The "Ah Ha!" moment.

RinkRat

RinkRat

Member
Let me start with, "Yes, I'm Lefty, and playing backwards.". Now that we got that out of the way...

I'm a vertically challenged human being. (5'5") With that in mind, it has been difficult to find the magic combination of height & angle for everything kit related.

The biggest issue for me is Tom placement on the BD. If I tried to reduce the angle of them, they ended up sitting on the BD, because I couldn't comfortably reach them. Or, I would have to spread them across the BD, and have a difficult time making my way around the kit. Another option, would be to have such a steep angle, that I'd have to wear a goalie mask, for fear of the stick rebound hitting me in the face.

before.jpg

On a whim this past Saturday, I put one tom in a snare stand, and rigged the other to hang off of the BD. (Yes, it's not ideal. But it was for experimental purposes only.)

after.jpg

OMFG! What a difference! I ordered a Pearl Double Tom stand later that night. Granted, I still have to tweak a few other things. But within 5 minutes of using this setup, I actually felt like a drummer.

Yay me! Can't wait for the UPS truck to arrive tomorrow!!

Anyone have an experience like this WRT placement, or something similar?
 
I'm set up a lot like that. I got there by starting with the usual four-piece arrangement, then adding one more rack and floor tom. I have a really nice sounding 8" tom that pushes the hi hat out into the hallway, I'm thinking of setting the 12" by itself over the kick, with the 8" and 10" outside the hats like they were roto toms.
 
If you look at it in a mirror it looks just like a right handed set up.
 
I feel your initial pain, as I am 5' 5" myself. What did I do? I use a 20" BD, but the eureka moment......I raised my seat height by 2". What a revelation, I can set the toms at the right angle and reach everything much easier. Also my BD leg no longer fatigues as easily as before and I have more pedal control. A result all round.
 
The other thing is to sit up straight. I shared a kit in a rehearsal space with a guy 5'6 (I'm 6'1) and had to lower things when I played. I finally realized how much I slouched and how much he sat up straight with good posture.
 
Aeolian said:
The other thing is to sit up straight. I shared a kit in a rehearsal space with a guy 5'6 (I'm 6'1) and had to lower things when I played. I finally realized how much I slouched and how much he sat up straight with good posture.
Click to expand...
I slouch. I'm 6 even, and toms are angled on my 22" and even my 20". Seat is at 22" not counting the sponge. I wondered if a throne with a back rest would help? Maybe give me a tangible target to lean back to... or strap myself to.
 
ermghoti said:
I'm set up a lot like that. I got there by starting with the usual four-piece arrangement, then adding one more rack and floor tom. I have a really nice sounding 8" tom that pushes the hi hat out into the hallway, I'm thinking of setting the 12" by itself over the kick, with the 8" and 10" outside the hats like they were roto toms.
Click to expand...

Do you have a pic of your setup?

Zickos said:
If you look at it in a mirror it looks just like a right handed set up.
Click to expand...

Not if you're dyslexic...

mikel said:
I feel your initial pain, as I am 5' 5" myself. What did I do? I use a 20" BD, but the eureka moment......I raised my seat height by 2". What a revelation, I can set the toms at the right angle and reach everything much easier. Also my BD leg no longer fatigues as easily as before and I have more pedal control. A result all round.
Click to expand...

The seat height made a difference for me as well. My BD is a 22". I have wondered if going to something like that, is enough to make a difference. But we'll see how the stand works out. grrr... doesn't arrive until Wednesady.

Aeolian said:
The other thing is to sit up straight. I shared a kit in a rehearsal space with a guy 5'6 (I'm 6'1) and had to lower things when I played. I finally realized how much I slouched and how much he sat up straight with good posture.
Click to expand...

Yikes! you must be close to fetal position when you play! I try to keep upright as much as possible. Unfortunately, I've spent too many years slouched behind computer screens, and have to constantly think about my posture at the kit, to avoid curling into a ball.

Razbo said:
I slouch. I'm 6 even, and toms are angled on my 22" and even my 20". Seat is at 22" not counting the sponge. I wondered if a throne with a back rest would help? Maybe give me a tangible target to lean back to... or strap myself to.
Click to expand...

That might be my next investment... Backrest for my Roc N Soc, and some rope to tie me upright to it.
 
I started mounting my toms off the bass drum like that a long time ago.

For opposite reasons though. I have long legs, and to get the bass drum in a comfortable position, it put the toms too far to my right.
 
Well, I did get the stand yesterday. (Pearl T1030) But I only ended up with 30 minutes to set it up, & play. grrrrr...

But for the few minutes I did try it out, I think it's going to make a huge impact on my playing.

A minor issue I discovered though, is Hihat placement. It seems to be either in the way of my right hand to travel around the kit. Or it is too far away for the left hand. (remember, I'm backwards)

I'll take pics tonight to show examples.

Mad About Drums said:
oh. I thought it was a thread about this... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914

... silly me :)
Click to expand...

Serously? Ugh.
 
I'm 6' and I had that same problem until I went to a 20" kick. Glad you found a setup that works for you. It's a great feeling.
 
I play like this too. My reason, like many others, is that it allows you to get your ride in low and tight. I've tried two up centered over the bass but don't like how far my ride is then.

Here's a thread dedicated to this setup http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44295

I occasionally get fed up with how far off to the left my hihat has to be and will sometimes switch to one up two down. Can't make up my mind. However, recently I put my mid tom almost directly over the bass drum and my high tom just to the left. This allows my hihat to come in just a bit closer. Here's a pic of my setup from the above thread.

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1192748&postcount=149
 
Ah cool! I'll migrate over to that thread. Thanks!

Dignan said:
I play like this too. My reason, like many others, is that it allows you to get your ride in low and tight. I've tried two up centered over the bass but don't like how far my ride is then.

Here's a thread dedicated to this setup http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44295

I occasionally get fed up with how far off to the left my hihat has to be and will sometimes switch to one up two down. Can't make up my mind. However, recently I put my mid tom almost directly over the bass drum and my high tom just to the left. This allows my hihat to come in just a bit closer. Here's a pic of my setup from the above thread.

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1192748&postcount=149
Click to expand...
 
RinkRat said:
Ah cool! I'll migrate over to that thread. Thanks!
Click to expand...

You can see my left handed setup in that thread. I am 5'5" as well and although having a 20" bass was helpful, still I did not like mounting my rack toms on the BD. First I used a double tom mount on my right side crash stand which worked fine, but then the ultimate flexible solution was using a simple rack.
 
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