To Let or not to let..another dummer use your kit on a gig.

I understand the convenience of letting a drummer in an opening band use my kit. Shoot, there have been times I suggested it even. But my experience over the past two years has made me reluctant to allow other drummers to use my kit or sit in. Here's why - I back lined my kit for a benefit two Summers ago, several drummers used my kit - I didn't get a thank you from any of them, my snare got "misplaced" moving gear around, for some reason other drummers like to over tighten things when making adjustments, in some cases stripping a rod, and parts were missing from my slave pedal that can only come off if they are unscrewed...resulting in me having to special order the parts. Yet I tried to do the right thing because were the opening act.

A few weeks ago I let a drummer sit in on my kit and this guy just abused my kit!! The rod on the inside of the hi hat unscrewed, I couldn't readjust in time so I had to play 3 songs in a row with the top hat just resting on top, then quickly I had to tell the singer to give me 2 minutes to take off the hats, remove the tube, and screw the thing back on, resulting in telling the audience to wait while we attended to technical difficulties, AND, someone explain to me why my left slave pedal was on it's side 3 feet away from my kit!!! How did it even come off!!! Dude got off stage, walked right by me..no thank you, no let me readjust your kit, nothing in the way of professional courtesy.

So I said to myself never again. Then today the singer/guitarist in a band opening for us tells me his drummer will be using my kit but bringing his own snare and cymbals. Dude didn't even ask! So I politely explained myself and said no. Then he replies saying he can't help but seeing my answer as being uncooperative amongst professionals and this will result in us not doing any co-bills in the future..

Wow...am I being a jerk here or unprofessional?

People used and abused your property, and were impolite in doing so. In any scenario, how could it be construed as rude or unprofessional to refuse them to allow them to do this?

They aren't prepared to bring their own equipment and are calling you unprofessional? I wouldn't want a future co-bill with them. You're right, don't let this guitarist's comment get in your way. (And why is he talking to you and not the drummer?) I'm not familiar with guitar players sharing their guitars, but when I played lead I was very specific about the other guitarists not touching any of my amp settings on pain of death, and even then I was uncomfortable the entire time they were up there. You've given justified reasons for it and if they really want someone to blame they should talk to the people who required your policy, not you for protecting your investments, sound, and set time.

Man, I get irked just thinking about it.

You can cooperate by offering to assist in setup & teardown if you want to take the high road.

3rd Wheel said:

I understand the convenience of letting a drummer in an opening band use my kit. Shoot, there have been times I suggested it even. But my experience over the past two years has made me reluctant to allow other drummers to use my kit or sit in. Here's why - I back lined my kit for a benefit two Summers ago, several drummers used my kit - I didn't get a thank you from any of them, my snare got "misplaced" moving gear around, for some reason other drummers like to over tighten things when making adjustments, in some cases stripping a rod, and parts were missing from my slave pedal that can only come off if they are unscrewed...resulting in me having to special order the parts. Yet I tried to do the right thing because were the opening act.

A few weeks ago I let a drummer sit in on my kit and this guy just abused my kit!! The rod on the inside of the hi hat unscrewed, I couldn't readjust in time so I had to play 3 songs in a row with the top hat just resting on top, then quickly I had to tell the singer to give me 2 minutes to take off the hats, remove the tube, and screw the thing back on, resulting in telling the audience to wait while we attended to technical difficulties, AND, someone explain to me why my left slave pedal was on it's side 3 feet away from my kit!!! How did it even come off!!! Dude got off stage, walked right by me..no thank you, no let me readjust your kit, nothing in the way of professional courtesy.

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Dude, that sucks! Sorry to hear that, but that's what happens when you let people you don't know use your equipment. Some of us have already learned that lesson. Anyone who hasn't learned it, but is reading this, take heed...

3rd Wheel said:

So I said to myself never again. Then today the singer/guitarist in a band opening for us tells me his drummer will be using my kit but bringing his own snare and cymbals. Dude didn't even ask!

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That's totally rude. How dare he assume and expect like that.

3rd Wheel said:

So I politely explained myself and said no.

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Don't even explain yourself. Just say no. Explaining gives the other party an opportunity to say, "But this will be different." or, "That's not going to happen." Don't leave the window open. Kudos on being polite in your declining.

