The Neverending Quest to the Perfect Setup

[cbphoto]

Sold the Off-Set and replaced it with a Sleishman. The Sleishman does away with the drive shafts...

Does this require the use of a rack for better positioning of toms & cymbals?

 

[johnwesley]

Back when I got it .... my basic choice was between the Off-Set, and the Sonor Giant Step. Tried them both at the NAMM show. Preferred the Off-Set, so that's the one I bought. Not a bad pedal ...... but .....

Few years later, I got a chance to play a Sleishman. Sold the Off-Set and replaced it with a Sleishman. The Sleishman does away with the drive shafts, so while the Off-Set gives you basically the feel of two slave pedals, the Sleishman feels more like a standard chain drive pedal.

But certainly, you expect some trade offs, being the main purpose of both pedals is to center the bass drum, not cater to blazingly fast single pedal triplets.

Thanks for the input.

 

[NouveauCliche]

Hi everyone,

Just out of curiosity i thought i'd post this question: do you also change your setup on regular basis or think about changing it?

I'm one of those drummers who likes to have a big setup because i have a lot of 'sonic choices'. I also like a small setup, so that everything is compact but that means sacrificing some sounds. I like having 3 toms up front, but i also like to have two toms off-set (or even one tom) so that the ride is (slightly) above the bassdrum for easy acces. And is also easier to crash that way. I think you're getting the dilemma haha

My setup in it's current version i like, but i still struggle to find a sweet spot for the rocket toms and the ride (i keep accidentally crashing it sometimes when doing a fill over the 12"). I do like the ride in that position, because my arm and shoulder are in a comfy position (hence why i like an off-set or single tom setup). So now I'm thinking of putting the ride above my 14" floor tom and besides my 12" tom for easy access. That also means i can put the 19" crash more up front and that every cymbal on the right moves a bit more closer in. Maybe more drastically I'm thinking of going for a Neil Peart setup (toms over the hi-hat), but that means also moving the crashes higher and i like them nice and low.

Just thought i'd share my frustrations haha. Not posting this asking for suggestions (open for them though), but more wondering if anyone else is on this quest?

I don't change that often. I used to have a big 7 piece with an Aux Snare and a whole world of Zildjians -3 splashes, 3 rides, 3 crashes, 1 china, 2 hats, some EFX cymbals, 2 cowbells, 1 wood block (well that red plastic one)....but all of that died fast and hard when the gig schedule ramped up.

Trying to maintain a set up like that and playing a backline all over the country 80% of the time just wasn't happening.... and it stopped making sense to construct parts that required all these sounds then have to turn around and play on a four piece ANYWAYS at X or Y Performing Arts Center's backline.

So now I try to have a quality but minimum set up - which I down to a four piece (some times five when I use two snares) and a few choice cymbals that I can fly with.

Only in this extended pandemic break have I really messed with my set up too much.

The one thing I did mess with on my four piece was cymbal placement, etc. I have been trying the sky high cymbal gang thing inspired by Forest Rice and that's been a big shift - but as far as tweaking...I just can't be that picky and still: 1. Gig easily 2. Not be a nightmare to the venue.

We did a show case at APAP in NYC last january and they "provided a backline" that had ONE cymbal stand and easily the worst set of drums I've played...it was some 80s Tama student level set with horrid heads, etc. and it was for maybe 80 booking agents all over the world so it's moments like THAT where being super flexible with set ups come in handy.

One day when I built a dedicated home studio I'll pick up a studio queen rig that I can tweak all day long to perfection - but that's just not in the cards.

 

[C.M. Jones]

My setup has been the same for many years: a four-piece kit (one up, one down, with my up tom in a snare stand); then a hi-hat, a ride, and three thin crashes. I'm ready for anything with that arrangement. I have no desire to alter it.

 

[Jeremy Bender]

Not a radical change in setup but occasionally I do tweak. Not twerk, that only happens when I drop equipment.

 

[toddbishop]

I never think about this. I'll spend 10 seconds deciding what cymbals to bring and that's it.

 

[BruceW]

I am often thinking about changing it up, but I'm a slave to routine...and a lot of what I'd like to do would increase the stage footprint and/or setup-teardown time, neither of which I can mess with too much.

So I'm constantly trying to dream up ways to add stuff without messing with the footprint, primarily. Haven't added anything recently, but I have a few ideas...now, for that pesky money to buy it...

 

[iCe]

Just realised i made this thread a while ago and feeling i have a need to rant hehe

Changed a bit of my setup to alter the position of the rocket toms, but i'm getting more and more fed up with the limitations of the hardware that i'm thinking of leaving them out entirely. I just can't get them in a sweet spot with the hardware i have or that is available. Been looking online for alternatives and changing the mounting system, but nothing that i can replace easily without too much hassle. On that subject Tama really has the best mounting, but octobans are almost more than double the price of the Pearl ones so i won't be getting the Tama's (hmmm or maybe sell the Pearl ones and getting the Tamas...).

Think i will move them to the side entirely and then i can lower the cymbals in the front to their original position. Much more comfortable that way + i have a 13x10" tom on order so if i leave them out i will have more than enough options. Really like the sound of the rocket toms, but mounting them is a pain in the sphincter

 

[Rhythm666]

I change it up quite a lot. Experimented with having a center pedal for several years (Off-Set, then Sleishman). Also, a center hi-hat position (1st a Yamaha cable unit, now a DW 9550).

