Symmetrical floor toms

calan

Silver Member
Say you have two floor toms. Say you decide to put one by your high hats.

If you had your choice, is that one higher or lower in pitch than the one in the usual spot? What’s your logic behind the choice?
 
I've probably never let logic dictate my drum placement;) My "default" kit, is a 1 up, 2 down 5 piece. With both floors on the right. Having 3 matched floor toms for a while (14x14, 16x16, 18x16) ..... I explored a lot of possibilities. Three in a row on the right. The 14 left of the hi-hat. The 16 left of the hi-hat. The 18 left of the hi-hat.

I guess any "logic" might better be explored knowing the sizes of the drums involved. I'm sort of a traditional (20, 12, 14) (22, 13, 16) sort of guy ..... so in a standard 20, 12, 14 kit ..... if I was adding a 16 (and I couldn't have both on my right), I'd put the 16 left of the hi-hat. In a 22, 13, 16 scenario ..... adding either a 14 or an 18 (and no two in a row) ..... either the 14 or 18 would go by the hats.
 
What’s your logic behind the choice?

Smaller FT would go next to HH.
My largest FT is my primary FT. It's the one I want to play most and I just need it in the traditional position. This wouldn't be critical with a 16 and 18 since I consider both to be "primary" floor toms.
But with a 14 and 16, it would definitely matter. The 14 (to me) is supplemental; it's always played transitionally, whereas I could write a song on a 16" FT.
 
Last edited:
18 goes on the left. 10 up, 13 & 16 on the right. The 13 is a floor tom.
 
Possibly a bit of a drift in topic, but for my band, we've always wanted a beefy "techno" style kick AND fast "metal" double kicks, playing midi controllers and DAWs this was simple, but now I'm playing an electric kit suddenly I'm finding my left hand doing a LOT more.

Incidentally, my hihats on the right too! with a remote for left foot so I play a kind of back-to-front open handed (I'm right handed) with the "Techno" kick being on the pad that would be the floor tom. I'm actually really enjoying learning like this. Been forcing a lot more emphasis on the left hand, or I've just been working on my "blast" using the hat pedal and "techno" kick on the on and the snare with "Metal" kick on the off. Such a weird feeling doing this left foot led thing, but its keeping me on my toes!

I had been considering getting a duplicate of the same sample on another pad on the left side as well so my right hand has more access to the snare - if I'm playing "Techno" kick with the left hand the right hands somewhat stuck with the hat and ride.
 
I have a symmetrical setup that is basically a standard 4-piece configuration except I use the small tom as a left side "floor tom." Since this setup is not far from a standard setup, I can still sit at a shared/house kit and feel comfortable.
 
he bigger one on the left and the one i use the most on the right side, so that, logically, if i need to play a passage on the less used tom, i will know that it is on my left because i almost never twist my torso to the left to play a drum.
 
I can't really have anything by my hi hat - the computer and mixing board iPad is in that position. I tried having a second snare over there and that didn't work either.
 
The 18" goes left of hats for faux double kick stuff, the 16" in the 'usual' position and the 14" last because I don't really like 14" floor toms (unless I'm playing a bop kit) but, it could be used to end a fill or mix in a fill, with the 16".


32 notes are easy with the 'faux kick' FT, three 16ths on the real kick answered on the FT with left hand.
 
The 18" goes left of hats for faux double kick stuff, the 16" in the 'usual' position and the 14" last because I don't really like 14" floor toms (unless I'm playing a bop kit) but, it could be used to end a fill or mix in a fill, with the 16".


32 notes are easy with the 'faux kick' FT, three 16ths on the real kick answered on the FT with left hand.
I was thinking along the same lines. In a perfect world, we would have all developed our sticking to be perfectly ambidextrous, but since I'm not perfect, I thought maybe having the lower pitch tom on the off side. But, only having 14 and 16 at the moment, I don't want to leave my 14 as the primary.

It's interesting to see what other people do with their own particular situations.

And like Bo, I've got my electronics to consider. But I've got the fabrication ability to deal with that. I can probably work out something to fly that stuff off a floor tom leg. It could also probably just as easily sit on the floor. My physical mixer is basically just to blend monitor feed with click.

I can't really have anything by my hi hat - the computer and mixing board iPad is in that position. I tried having a second snare over there and that didn't work either.
my mixer and click GUIs are on my phone, which is already high hat mounted, so no real worries there.

