Are you the type of player who...

Larry

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
...likes to use one snare and cymbal set for all your live gigs or do you like to rotate your gear?

I have an "A" list set of cymbals that I use for all my gigs.

I played the same snare for 7 years, a Pearl Eric Singer signature snare.

That was before one Andy Crosby came into my life.

Right now I am rotating through my Guru snares but I keep the same cymbals.

But basically, when I get something I like, I stick with it. This is the first time I have been rotating any gear since my return to music in 2003. I think it stems from a desire to have a mostly non-changing, signature set of sounds...

How about you?

I would be shocked if Paradiddle Pete used only one of his outrageously gorgeous sets for live stuff.
 
I rotate snares regularly, usually it's a Supra, Copperphonic, or early COB (not technically a Supra.) I've added my new 8" Copperphonic and Black Beauty to that list. :) I also bring different kits as needed for the gig at hand, sometimes determined by the band, sometimes by the venue once I learn what works best there.

But for all of the cymbals I have, I use the same 7 or 8 Sabians for almost all of my local gigs.

Bermuda
 
I have a "blues" set up and a "jazz" set up. I will occasionally switch out a snare or add a cymbal to either configuration, but for the most part it stays the same.
 
I have a cymbal setup that I use with my 12/14/18 for bebop and a different setup I use with my 13/16/22 for rock. Need at least one cymbal with rivets if I'm going to be playing brushes and my lower-volume cymbals don't sound quite right to me with amplified music.

I do switch snares, but only for convenience. I would be fine playing only my 6.5" snare with both, but I like having different head and tuning combinations for each type of gig, so I keep a 5" for the jazz setup just because it's faster to grab a different drum than re-head and re-tune each time.
 
I rotate constantly due to genre, venue, and boredom. It really isn't necessary, because I can do my job on any of my gear, but sometimes I just feel like bringing something different out. There is one venue that dictates I use my Giglite kit because of an extremely narrow drum riser.
 
I cant afford to rotate gear. I rotate my playing style to suit the genre. It was difficult to start with but now I find, through necessity, I can get many more sounds out of my kit and cymbals than I would have thought possible.
 
I have six snares, a Ludwig 402, a pre-CBS Rogers Dyna Sonic with brass shell, a Maple snare that came with my Maple DW Pacific kit that has double-cut bearing edges, a Premier 5.5 x 14" chrome snare from the 80's, a Pearl free-floating 4 x 14" Brass piccolo snare, and a Tama 10-lug 6.5 x 14" chrome snare from the 70's. Right now I am using the Rogers, I get a lot of compliments on the sound. It's miked with a condenser mike, it's actually a Behringer C-2 which is a cheap mike, but I use them on my snare and toms, because with the 10db rolloff switch engaged, they make great drum mikes, and when I got them they were 60 bucks for a pair! Just make sure the "nose cone" stays tight, or they distort. I like the piccolo as well, I carry it for a spare, but I need to find some shorter wires for it, because the snare sound is too long and wet. I like dry and snappy, like the Garabaldi sound. I find that when miking, the 6.5 x 14" snares are too deep, they don't cut through like the thinner ones.

My "work" kit is a 1970's Tama Royalstar, white with 2 rack toms and a floor tom, and I find that it mikes up real well and I don't have to worry about scratching it, because when the lights are on it, it just turns whatever color the lights are, and it looks just fine, even though it needs a re-wrap. I don't even put the drums in cases, I just put them in my van as is. The shells are mahogany and shina wood, and the sound is that deep 70's sound. I'm stuck in the 70's! I wear my hair like the 70's, I live to play 70's funk, and I wish the politics and economy were more like the 70's!

Not related to this post at ALL, but the world population of Humans has DOUBLED since the 1970's...1977 to be exact, and that fact alone is probably why things now are so screwed up! Use condoms!
 
I have two complete kits. Cymbals and snares were picked to match each one. Black Widow kit gets the new Sabian HHX evos and DW solid Maple 5.5x14. Tama B/B's get my Zildjians with Paiste sound edge hi-hats and a Tama Super Aluminum LAL 145 5x14 snare. I have a couple extra snares, Mapex Black Panther and Yamaha Oak Custom, both 5.5x14's, but they don't get out of the cases much. They're spares for the most part. I don't really switch up at all.
 
ineedaclutch said:
I rotate constantly due to genre, venue, and boredom. It really isn't necessary, because I can do my job on any of my gear, but sometimes I just feel like bringing something different out. There is one venue that dictates I use my Giglite kit because of an extremely narrow drum riser.
Click to expand...

I'll second this. I mostly rotate equipment out of boredom and curiosity rather than necessity.
 
I mostly use all the same cymbals because I'm not made out of money like some people. Where I vary is hi-hats. I have a pair of 13" K/Zs when I need to cut, a pair of 14"s when I need to strike a cool smooth balance, and a set of 16"s when I need to do a dull roaring blend, especially on stuff that's less tricky and more straight-ahead groovy/rock.

