I don't like my drumming . . . .

bud7h4

Silver Member
. . . when I expand the toms setup beyond two rack toms and a pair of floors.
I don't like the sound of tom rolls and I robotically tend to do that when the additional tom(s) are present. It's like ok I've added this third tom, gotta use it!

Oddly enough, to me it's similar to a bass player noodling around on the higher notes too much.
 
There's definitely some appeal to using fewer notes for certain songs, as it forces you to become more creative with timing and dynamics. Musically simplistic fills are often remarkably sympathetic (Ringo fills for example)
 
There's definitely some appeal to using fewer notes for certain songs, as it forces you to become more creative with timing and dynamics. Musically simplistic fills are often remarkably sympathetic (Ringo fills for example)


Actually I'm not saying I overplay, it's more like I do mindless fills which are actually more simplistic than incorporating effect cymbals for example. I'm actually much busier with fewer toms, and it just sounds so much more imaginative, less predictable and rehashed.
 
I have a diametrically opposite problem.

When I had 3 up 1 down, I found I never used my floor tom, which made me feel like a pretentious fart. I don't want to have stuff in my kit that I don't use.

So I ditched one of the rack toms and now, with 2 up 1 down I'm much happier.

But is it wrong that I find myself coveting chimes 'cause I hear them used in Comfortably Numb?
 
Actually I'm not saying I overplay, it's more like I do mindless fills which are actually more simplistic than incorporating effect cymbals for example. I'm actually much busier with fewer toms, and it just sounds so much more imaginative, less predictable and rehashed.

Apologies. I didn't mean to imply that you were, only that the complexity of the timing/dynamics tends to increase as the number of notes decreases. The theme from the movie Jaws would be an example of something with a very low note-complexity, but extremely high dynamic and timing complexity.
 
I have 4 rack toms (2-10s, 2-12s) and 3 floor toms (14", 16x16, and 16x18) all tuned a whole note apart from top to bottom. Makes for a great cascading effect much like Hal Blaine, however overuse can get predictable and old. The pro side of all that "tomsense" is you can use different pitches for accenting the music. And you can actually play only certain toms with certain songs and it sounds like you tuned the drums specifically for that music. When I was younger and actually playing for a living, I thought as a drummer you had to stay "busy". Now, I'm laid back and find opportunities to put a sound where it will be heard and appreciated as part of the song.
**********If you don't like your drumming, stop a moment and figure out why, then work to correct it. OR....take up accordion....
 
I can't get comfortable playing fills on an odd number of toms. The 1 up, 1 down feels good. 2 up, 1 down feels weird. 3 up, 1 down feels good again.

I think it has something to do with how I start and end my fills?
 
. . . when I expand the toms setup beyond two rack toms and a pair of floors.
I don't like the sound of tom rolls and I robotically tend to do that when the additional tom(s) are present. It's like ok I've added this third tom, gotta use it!

Oddly enough, to me it's similar to a bass player noodling around on the higher notes too much.

If you don't like it, don't do it.
 
Look up linear fills and grooves, that's the sort of stuff I worked on to get passed this.

Another way to think about things is to section off your kit. Doing a fill that's gonna be more frilly and poppy? Stay on the snare and rack toms. Doing a rock and roll fill with more low end? use the mid and floor tom in conjunction with the bass drum.

Another thing is to write and plan which fills you'll use and when so you know going in which drums will be used and you can prevent just going on auto pilot.

good luck!
 
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