Rack Toms Angled or Flat

[Odd-Arne Oseberg]

I'd just go for comfort and that means different things for different people.

Basically I set up more or less so the tom are as easy to play as playing accents on the snare. A slight tilt to ma.e up for the distance. Iæd like tings a little lower and that will be wasy once I can afford my new kit which will slightly more shallow rack toms.

Many ways to go about it. Set up for trad and draw the ride in like on a 4-piece like Weckl. Make it an even decending circle like Ward. etc,,

 

[bud7h4]

It’s all a fad. They think it looks cool . I’ve seen drummers have to raise up off of their thrones to play rack toms. Where is the sense of that?

It makes sense if the toms are very low. And yes I happen to think it's looks great too. I guess I'm attracted to the symmetrical look?
But I think Simon Phillips, for example, mounts his toms too flat for how high they are, if I were playing the kit.

 

[Naigewron]

It’s all a fad. They think it looks cool . I’ve seen drummers have to raise up off of their thrones to play rack toms. Where is the sense of that?

People have been saying it's a fad for at least 15 years now.

I'm sure plenty of players set up like that to look cool, but all of them? There are top players in bands who fill arenas every night who set up flat; there's no way they could sustain that if it wasn't comfortable and working well for them.

 

[Juniper]

Rack tom always has to be angled for ergonomics and comfort.

Wouldn't be able to play a flat one and I can't understand how most people can.

 

[AzHeat]

I used to sit low and have sharper angles on all of my drums including snare. If I tried to flatten them much, I’d hit rims. I used to also never be able to play with my wedding ring on, because I would pinch my finger.

I was forced to look at my technique and realized my grip was wrong and I was swatting at stuff. My heads would at times have elongated dimples if I got carried away. Sitting up higher and flattening my drums more was part of the process of improving my technique. It was anything but comfortable at first. I used to be a very lazy player with me left hand sort of resting on my leg. If I got my cymbals too close, I’d accidentally hit them, so everything was higher and farther.

For a while, I sucked air bad with everything I tried to play, but had to stick with it for technique’s sake. Once things become more second nature I don’t know how I played as I did for years. The old setup is anything but comfortable now, even though it was home then.

All I’m saying is sometimes comfortable doesn’t mean right. There may be other contributing factors.

 

[MasterBlaster]

If I'm uncomfortable doing something, then I won't do it. Horizontal toms are uncomfortable for me!!!

But they DO look groovy.

 

[jimzo]

The snare makes his floor toms appear flat

;-)

 

[ConcertTom]

I have to keep reminding myself that not understanding how the hell a person plays the kit setup or tuned a certain way doesn't make me right and them wrong. It just means I DON'T KNOW.

I don't know how people play with their kick drums so far forward.

I don't know why people like their floor toms so high and their seats so low.

I don't get how people play snares tuned like that without crying a little every time they hit it.

I don't see how it's efficient to have your ride cymbal so far away.


I share kits with people who do these and more "crazy" (to me) things ALL THE TIME and SOMEHOW they are able to accomplish their musical tasks on them.

People have been saying it's a fad for at least 15 years now.

I'd say at least 50 years....

 

[AndeeT]

It’s so true about the ‘crazy’ other people’s kits thing. Just looking at how the cymbals are set up in the pic you posted- how the hell does he play the cymbal that’s under the hi hat?! And Daru Jones’ kit set-up gives me vertigo just looking at the thing! I think we have less in common (ergonomically speaking) than the adverts in drum magazines lead us to believe...

 

[Morrisman]

I like the drumstick to be approximately in-line with my forearm when it strikes the drum. Not aiming down too much, and definitely not reaching up above the line of my wrist.

This means that if a drum is positioned up high it will have to slope down towards my elbow, and if the drum is very low it will have to slope up towards my elbow.

It all depends on height (and distance a bit). If a tom was mounted high and flat, I'd have to extend my wrist beyond its natural position, and that would mess with my playing and give me wrist pains. Same with a flat low drum - my wrist would be cramped trying to bend back enough to hit the drum.

 

[Tamaefx]

I like the drumstick to be approximately in-line with my forearm when it strikes the drum. Not aiming down too much, and definitely not reaching up above the line of my wrist.

This means that if a drum is positioned up high it will have to slope down towards my elbow, and if the drum is very low it will have to slope up towards my elbow.

It all depends on height (and distance a bit). If a tom was mounted high and flat, I'd have to extend my wrist beyond its natural position, and that would mess with my playing and give me wrist pains. Same with a flat low drum - my wrist would be cramped trying to bend back enough to hit the drum.

This is what I wanted to write but my English wasn't good enough to be well understood.

 

[bud7h4]

Originally Posted by Naigewron
People have been saying it's a fad for at least 15 years now.

I'd say at least 50 years....

That looks like a science project.


.

 

[Metal Seraph]

All my toms are slightly angled just enough or good enough for a good bounce and clean fills.

Floor toms Really flat so I can pound it freely

Snare is flat. More on rimshots =)

 

[TIP64]

I have very little lean to drums, I prefer sitting up more looking down at the kit. This way everything is lower even the cymbals when possible. Like looking at the crowd.

 

[PorkPieGuy]

how the hell does he play the cymbal that’s under the hi hat?! And Daru Jones’ kit set-up gives me vertigo just looking at the thing!

It always looks like they are trying out drum kits they found on Craigslist without adjusting anything.

 

[MJD]

I have my rack tom angled slightly towards me. It's mostly flat. I also sit pretty high as most of my height is in my legs. I think my thrown height is about 2 ft tall I see people with their thrones all the way down and can't fathom how they play that way. My knees can't take being angled that way at any rate. I also did marching percussion for many years so I like to have my snare angled slightly down to the right like it would be angled on a marching strap. I am exactly average height. 5'10"

 

[drumming sort of person]

There are top players in bands who fill arenas every night who set up flat;

Name two.





`

 

[drumming sort of person]

I am exactly average height. 5'10"

http://www.averageheight.co/average-male-height-by-country

 

[Naigewron]

Name two.





`

Wow, really?

Ok sure, tell me when to stop:


Mike Bordin (Faith No More, Ozzy Osbourne):

Ray Luzier (David Lee Roth, Korn):

Igor Cavalera (Sepultura):

Travis Barker (Blink 182):

Keith Carlock (Toto):

And what about a couple of guys who might not fill arenas, but who are definitely at the very top of the game when it comes to chops and skill:

Benny Greb:

Jojo Mayer:

etc...

 

[RVN]

Just looking at how the cymbals are set up in the pic you posted- how the hell does he play the cymbal that’s under the hi hat?!

Ginger rolled one stick between that lower cymbal and the open bottom high hat cymbal for a wash effect. It was brilliant. You can see this on the 1968 Cream Farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall video. I'm sure there was other footage of this but that one stood out for me