ohiodrummer1964
Senior Member
I am much more in demand with jazz combos with my cocktail set. I hardly ever play my sit down set any more in public. We play mainly coffeehouses and small clubs so a sit-down set would be overbearing and oafish or not allowed. Other musicians like the cocktail set because it is compact, lower volume and has a high a cool factor. Everyone says they notice no difference in sound between the cocktail and a sitting set, except much-welcome lower volume.
It's a big adjustment for me because I always have my left foot keeping time on the hihat. A cocktail kit is uncofortable and to combat fatigue I play bass with my left foot about a third of the time.
If you ask the musicians I play with, the much prefer the cocktail kit. What's not to love?
Deathmetalconga, would you mind sharing a couple tips on playing jazz on the cocktail kit with the closed hi-hats? I want to play jazz on my Trixon kit, and I'm used to the hats providing a chick on the 2 and 4 while playing the ride pattern with the right hand, so I'm trying to think of how to compensate for the change in the hats.
I'm thinking about getting a remote hi-hat, but if I can save money and play the cocktail kit more traditionally I'd rather do that.
Thanks,
Kevin