3 Piece DrumSet Challenge - Try It Yourself ! good practice.

StiGy

Member
So I Took the Challenge!! and i want to challenge you too ..
Here is the challenge:
Play only on your HiHat, Snare and Bass Drum (Kick) - a Drum Solo for 2 minutes or more.
You`ll find it pretty difficult to stay creative with only 3 piece -
I would like to know what you think about my Drum Solo Challenge and if you tried it yourself - tell me!
Good Day to all the Drummers! :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eQ81cu5doc
 
My current kit is just bass drum and snare and I love it. Though, I have both hi hats and a ride cymbal that crashes pretty well. When you have fewer drums, you really find ways of pulling different timbres from them ;)
 
It's a two piece kit-you don't count cymbals. I use to use this little Pearl Rhythm Traveler POD as a two piece- 12 in snare and 16 in kick. It was a fun tiny little kit. It isn't a solo and I'm playing along to Sirius radio so I'm trying to keep up with this song and giving those ghost notes a fit LOL. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh-nBKIgk2A&feature=youtu.be
 
I made huge improvements by going to this setup and playing our setlist. To make it work and remain interesting to the listener you have to work hard with what you have and use every sound available. After a few weeks like this I added a tom, and the possibilities seemed endless. It also made me use all the sounds available from each drum and cymbal once added to the setup.
 
I made huge improvements by going to this setup and playing our setlist. To make it work and remain interesting to the listener you have to work hard with what you have and use every sound available. After a few weeks like this I added a tom, and the possibilities seemed endless. It also made me use all the sounds available from each drum and cymbal once added to the setup.

exactly what i feel! Thanks!
 
Tried it once during a rehearsal = never again ! I like too much toms sound , it was really frustrating. I know there is a fad towards smaller kits but, brrrr, it changed too much my way of playing.
 
Challenge? It's really not that hard. If you understand rhythms and how to apply them, then it really doesn't matter what you're applying them on. Even with only one drum, the possibilities are endless if you just think openly.
 
Tried it once during a rehearsal = never again ! I like too much toms sound , it was really frustrating. I know there is a fad towards smaller kits but, brrrr, it changed too much my way of playing.

You are missing the point. Its a PRACTICE medium, dont do it in a band situation. I love all my toms but the reasoning behind this process is to get every sound nuance out of the 3 pieces of kit, and having to work to make it interesting.

Then, add a single tom and work on the same principal till you get all you can out of the 4 elements. Do the same as you add the rest of your kit one at a time. It makes you feel like you have a whole orchestra under your hands and feet when playing the whole kit.
 
HAH!!! Thanks!

Because of the limited space in my home, that's the ONLY set up I can pull off. You're right....it IS fun to get creative musically with such a sparse kit.
 
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My first drumset was a Gretsch bass drum, a Gretsch snare, and a Zildjian crash ride. Played that for over 4 years before the army. I've had all of the three piece I want.
 
I used to play an actual 3 piece set (snare, bass, floor tom) and it wasn't until 2 years ago that I got a kit with a rack tom. Spending so long on a smaller kit helps you connect with those drums more, and understand how to coax different sounds out of them.

Just bass and snare is the same way, but technically that is a 2 piece kit. It will still help drummers to be able to play with dynamics and realize that you can get many different sounds out of a drum.
 
I used to play an actual 3 piece set (snare, bass, floor tom) and it wasn't until 2 years ago that I got a kit with a rack tom. Spending so long on a smaller kit helps you connect with those drums more, and understand how to coax different sounds out of them.

Just bass and snare is the same way, but technically that is a 2 piece kit. It will still help drummers to be able to play with dynamics and realize that you can get many different sounds out of a drum.

No, the H/H makes the third element. It also makes you use the H/H in different ways, expanding its use.
 
No, the H/H makes the third element. It also makes you use the H/H in different ways, expanding its use.

I always thought you only counted the drums when referring to pieces, and that HH was considered a cymbal...

If you buy a 3 piece kit, it's just drums, and even if you have 20 cymbals, people will still call it a 3 piece... at least that's been my experience.
 
I always thought you only counted the drums when referring to pieces, and that HH was considered a cymbal...

If you buy a 3 piece kit, it's just drums, and even if you have 20 cymbals, people will still call it a 3 piece... at least that's been my experience.

We are talking elements of your kit. If you read the OP he said HH, snare and B drum.
 
You are missing the point. Its a PRACTICE medium, dont do it in a band situation. I love all my toms but the reasoning behind this process is to get every sound nuance out of the 3 pieces of kit, and having to work to make it interesting.

Then, add a single tom and work on the same principal till you get all you can out of the 4 elements. Do the same as you add the rest of your kit one at a time. It makes you feel like you have a whole orchestra under your hands and feet when playing the whole kit.
I don't really agree with only doing this in a practice situation. I wish more drummers would get rid of the tom-toms and other extraneous pcs. that they default to, much too often.
 
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