I've experimented with the side snare in the past as well, and I never really cared much for it.

I did have a project a few years back that made a lot of use of tom grooves, and off side tom was cool for that. I'm now doing something where that's called for again, but I'm thinking larger toms... and I've never particular liked having two floor toms next to each other.
 
I was thinking along the same lines. In a perfect world, we would have all developed our sticking to be perfectly ambidextrous, but since I'm not perfect, I thought maybe having the lower pitch tom on the off side. But, only having 14 and 16 at the moment, I don't want to leave my 14 as the primary.

It's interesting to see what other people do with their own particular situations.

And like Bo, I've got my electronics to consider. But I've got the fabrication ability to deal with that. I can probably work out something to fly that stuff off a floor tom leg. It could also probably just as easily sit on the floor. My physical mixer is basically just to blend monitor feed with click.

my mixer and click GUIs are on my phone, which is already high hat mounted, so no real worries there.

I've experimented with the side snare in the past as well, and I never really cared much for it.

I did have a project a few years back that made a lot of use of tom grooves, and off side tom was cool for that. I'm now doing something where that's called for again, but I'm thinking larger toms... and I've never particular liked having two floor toms next to each other.
I really like the Bonham aesthetic of one up and two down though - even if I have no need for the second floor tom. It just makes the kit look balanced to me. Again, I just play stuff like “Mustang Sally”, so I have no use for “modern” set-ups allowing me to do more than my one-beat fills 😉
 
I don't play two floor toms. I like the contained efficiency of a four-piece arrangement (in my case, 12", 16", 22"). But if I were to add a second floor tom, I'd place the smaller of the two near my hats. It just makes sense to me to have the larger diameter (and thus the lower tonal option) in the traditional floor tom position. I like to keep my thunder to my right.

Neil Peart used a 23" bass drum for a while. An interviewer asked why, feverishly awaiting a brilliant sonic insight. "Just because," Peart replied. His selection was largely random.

Not every drumming-related decision requires a logical foundation. Place your toms however you wish. If anyone asks you to defend your setup, try saying, "Just because." The person will either be supportive or peevish. In the first case, you've made a friend. In the second, you're dealing with someone whose opinion is of no value to begin with. No matter what, keep on drumming.
 
One floor tom is enough for me. My playing isn't what you would describe as "tom heavy" or anything even close.

I prefer a 16 but I'll take the 14 over the 18 for gigging. My 18 is just too big for gigs.
 
my mixer and click GUIs are on my phone, which is already high hat mounted, so no real worries there
Mixer on your phone??!?
In my experience phones are terrible at mixing, as in there are no apps (that I've found) to blend different sound outputs...

What are you using? What's the phone side of the setup?
 
Not every drumming-related decision requires a logical foundation. Place your toms however you wish. If anyone asks you to defend your setup, try saying, "Just because." The person will either be supportive or peevish. In the first case, you've made a friend. In the second, you're dealing with someone whose opinion is of no value to begin with. No matter what, keep on drumming.
I can assure you that the judgement of any party outside of myself is not under any kind of situation.

I've done two floors in the usual configuration. I've done them split. I've done side snares. Perhaps I'll do any of these again at some time in the future if I have the impulse. Perhaps it will merely be a passing thought.

I was more interested in people's experience in terms of sticking or tonal considerations, but practical considerations are certainly worthwhile, if not as important in my situation.

I'm just in a situation where I feel I need to bring the thunder, and I don't much care for using more than 3 toms any longer. I don't care for large rack toms for ergonomic reasons, so am considering the 1 up 2 down route again. Perhaps an atypical version, though.
 
Mixer on your phone??!?
In my experience phones are terrible at mixing, as in there are no apps (that I've found) to blend different sound outputs...

What are you using? What's the phone side of the setup?
I'm either running a Beringer x air app or using the html GUI from a soundcraft UI mixer in the situations where I'm doing phone control. More often than not it's still hand signs to the guy at the desk using analog controls.
 
I'm either running a Beringer x air app or using the html GUI from a soundcraft UI mixer in the situations where I'm doing phone control. More often than not it's still hand signs to the guy at the desk using analog controls.
Thanks....downloading as we speak
 
Back
Top