiveling that far back for my fav floor tom (when I'm running 2 floor toms on the same side) but you're idea is very inventive! Thanks! Will try it!
 
I got the idea from looking at how Bill Bruford set his kit up so symetrically.

I think he even put his hats in the middle, whatever.

Then I saw some others like Godsmack's drummer and Nate Morton, etc..

The other thing you could do, but it's pretty radical is have a snare bed cut into your 14FT and put a snares, strainer and a throw-off on and have the most wicked Ballad snare ever to the left of your hats.
 
I used to regularly have a 10" 12" 14" tom setup with one to the left of the hi hat. It works wonders. Give it a go for a month or so and see how you do. It's a great alternative.
 
i just play the 12" rack and the 16" floor tom and thats usually enough for me, i think i'm gonna try and get a 14" floor tom in the new year to try out the 1 up / 2 down set up - just to say i did, but i find it interesting how many sounds and patterns you can get just from your hats, bass and snare without ever bringing toms into the mix, bigger is sometimes better, but not always ;-)
 
Hey there Larry,

Reads to me like more of a matter of "streamlining" your kit than downgrading. I don't see where you have sacrificed any quality to accomplish your goal (which would define a downgrade).

Someday, when I get real brave, I'm gonna get rid of the floor toms altogether and put a 12inch pandeiro low and right, just under my ride cymbal (ala Chaffee) and call it done. BTW- that won't be downgrading either ... but definately qualifies as downsizing.
 
Hey there Larry,

Reads to me like more of a matter of "streamlining" your kit than downgrading. I don't see where you have sacrificed any quality to accomplish your goal (which would define a downgrade).

I logged on to post exactly the same thing (though I'd probably have used too many words)

much like my waistline, more isn't necessarilly better


Larry FWIW (nothing, absolutely nothing) - I have a tom on the left as well and really enjoy it. I wouldn't say I have it "integrated" -- it actually started out as a place to put my beverage -- but I'm finding it natural and I like it and I suspect it will stay, at least in the music room
 
I bought an STM mount for my 14" DW floor tom. Now, it can either be used as a floor tom or a rack tom. I can play 3 up, 1 down now. Or, I can play 2 up, 2 down. I typically only like 1 floor tom as well (actually, usually just a 4-piece), but I switch it up. If I'm doing a jazz studio session, I'll bring my 10" rack tom and 14" floor tom. If I'm doing a rock session, I'll bring the 12" and 16". I also bought and re-wrapped an 18" kick, so now i can switch that out, too!

It's good to have options. :D
 
My DW kit is 10, 12, 14, and 16, and yeah, I rarely use the 14. It sits in the corner more often than not.

Worse, is my other kit (Premier Signia) is 8,10,12,14,16,18 and has spend most of it's life as a 5pc.

And I'm reaching the conclusion that I'm just more comfortable behind a 5pc, no matter how much I may listen to Neil Peart, Mike Portnoy, et all.
 
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