3rd Wheel said:

Then he replies saying he can't help but seeing my answer as being uncooperative amongst professionals and this will result in us not doing any co-bills in the future..

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Good. You don't need to work with people like that. Imagine what their conversation is like with the event coordinator: "So, we are going to play your event, and you will pay us $(this much)." You probably won't HAVE to worry about working with them in the future, 'cause you'll be working, and they won't...

Wow...am I being a jerk here or unprofessional?[/QUOTE]

Nope. They should ask, or if the policy of the venue is that there be only one "shared" drum kit, then you need to have a discussion. Yes, an appropriate "discussion" in this case is a dialog that takes into account the input from both sides, and a solution is reached that is mutually agreed upon...

chaymus said:

You can cooperate by offering to assist in setup & teardown if you want to take the high road.

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Taking the high road is always the best road. Never stoop to getting angry/even/their level. Even if you never work with them again, word of mouth spreads. Always be polite and respectful. Being rude or unprofessional will bite you in the end.

How about a compromise? You provide throne, kick, toms, cymbal stands, and snare stand. They provide hi hat stand, pedal, snare, all cymbals. You get 20 dollars from each drummer for head damage/rent. You put "used but in good shape" heads on before the show.

1st off bro as for you being "rude or unprofessional" IMO your more then good! You allowed them the chance to do the right thing & they blew it.

As for next time if any. like others have said NO. BUT since i'm a nice guy I'd be more then happy to help ya move both my kit & your kit back & forth. to help speed things up. Team work! & if they dont like it!
Then OH well!

I don't let but certain people I have known a long time play my drums or even sit in for a couple of songs.

I have been down that road where someone sits in and just pounds the living crap out of my kit.....like they were trying to break something!

Our band has a rule....no sit-ins.....unless it's a personal, close friend that we know won't abuse our equipment.

And no...you aren't being a jerk or unprofessional. Playing is one thing, thrashing is something else!

Wow, thanks for all the support guys! I did offer with help and tear down, but the guitarist called my bass player shortly after I posted this and asked him to make me either use my kit or I have to use their drummers kit!! It has gotten ugly. I refuse to play this game and will not use their drummers kit or any of it. We're at a point where no high road can be taken.

Not once has their drummer called or Facebooked me to ask or discuss this amongst us as drummers. I feel like this opening bands guitarist is trying to muscle what he wants to happen and won't accept a professional and courteous no...

Right now my bands bassist who handles the bookings is worried about set up time between sets and if the opening bands fans will leave once we go onstage therefore ,assuming, the promoter may not book us again if people leave.. I'm all for doing the right thing, but I also feel like I'm being pushed into a corner and nothing I have explained to both sides seem to matter. Yet I feel like if I do say yes and go ahead and use my kit, then I've been pushed around and I'll feel like a chump.

Ahhh, the life of a drummer, yet without us where would a band be?

It's been almost an hour now and I'm still chuckling at the thought of "any future co-bills" requiring you to provide your kit again. As to your reply the guitarist is worried about set time, he wants more spot light and you drummers are getting in the way.

I played at a music festival in November and agreed (against my better judgement) to let several other drummers use my kit. I did ask them to bring their own cymbals but to please not adjust any stand or drum positioning explaining that it was my personal kit and not a backline.

I went to the bathroom and returned to see that one of the drummers had removed a mounted tom (scratching it in the process) and used a pair of pliers (!!) to loosen the snare stand and put his own snare in. I was sooooo pissed!

I am playing another music festival in May and have been asked to let two of the other drummers use my kit. I think I know my answer! This thread is timely.

Barry

Since when does the opening act make demands? Pull rank. You guys are the headliners, right? You call the shots.

As was said above, you let 'em use the bass drum and toms. The other guy brings his own cymbals, stands, snare, BD pedal, and hats. You charge a reasonable head usage fee. It does not take too long to put your cymbals, hats, pedal, and snare back on the kit. That is a reasonable compromise. Good luck.

This is only one reason I keep a cheapo wrapped kit that I don't care about for playing out. Not only do I myself dent and scratch things by accident, it happens far too often that I have to practice my sharing skills with other drummers.

Since I'm not so worried about the kit, my rule is that they may only use the kit. Bring your stands, pedal/s and cymbals so I don't have to fiddle with re-setting the heights or settings of mine, also, nobody but me is allowed to tune my drums, though I do let them move toms into whatever position they need.

