One up and One down trend ?

Rolltide

Active Member
It seems like there is a swing back to basic drum kits? I grew up playing 2 up and 2down with a high ride cymbal placement . The one up one down kit and lower tide at the 2nd Tom position is interesting and seems like a trend . Do you guys see this ?
 
I don't think it's a trend. I think it's a return to normal, meaning people have been doing that forever. Look at Ringo. Look at lots of jazz drummers. Look at early rock drummers. 1 up, ride over the kick, 1 down 2 down whatever. It's an optimal position for a ride. Nothing else should go there IMO.
 
I've played one up/one down for many years. My up tom is 12 twelve inches, mounted in a snare stand. My floor tom is 16 inches. I like the large tonal differentiation between the two.

I've always preferred a minimalist setup. Large kits, to me, promote overplaying. They're also harder to transport. Using only what I need has always seemed the optimal approach.

Yes, I have my ride in what would otherwise be the second tom position. It's highly accessible and thus comfortable to play. My ride extends on a boom stand as close to my 12-inch tom as I can get it. And I love having my 12-inch tom in a snare stand. My bass drum is virgin (i.e., no hole for mounting).
 
1-up 1-down is not a trend. A lot of people use it. More so the guys who are out slugging it out in little clubs with little stages. As a working drummer I concur with the idea that adding live music to a venue was somehow an afterthought ?. If all you read were Modern Drummer and other drum magazines, you’d think everybody was a touring pro who played on huge stages and had a crew to move your stuff around!
 
1-up 1-down is not a trend. A lot of people use it. More so the guys who are out slugging it out in little clubs with little stages.

Yeah, though I play a relatively small kit, my 22x18 bass drum takes up inordinate space at times. Something 14 or 16 deep would be preferable on occasion, but I favor the thump an 18 provides. Lots of stages don't have risers. For that matter, lots of venues don't have stages. Real estate can come at a premium.
 
Actually although many people have always played 1up 1down, if we're now seeing more people do so then it is in fact "trending" as the thread title says. A trend doesn't have to be a new thing or idea. There's a difference between trending and trend setting.

. . . . I've always preferred a minimalist setup. Large kits, to me, promote overplaying.
. . .

I agree, and ironically the overplaying on large kits tends to actually be simpler drumming. The focus seems more on hitting the most drums or the most notes, which can be cool sometimes, but the most impressive fills and licks I've heard are always played on kick/snare/hi-hat/tom or floor tom, as opposed to a bunch of toms.
 
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Actually although many people have always played 1up 1down, if we're now seeing more people do so then it is in fact "trending" as the thread title says. A trend doesn't have to be a new thing or idea. There's a difference between trending and trend setting.

Damn metalheads using words and logic to point out the obvious!
 
The more drums helps a poor drummer like myself .....

More drums helped make me sound busier, but in reality I was playing more basic things, just doing it on more pieces.
Fewer drums force me to be more creative. It has definitely made me better. This was actually the very reason I removed some toms.
 
Yeah, though I play a relatively small kit, my 22x18 bass drum takes up inordinate space at times. Something 14 or 16 deep would be preferable on occasion, but I favor the thump an 18 provides. Lots of stages don't have risers. For that matter, lots of venues don't have stages. Real estate can come at a premium.
I have an even smaller 4-piece with a 8x12/14x14/14x20 for just those occasions. But it’s kinda sad when it gets used the most ?
 
I really prefer a 4 piece, but I often put an extra 14FT to the left of the hat when I'm playing LMJ beats.
 
Actually although many people have always played 1up 1down, if we're now seeing more people do so then it is in fact "trending" as the thread title says. A trend doesn't have to be a new thing or idea. There's a difference between trending and trend setting.



I agree, and ironically the overplaying on large kits tends to actually be simpler drumming. The focus seems more on hitting the most drums or the most notes, which can be cool sometimes, but the most impressive fills and licks I've heard are always played on kick/snare/hi-hat/tom or floor tom.

Absolutely. I use toms fairly sparingly and crash cymbals with even less frequency. Overusing crashes, especially, is on par with ending every sentence with an exclamation point. The emphasis is dulled through constant application.
 
The vast majority of the gigs I've ever done have been on a one up/one down. I'm practical and trendy :)

In an ideal situation I'll use an extra floor tom. Most venues I play aren't made for anything more than a 4 piece anymore, a lot of the big places are long gone.

I have an even smaller 4-piece with a 8x12/14x14/14x20. But it’s kinda sad when it gets used the most ?

Same here bud, it's just how venues have changed. It's gonna be all kinds of interesting when we're finally allowed to gig again!
 
I've always preferred 2 up, 1 down.
Playing fills on songs with a 4/4 time signature is more intuitive with 2 up, 1 down as there are 4 natural drums to incorporate (snare, tom1, tom2, FT). Of course, a drummer can be spectacularly creative with 1 up, 1 down fills. However, 2 up, 1 down feels more natural for me.
 
Well I guess Terry Bozzio hasn't gotten the memo yet or read this thread. I think he's now up to 32 kicks, 67 floor toms, 612 cymbals, etc.

Ha! I thought of Bozzio and Peart when I posted my first reply to this thread. Both guys are antithetical to my minimalistic mindset. Carter Beauford (Dave Matthews Band) is another monster who likes a mammoth arsenal.
In rare cases, I guess you're so damn good that you need fifty-seven drums.

I don't think any less of guys who like big kits. I just favor a classic four-piece. With less to choose from, I feel more creative.
 
the 4 piece set up is not a trend as much as a "foundation"...I don't think it ever goes away. We see less of those kits on popular media fronts because drummers in those situations can :

1. afford to have a bigger kit
2. have people setting up, and dealing with the logistics of a bigger kit
3. are in a situation where someone other than the drummer might be determining the "look" of the band
4. need to be able to play a variety of styles in a situation where they can't change kit size, so "more is more" in this situation
 
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