The first picture you posted i see a lot of pedals on a roto tom to your left, are these drum related pedals for effects etc?

 

[harryconway]

The first picture you posted i see a lot of pedals on a roto tom to your left, are these drum related pedals for effects etc?

Yes. You'll notice a Morfbeats Mini Marvin (cowbell looking thing) above my rack tom. That has a piezo mic in it. On the floor, I have a volume pedal (next to the hi hat footboard) and a Digitech Jamman loop station. Signal goes thru those, then into my effects pedals. Mini Marvin demo below ........

 

[KEEF]

Just realised i made this thread a while ago and feeling i have a need to rant hehe

Changed a bit of my setup to alter the position of the rocket toms, but i'm getting more and more fed up with the limitations of the hardware that i'm thinking of leaving them out entirely. I just can't get them in a sweet spot with the hardware i have or that is available. Been looking online for alternatives and changing the mounting system, but nothing that i can replace easily without too much hassle. On that subject Tama really has the best mounting, but octobans are almost more than double the price of the Pearl ones so i won't be getting the Tama's (hmmm or maybe sell the Pearl ones and getting the Tamas...).

Think i will move them to the side entirely and then i can lower the cymbals in the front to their original position. Much more comfortable that way + i have a 13x10" tom on order so if i leave them out i will have more than enough options. Really like the sound of the rocket toms, but mounting them is a pain in the sphincter

Have you thought about a Mangini - esque halo??

 

[Bozozoid]

Played the Weckl..Gadd..Vinnie 6 piece forever but damn it I'm gonna do this 4 piece thing no matter how many fits my brain throws. I'm telling my brain that you are going to do this like it or not! so get use to it.

 

[Cmdr. Ross]

The basic arrangement stays the same, but how close/far the stands or drums are changes from gig to gig.
If only we all could be like Neil and have a baseplate & sockets.

 

[boomstick]

I don't change it much, but here's how it evolved over time:

5-piece, 2 up 1 down
6-piece, 3 up 1 down
5-piece, 2 up 1 down
4-piece, 1 up 1 down
3-piece, 1 down
4-piece, 2 down

The last one is going to be my setup for the foreseeable future.

 

[Neal Pert]

I pretty much always play a four piece kit with three or four cymbal stands. Cymbals and snare change according to the band I'm playing with. If I'm playing jazz on a bop kit the basic setup is the same but I use smaller drums.

All the changes beyond that are incremental.

I actually had a dream the other night where I was in a big room with my drums and a voice from the sky said, "You need more toms on your drum set." What could that dream possibly mean?

 

[Bozozoid]

My setup has been the same for many years: a four-piece kit (one up, one down, with my up tom in a snare stand); then a hi-hat, a ride, and three thin crashes. I'm ready for anything with that arrangement. I have no desire to alter it.

That's what I'm lookin! for..some inspiration!..some die! hard inspiration.

 

[iCe]

Have you thought about a Mangini - esque halo??

Seriously, i actually have been thinking about that haha
I really liked the idea of that setup, but then i saw the prices of cable hihats and just went 'nope'
Also because we always face each other and i doubt my guitar player would like having those cannons in his face too haha

 

[Janet Tambour]

Back when I got it .... my basic choice was between the Off-Set, and the Sonor Giant Step. Tried them both at the NAMM show. Preferred the Off-Set, so that's the one I bought. Not a bad pedal ...... but .....

Few years later, I got a chance to play a Sleishman. Sold the Off-Set and replaced it with a Sleishman. The Sleishman does away with the drive shafts, so while the Off-Set gives you basically the feel of two slave pedals, the Sleishman feels more like a standard chain drive pedal.

But certainly, you expect some trade offs, being the main purpose of both pedals is to center the bass drum, not cater to blazingly fast single pedal triplets.

Holy crap get out the drool bucket me LIKES that offset!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Back to the thread of this post.

 

[Janet Tambour]

Just realised i made this thread a while ago and feeling i have a need to rant hehe

Changed a bit of my setup to alter the position of the rocket toms, but i'm getting more and more fed up with the limitations of the hardware that i'm thinking of leaving them out entirely. I just can't get them in a sweet spot with the hardware i have or that is available. Been looking online for alternatives and changing the mounting system, but nothing that i can replace easily without too much hassle. On that subject Tama really has the best mounting, but octobans are almost more than double the price of the Pearl ones so i won't be getting the Tama's (hmmm or maybe sell the Pearl ones and getting the Tamas...).

Think i will move them to the side entirely and then i can lower the cymbals in the front to their original position. Much more comfortable that way + i have a 13x10" tom on order so if i leave them out i will have more than enough options. Really like the sound of the rocket toms, but mounting them is a pain in the sphincter

Here's a question for ya: I know octobans are supposed to be in a 'clump', what if you separated them? Then you could position them anywhere in and around your set.

 

[jimb]

As with my old Fender basses I need simplicity cause I only want to think abut the music and not the gear. So its the same close fitting one up two down and I daren't change it. Fits like a glove, sounds great.