Mmmm, there is rarely a gig I ever play that doesn't involve 'sharing' a kit. The general rule is the headline act or the 'house' provide the shells and stands, you bring 'breakables' - snare, cymbals, pedals, sticks. A lot of gigs I play have more than 3 bands playing, so the set up and tear down time between acts would just be ridiculous if someone wasn't providing kit. Personally, I know most of the local bands who would be using my kit anyway, and I would make sure I stuck around my kit, and kept and eye on who is doing what with my kit. I would never leave my kit alone at a gig.

EDIT: Sorry, really don't wanna come across offensively/aggresively! but, if you're not willing to let others use your kit, which is fair enough, I think you should be willing to use their kit. If everyone took the view of not sharing, imagine the set up and tear down time between sets where 8 bands are playing, especially when miked up! The audience will be long gone!

Rule 1 - Never!

Rule 2 - refer to rule one

Would any other musician let someone use their instrument? I don't think so.....

zambizzi said:

People used and abused your property, and were impolite in doing so. In any scenario, how could it be construed as rude or unprofessional to refuse them to allow them to do this?

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Well put. I do let others play my set (like you, for instance) provided I know them. There are a few people I would loan my entire set to if they needed it, but only because I know them personally to be trustworthy and decent. That includes you and a few other people in town.

To demand someone to leave their set on a stage for anyone is not reasonable. I suspect the organizer of the venue did absolutely nothing to impress upon the other bands that someone very graciously allowed use of the gear and the drummers should treat the donated gear and its owner in a courteous, professional manner. I wouldn't want to work with someone like that, either.

One more thing: I'll bet your gear got treated the worst at gigs you were doing for free.

I'm in the same situation as AtomicFlapjack usually - the standard for bands playing original songs around here is that there are often 4 - 5 bands on the bill. This means that there is very little switchover time, which means only one set of shells is ever used. People usually just have to bring their "breakables." It's a pretty good system, and normally works out quite fair. If I'm using my kit at a gig, I'll always make an effort to talk to the other drummers just to make sure they're ok with the setup and ask if they need help.

In the long run, it's not a bad idea to seek them out rather than expect them to seek you out. It's a weird situation, people get nervous and in a gig situation people are going back and forth constantly and can seem preoccupied. If you talk to them beforehand and help them out with any troubles they have, there could be less chance of things being messed around with.

I only let other people that I'm already friends with use my kit if I'm ever in a situation where somebody is providing something. If the venue is so bent on saving time by having everyone use the same kit, then I think it would be in their best interest to rent one for everybody to use, including you. Then there's no hard feelings all the way around.

But this brings up an even funnier situation. People tend to think that drummers take the most time in swapping out instruments when everyone is using their own stuff, but have you seen keyboard players and their rigs? Talk about a switch-out nightmare! Moving a set of drums is nothing compared to the moving, and then powering, and then checking monitor levels for the keyboard player. The last few times I was in a festival situation where all bands had to set-up and then tear down, I was always done first! The keyboardist was always last!

Wow, their guitar player is a real knob. Unfortunately, it's a necessary evil that drummer share kits at gigs. Whenever I've had to do it, the other drummer brings their own snare, cymbals and kick pedal. It's probably also a good idea for them to bring their own hi-hat clutch, that way they don't touch yours and they take theirs with them when they are done.

Maybe the best thing to do with this show is just share the kit (yours or his), deal with it as best you can and never play with them again. Who knows, maybe the other drummer has no idea that this crap is even going on. I would also let it be known to the club owner how difficult they are being. Also, if this is how they conduct business, it won't be long before no other bands will want to play with them.

You don't tell someone that they are using your kit, you ask them if it's ok and that your drummer will bring his own breakables and be very careful with your kit. What a jackass.

Just be glad the other drummer isn't left-handed. Now THAT can be difficult! No offence to any lefties out there.

I'd be stoked if the drummer from the opening band allowed me to use his kit. So much less work for yourself. Unless it's a big show and your band really wants the look and sound of your own kit, I don't see any problem with it. I've had to share my kit with opening bands on several tours and somehow my kit has remained unscathed. I guess I'm one of the lucky few haha.