Drumming with no hi hats

Alright so i personally don't much care for them in the first place but i don't think i've ever heard a drum track that doesn't use them at some point. I currently do have a set, but i generally only use them in cover attempts. When i upgrade drum sets i plan to go to a 1(10) up 3(14, 15, 16) down with two snares(14, 13 piccolo), 24 bass drum and based on the DW kitbuilder there just isn't room for all of them, so i'm asking accomplished drummers this: Would i be crazy to have a drum set without hats? I'm still new to drums but personally i think so long as i have a ride and a china there isn't much need but i want ur opinions.
 
Keith Moon didn't use hi hats for many years with The Who.

Although he eventually brought them back.

Ultimately, is depends on what you want to do.
If you want to play in cover bands, you'll need them. If you are intend on doing your own thing, then do what ever makes you feel best.
 
Ultimately, is depends on what you want to do.
If you want to play in cover bands, you'll need them. If you are intend on doing your own thing, then do what ever makes you feel best.

This.

Personally, I'd feel like I left the house without any pants. But if you can make it work, then give it a shot.
 
I'd say keep some in the back pocket that are an end-all pair, just in case you need them for something.

Otherwise, I think you'd be fine.
 
Keith Moon didn't use hi hats for many years with The Who.

Although he eventually brought them back.

Ultimately, is depends on what you want to do.
If you want to play in cover bands, you'll need them. If you are intend on doing your own thing, then do what ever makes you feel best.

Thanks man i was expecting like "if u don't use hi hats ur a retard" so that helped. I'd like to be able to cover songs but i don't have any attention of being in a cover band. May just swap between a snare and hats on occasion then.
 
A buddy drummer of mine, although he has a hi-hat, he never puts his foot on it. He's totally into a double bass thang. So it's more another cymbal voice, than a traditionally used hi-hat. He's kinda got the Moon vibe, in that he also rides and/or crashes any of his 4 cymbals. No 1 cymbal is a dedicated ride.​
Do your own thing ... just do it well ...​
 
There is a guy I play with every so often (remember my main instrument is bass) that has hats, but uses them in a some what unusual way ... he drops the top hat to where it is almost closed on the bottom and plays them that way, never uses the pedal it's a set sound that he uses as the rhythmic time keeping alternative to a ride cymbal.

There are any number of ways to set up and play the metallic parts of your set, make your sound yours.
 
There is a guy I play with every so often (remember my main instrument is bass) that has hats, but uses them in a some what unusual way ... he drops the top hat to where it is almost closed on the bottom and plays them that way, never uses the pedal it's a set sound that he uses as the rhythmic time keeping alternative to a ride cymbal.

The friend that first taught me to play would do this too. It really came across more as a hindrance than anything. I don't know if it was deliberate or not but I went the other way, focusing more on fancy hi-hattery and using only one kick pedal.

I'd recommend getting some hats and at least getting comfortable with them. IMHO the best way to find your own voice is to jam with many bands and develop a good idea of what you like and don't. Plus this will reinforce your versatility. If you're sure that you don't like hats then don't use them, or leave them out completely. Some bands may ask for more of this or that but if you're confident in your own sound and ability then you'll be able to accurately decide if this is or is not the group for you.
 
I myself couldn't imagine playing without the most expressive voice on the kit, but there's no rules and you can do what you want.
Who cares what anyone thinks anyway? It's your thing and no one has to approve it.
 
Ultimately, is depends on what you want to do.
If you want to play in cover bands, you'll need them. If you are intend on doing your own thing, then do what ever makes you feel best.


I agree with this wholeheartedly.

Personally, whenever I practice I like to add or take away parts of the kit and see what I can come up with when I don't have certain things at my disposal, BUT when I want to use something I like being able to have it. just. in. case.

This would explain why I have oodles of gear that usually just sits and gathers dust, but for that one occasion that comes up where you want to do something specific, you have the equipment readily available for the sound you're looking for.

Overall, I think becoming familiar with playing with hats is a good idea (since it's fairly commonly used in most music). If you don't want to play with them that's fine too, but I would recommend against hastily selling them. You might want them in the future.
 
Thanks man i was expecting like "if u don't use hi hats ur a retard" so that helped. I'd like to be able to cover songs but i don't have any attention of being in a cover band. May just swap between a snare and hats on occasion then.

Nope you are a retard. The fifth commandment of drumming says thou shalt have thine hi-hats and play them with much glory to the drums gods on high.

Jk but seriously who cares what you have on your set up. I have done one gig with a floor time and a splash before.
 
Nope you are a retard. The fifth commandment of drumming says thou shalt have thine hi-hats and play them with much glory to the drums gods on high.

Jk but seriously who cares what you have on your set up. I have done one gig with a floor time and a splash before.

Haha well played. I was just meaning i know how other forum sites are, agree or be considered an idiot. it's pretty cool that theres all this positive feedback, i need to get on here more often.
 
I'll follow up in another thread in a while for those that know me...

I've recently been playing gigs with a small kit; kick, snare and hats. Limited by space, I chose the hats over a ride or a crash because I feel as though you can use hats in place of either... so many sounds you can get from them, that yeah, as PFOG said, would be like leaving home without pants, (although, I do hate pants...).

Regardless of what anyone prefers - it's all about what you feel comfortable with and what you feel communicates your ideas to the band/crowd/yourself.
 
based on the DW kitbuilder there just isn't room for all of them

Another option would be checking out a remote hat if you wanted to have hats, but don't really think that you'll be using them all the time. That will allow you to have the pedal where ever it is comfortable and place the hats somewhere else so you won't have to build the kit around them. Ultimately, it's your choice. Just know, a lack of hi-hats is going to affect your versatility. Other than that, go for it!
 
You can totally play out without any hi-hats. Just do what you want and do it well.

Myself, I'm in the 'it would be like leaving the house without pants' camp. If I had to choose only one cymbal to do a gig, it would be the hats.

If you're just the opposite, that's cool. If you do decide you ever want more sounds in your kit - the cymbals you mentioned are pretty much long sounds - and you're still against hi-hats, you could add a china stack to your arsenal so you have a shorter sound just to mix things up.
 
Go for it.

In cooking terms it would be like having no olive oil or eggs or garlic at your disposal, but you can still cook.

I don't really care for floor toms, so I understand.

Davo
 
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