Angling the bass drum

I was reading an article in the November (I think) 2004 issue of MD, with Louis Bellson on the cover. It was a special bass drum issue, and they had an article by Matt Ritter in regards in "Unbearing the Beater". In the article he first talks about the placement of your pedals.

Basically the idea is thinking of setting up your pedals so that they match your feet as they would be if you were just sitting on the throne without them there. For most of us, our feet are angled outwards, so why do we put the bass drum so it is facing forward? That causes us to twist our foot and knee to get it onto the pedal, and it's not ergonomic.

Instead, he suggests angling the hi-hat and bass pedals outward, and putting the drum throne in the center, forming sort of a triangle. This is now the focal point instead of the bass drum. I've made a diagram to illustrate this point:



You can see the triangle formed by the pedals and throne and how the snare and first tom are inline. All the other drums and cymbals are setup in front of us as normal, but now the bass is angled.

Does anyone else do this? I've started playing like this and I noticed an immediate improvement in comfort and playability. It is strange at first getting used to the different placement, but I can see the benefit in the longrun. Once my new gear comes in I plan on taking new pictures using this setup.

[maddrummr]

I have seen it. I think its also the way you look at a drummer. I think most have the bass drum facing straight out for most projection or to advertise the band logo to the people paying for the front and center seats.

Because for me, my bass drum is facing straight out but me personally is not facing square to the bass drum but at a 45 degree angle torwards my hats. I think that puts me at the same position as moving your bass drum. Because when moving the bass drum, it seems that you just make it so your facing a different way.

Idk this is my opinion right now, but maybe i'll try it tomarrow and see if it ends up being something different from what i just said.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

I have always set up as you have diagrammed. A triangle from throne to hats to bass drum. Anything else to me would be unnatural. The fact that ones legs are apart you are automatically forming a triangle and to turn your ankle in, or supinate, would cause stress on the leg from the knee down and this would be tiring and lead to unnecessary wear and tear on joints. I think the degree at which this triangle is formed is up to the individual, but unless you can sit with your feet together, with no snare drum in between, there is no other choice. As said above, you can turn your bass drum to face the audience but then you will be facing left.

[Wavelength]

Originally Posted by GRUNTERSDAD

I have always set up as you have diagrammed.

Ditto -- it's logical and feels good. I find it hard to fathom why so many experienced drummers have their drums set up in uncomfortable angles.

[d.c.drummer]

When it set up my kit my bass drum goes down first so i get the wierd angle things out the way. If anything is wierdly angled it ends up being my hi-hats because they dont stay still.

Really if you turned the bass drum so its straight on the diagram, thats how most people set up thier drum.

Originally Posted by Wavelength

Ditto -- it's logical and feels good. I find it hard to fathom why so many experienced drummers have their drums set up in uncomfortable angles.

Well like I said in regards to sitting in line with the bass drum, that's pretty much how we were all taught, and when we look at pictures, that's how most drummers sit. It's almost become the norm, even if from an ergonomic standpoint it's not always the best.

[Thrash Drummer]

That is the setup of most kits with two bass drums. Also, the Giant Step pedal allows for this angle while leaving the bass drum and you facing the audience. As for single pedal(or any other double pedal) playing, I also rotate, I'm never really facing the audience, just the stage left guitarist...

[hauk]

Yup, that's how I always set up. Even if you want your kick facing the crowd, you can set up that way and just have your body angled a bit to the side.

[fijjibo]

Thats how I always have and always will set-up.

It looks better when its the drummer making eye-contact with the crowd than the bass drum.

[DuxTer]

Originally Posted by maddrummr

I have seen it. I think its also the way you look at a drummer. I think most have the bass drum facing straight out for most projection or to advertise the band logo to the people paying for the front and center seats.

It's only a slight angle normally, so that wouldnt be a problem.

I also set up like shown in the diagram.

[lagwagon99]

thats exactly how mine is set up. really comfortable. : )

[Mapex589]

I have always set up that way. I have tried to set up with the bass drum straight and I cant get comfortable. I also can't mount my toms on bass drum for the same reason....my toms form a triangle with my snare.

[abe]

I usualy put my hihat and bass drum first - just like in picture. I haven't used straight bass drum yet!

[That Guy]

Just like Mapex589, I have always done that. (exact set up).. but I have a 18 China above my ride.

[BellsOfRhymney]

Don't need to angle bass drum ..just turn your body to the left a tad.

[beefythedrummer]

I have always set mine up like that. The funny thing is I always thought I had it set up wrong, because I would always ask myself "Why is my bass drum angled" lol. But the first thing I learned when setting up my kit was to do it where it was comfortable, and thats what I did.

[The popes love child]

That's how I started setting up, I got the idea by looking at double-bass sets. I just figured if you took out one drum the other would still be in the same spot. It feels alot better. Before my foot was cocked-eyed on the pedal.

[druid]

I agree about angling bass drums as described here. Actually when I play two bass drums it works out naturally that way. It has been only with a single bass ( double pedal) that I really have to think about it...and I think I tend to change the way I sit in relation to the kit when a bass drum is facing forward. Thinking ergonomically is always the best route to go...anytime you have to play for exteneded periods your body will 'thank you' for the forethought.

[3vil0n3]

I've been setting up like this for quite a while now. Probably about 10 years. I remember another article in modern drummer about the remote kick concept. Same idea but with tom height. You get a left footed double pedal (if you are playing right handed) and move your bass drum off to the side and put your toms where you want them.

I've also been told that Tim Alexander used to set up his kit completely facing towards one side of the stage, away from the audience on the Tales From the Punchbowl tour. I'm not sure what his thoughts were on that.

[BellsOfRhymney]

Pivit your body and hat pedal, not the bass drum!

[cjl71178]

I did try setting up this way a few years back when I had my starclassics and I was running my top two toms like Mapex589, but I couldn't get comfortable. I guess I've always been used to having my kick straight out. And just like d.c. drummer, when setting up my kit, the bass drum is the first peice of the puzzle that I start with.

I'm awaiting my Slingerlands to come back (they are being rewrapped), maybe I'll try to reset them up this way because it does look like it's comfortable...especially with using a double pedal.

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

I set up this way as well. I face my rack toms, which from my perspective are to the left of my kick instead of directly over. This position works great for me since I have been using a floor tom to the left of the hats as well. I think if you check out that thread where people posted pics of their kits with rack toms offset from the kick (not directly over), you will see that we all have that same bass angle. I love it. It's natural, and I don't feel all twisted up. I'm not concerned with anyone seeing the face of my kick and it's not angled so far that they can't. For projection, well, even in small clubs I try to get a mic on the kick.

[drummingman]

im switching to the off set bass drum as well. matt ritters dvd is what made me think about doing the off set bass drum.

[thecraponline]

I do this too, though I started for a different reason - I was uncomfortable with my snare drum being to the left of my torso, and preferred for it to be "centered". I tend to think of it as moving the throne, rather than angling the bass drum.