I have three snares, and they fit different needs. My Joey Kramer Black Magic is my go-to snare right now, for gigs that need to project. If I need a little tamer vibe, I have my Mapex Sledgehammer, which has a darker flavor, especially when tuned waaaayyy low. And my Ludwig Standard aluminium is great for sessions or stuff that I need a much dryer, controlled pop.

I also have two kits - a Ludwig Standard which is great for live playing and has that boooooomy Ludwig mojo, and a Yamaha Stage Custom if I need a more modern, focused sound (it also has five toms, so if I'm playing weird fusion Imma pull out the Yammies).
 
I never bring more than I need, so that's the main reason for changes.

I wish I had more cymbals as they don't work for everything, but for anything but certain types of jazz my all A Custom set works pretty well. Some Ks, Constantionples and a few Keropes and I'd probably be good forever.

I have a bunch of snares and though I use hem all it's still it's Vinnie sig or hammered brass most of the time + BB for classical stuff. they all have an intended purpose, but at this pont I don't really need the othr that much. That might change depending on the music I mostly play.
 
I like to switch it up but I guess you could say I have a default setup with some alternates. I rotate through a few snares but not all of them as I have some that are not as appropriate for the gigs I'm doing now. Default is an LM400.

I change up cymbals if the need/want arises but mostly play with an old A 20" ride, 16" A brilliant thin crash (with piggybacked splash) and some mismatched Sabian hats. I'll sometimes add a second crash if I have room. (If it's a hard rock gig with enough room I also use a china but that's pretty rare these days.) I don't have a huge cymbal collection.

Sometimes I'll switch up the shell pack just for fun. Gotta use these damn things or else what's the use in having them, right? But the default kit is my Cat Jazz and the Supra. For now. ;)
 
larryace said:
...likes to use one snare and cymbal set for all your live gigs or do you like to rotate your gear?

I have an "A" list set of cymbals that I use for all my gigs.

I played the same snare for 7 years, a Pearl Eric Singer signature snare.

That was before one Andy Crosby came into my life.

Right now I am rotating through my Guru snares but I keep the same cymbals.

But basically, when I get something I like, I stick with it. This is the first time I have been rotating any gear since my return to music in 2003. I think it stems from a desire to have a mostly non-changing, signature set of sounds...

How about you?

I would be shocked if Paradiddle Pete used only one of his outrageously gorgeous sets for live stuff.
Click to expand...

No need to be shocked, the last few gigs i've done have been 60's Shadows type stuff, kit of choice for that is either Rogers or Ludwig , fitting really . I love instrumental music, no Sangers. Using a pre serial Luddy COB snare and pre serial 602's. Harder Rock i would go with Gretsch USA,Luddy COB or Luddy Hammered Bronze , Fusion / Reggae, Slieshman with Timbale's using K Custom Hybrids. The Cravs are for more musical settings.. 602's and Keropes.. no mystery really. But years ago i had only one gigging kit which was Gretsch USA Walnut Stain with a hotch potch of cymbals mainly Paiste and one of those Brass coloured Dynasonics. I loved the rim shots on those suckers. don't see them very often.
 
Practice and gig - Yamaha stage custom with mostly Zildjian Avedis cymbals

Studio and home practice - Sonor Prolite with mostly Paiste Signature cymbals

I almost always use my Sonor Artist steel snare for every situation though
 
These days I have three sets of drums and cymbals - rock, jazz & 50's - based on the regular gigs I have. Also a practice kit (Rhythm Traveller) at home with various leftover cymbals.The 50's and jazz cymbals are really one set with two different rides. Every time I change to a different set of cymbals I really enjoy the novelty of playing and hearing them again.
 
I rotate my Richmo and Ludwig kit wise. They have completely different sounds but I get bored of one kit after a while.

Snare and cymbals are fairly consistent. I use the same Zildjians pretty much every gig. As Larry said these are the A team. I use my Tiki steambent for everything. It gets lots of compliments.
 
Just adding to my above post - I'm currently rotating three snares for different styles too - Supra 6.5 for the cover band, Bronze 5" for 50's, and Jarrah 13 x 6.5 for jazz. Each snare has different heads and tuning to suit, too.
 
I rotate chewed up sticks for other chewed up sticks. Seriously though, I use 2 different rides depending on which band I'm playing with (classic rock or British Invasion).
 
I rotate through different shell sets, snares, cymbals, hardware, pedals, even different bags or cases - all depends on which band, what kind of music, the venue, size of stage, where the gig is (travel ?) .

Sticks are the only thing that remain roughly the same - either VF 5a or 7a.

So yes, many variables, but that's what I love about it all.
Completely immersed in it.

Rinse and repeat for all the PA and lighting gear that I own/ am responsible for at the gig.
 
rtliquid said:
I rotate chewed up sticks for other chewed up sticks. Seriously though, I use 2 different rides depending on which band I'm playing with (classic rock or British Invasion).
Click to expand...

I try to buy sticks that are all the same pitch when hitting them on the countertop at the store. That way, when one gets chewed up, and one does more than the other one, I just re-pair the ones that are NOT chewed up yet. I used to take a scale and weigh them too, but what I've found is that the same pitch usually means the same weight for a stick the same size....
 
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