The Fascination with 4pc

For me, the 4pc came out of being young and an undeveloped ear for tuning. Plus a lack of investment in new heads. So my first kit was one of those old school Ludwig Octaplus kits with the extra two toms on stand off to the right of the kit and they were the concert toms.

Well in elementary school we used my drum set for a school jazz cocert. Of course I didn't bring all the toms, just a 5pc. Since I was still learning, my parents didn't feel the need to get new heads and the ones on there were fairly dead. Just good enough for a new drummer to bang on and learn. But very difficult to tune and with them being concert toms, that didn't help. So I ended up removing the second rack tom and that brought my ride closer and from then on it was 4pc or die!! haha

I've played on 5 and 6pc kits with minimal to a few too many cymbals and i'm perfectly fine on them.

Here are my thoughts and pretty much the same ones that have been mentioned manyt times before, lol

But I think the more you gig and transport these things yourself, the more you see the benefit in a 4pc and a couple of cymbals.

I also think a big one is dependent on the kind of music you play and who you play with. They may not want you to have a big kit.

some drummers love the challenge of only playing a 4pc due to making the have to be more creative with their fills.

Lastly, having a mid size kit could create the need to hit things for the sake of hitting things, even if not key to the song.

My dad (trumpet) played in a small 12 piece Polka band and the drummer would bring everything including the kitchen sink to only sit there all night playing Boom Chick Chick, Boom Chick Chick, hahaha So maybe that's another reason I play a 4pc.

Looking forward to seeing what else people post!!
 
I played a 4 pc in High school when EVERYBODY had 7 -10 piece Kits. I was miserable, but thats all i could afford. The fewest i ever play now is a 5 pc. i have 2 7 pc kits each with 6-8 cymbals. I use EVERYTHING all the time on those Kits. But Im also not playing pure back beat stuff like country or bluegrass. When i gig its always 5 pc kit, an extra snare , hats and 4 cymbals.
 
The only thing I kind of like with a 4 piece kit, is that it looks better to me then a 5 piece with 2 toms on the bassdrum. That to me just scream junior high/student level kit, even though it's silly and a bit immature to think that way. When it comes to actual playing, 5 piece is my bare limit (then I put the two small toms beside the bassdrum), preferably 6-7 piece with a second bassdrum, like Al over here. A 4 piece is handy though, if you play a style that really don't require you to do longer tom fills. I do those fills though, and they fit with our music, I will argue. I could probably play most of our songs on a 4 piece if I sat down and spent some time re-learning everything. But I definitely can't do it on the fly, so I will not have a good time if I suddenly had to do it one night with a supplied backline kit. So that is my main gripe with 4 piece kits, those owners who thinks that is an universal kit size who fits everyone without any problems. And yes, I've met some of those, and had my discussions...
 
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petrez said:
The only thing I kind of like with a 4 piece kit, is that it looks better to me then a 5 piece with 2 toms on the bassdrum. That to me just scream junior high/student level kit, even though it's silly and a bit immature to think that way. When it comes to actual playing, 5 piece is my bare limit (then I put the two small toms beside the bassdrum), preferably 6-7 piece with a second bassdrum, like Al over here. A 4 piece is handy though, if you play a style that really don't require you to do longer tom fills. I do those fills, though.
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true for sure... i had a country band at my church carnival and he had a beautiful DW Collectors Bop kit wiht an 18" /kick, 12" tom and 14 FT. 2 cymbals both crashes he didnt even need a ride as it was all closed hat stuff. Sounded awesome and he was amazing. he and his wife carried it all in shoulder bags and he was set up in less than 5 minutes
 
Maverick10 said:
But I think the more you gig and transport these things yourself, the more you see the benefit in a 4pc and a couple of cymbals.
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I have been playing for a few decades...
Maverick10 said:
I also think a big one is dependent on the kind of music you play and who you play with. They may not want you to have a big kit.
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I don't want them bringing Marshall stacks, but they do anyway
Maverick10 said:
some drummers love the challenge of only playing a 4pc due to making the have to be more creative with their fills.
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I hear this all the time but its a red herring. You are creative or you're not. Taking down some toms isn't turning anyone into Weckl or Gadd
Maverick10 said:
Lastly, having a mid size kit could create the need to hit things for the sake of hitting things, even if not key to the song.
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Much like creativity, you have discipline or you don't
Maverick10 said:
My dad (trumpet) played in a small 12 piece Polka band and the drummer would bring everything including the kitchen sink to only sit there all night playing Boom Chick Chick, Boom Chick Chick, hahaha So maybe that's another reason I play a 4pc.
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I am not saying there are not applications where a smaller kit is appropriate. However, the 4pc argument takes on religious zealousness. Somehow you are less of a player for using a bigger kit.
Maverick10 said:
Looking forward to seeing what else people post!!
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Sure... Well aware its not the first time its come up but its time for the shift in the community... Play the big kits!! Viva Huge kits!! Viva Huge Kits!!
 
Certainly not looking to start anything with this topic. I have been looking for alternative ways to mic drum kits and they are pretty much all 4 pc kits being used. Someone besides me has to be using something a bit bigger and I was wondering where they are...
 
classikdrummr said:
that arrives 3 hours before the gig to set that monster up.
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Can we just take a moment to appreciate the Bozzio…🤪
tipping derek jeter GIF
 
It's the same instrument however many gradations of tom tom pitch you have-- not everybody sees having only two as a significant limitation. Or sees adding more of them as significantly adding creative possibilities. They're tom toms, they all have the same basic function. Tom stuff based on multiple pitches is kind of a narrow area of what you can do on the drums.
 
It is simply that I play my best when playing a four-piece kit. Peace and goodwill.
 
I just tried a 6 piece in my basement for a few days and it seems fun for awhile, but I eventually went back to the 4 piece. It’s all I need. And I’m definitely NOT lugging 6 drums to a gig.
 
Play what makes you happy, I don't need anything else to do what I do.

If you like playing a however many piece do it. There's no rules!
 

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6 pc is not that different than a 4pc
It's just doubled
(except in bass drum(unless you're of the dbl pedal gen)
So everything takes twice as long to go around..
And then there's the times you need more melody than 2 toms
like if you're doing Atomic Rooster or something
 
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