Thoughts on setup (8" tom in particular).

[Paisleyman]

I bought a new (to me - 2nd hand really) kit and then lockdown happened. I don't have room in my house to put the whole thing up. I practice at home on a Pearl Midtown.

I now have 4 toms. 8, 10, 12 and 14 inch. I'm minded to ignore the 8 and not use it - tell the truth, I'm not really sure that it has much of a musical use for me. It was a bonus when I bought the kit.

But if I were to integrate it what are the forum's thoughts on placement?

Mounted on a cymbal stand to the left (I'm right handed) 10 and 12 over the bass and 14 on the right (it is a stand mount job - no legs), or 8 and 10 over the bass and 12 and 14 mounted on stands? Or something more obscure?

I play rock / blues / jazz.

 

[Spreggy]

I assume your 14" is the floor tom? Having 2 up 2 down is very fun to play. Three across the top looks badass in a stadium rock sort of way, but it widens the space between hats and cymbals and so on.

 

[harryconway]

I play rock / blues / jazz.

Can't see much call for it ..... in blues or jazz ..... but I can see the rock angle. Some people really like the "traditional" three across. So maybe start there. It can push your hi-hat farther left .... but you won't know what works until you try it. Other "more obscure" options would be set up left of the hi-hat. Or set it right of the floor tom. Also ..... you don't have to line them up in descending order ...... maybe try 10, 12, 8 across the front.

 

[Bozozoid]

On my sonor 3007 kit I'm using 8..10 on the BD..with a 16 floor. I love that set up.

 

[sumdrumguy]

Love how Jojo uses his 8" tom (center picture above). Another fun setup is 10-12-8, like Marco Minnemann. Like the first picture above, but in a different order.

The 10-12, set straight in front of your snare - like ears, are easily accessible. Standard off-set positioning. Tucking the 8" between the 12 and 14 makes for some fun pitch changes during strandard left to right orchestrations. May also inspire some other sticking exploration, and yield more melodic results


Addition... just remembered Morgan Ågren's setup on Trum (Swedish drum show). He had his 8" tom outside/between his two floor toms.

 

[Old PIT Guy]

The set I practice on is 8 and 10 up top with a 13 floor. I thought I'd rather have 10 and 12, but when I did that the toms seemed huge. I've become very accustomed to the smaller sizes. I'll grow out of it, I'm sure.

 

[Darth Vater]

I use 8 10 12 across the top on two of my kits. I call the 8's fun drums. Great for flams, accents, and reggae sounds when combined with the snare.

 

[larryace]

Make it a concert tom, and put it upside down on the floor to hold drinks, sticks, keys, phone, drum key, towel, wallet.

Not a fan of the 8. I'm losing my preference for a 10 even, something I never expected to happen.

 

[Andy]

Not a fan of the 8. I'm losing my preference for a 10 even, something I never expected to happen.

I can live with eightism, as they're what I call "effect" toms. Great kit range expanders, & absolutely have a place in what I do, but they're not a real tom IMHO.

What I can't accept is tenism. Such a versatile voice if done right

 

[GetAgrippa]

I’d put a rubber bladder in the 8 in and food grade tubing to your mouth-as a reservoir for your favorite beverage. If it’s beer it will have a head on it LOL. I’d add an insulated jacket to keep it hot or cold. I can’t think of a better use for one.

 

[GretschedHive]

I love my 8" tom--I love the way it sings and how clearly the articulation comes through. I've got 10" and 12" toms over the bass and then, yes, the 8" off a cymbal stand to the left, between the hi-hat and the 10".

 

[Bozozoid]

When you do a descending on a 12..14..16 you get well?a descending tom fill. When you do a descending on an 8..10..16 you get..DRAMA!

 

[SomeBadDrummer]

I love my 8" tom--I love the way it sings and how clearly the articulation comes through. I've got 10" and 12" toms over the bass and then, yes, the 8" off a cymbal stand to the left, between the hi-hat and the 10".

This or you can definitely do descending with all toms in order including the 8 which may not get as much action as the larger ones, but as some pretty familiar drummers have demonstrated the more the merrier.
If you have it why not use it? Variety is the spice of life and unless there are space limitations it’ll give you something else to hit with a different tone and feel than the same old (yawn) 2 up one down setup. Expand your mind and you won’t ever go back to
normal. Change it around from time to time. Don’t get caught in a rut. Experiment. And most importantly don’t listen to what others tell you, especially a bunch of strangers online .

 

[organworthyplayer337]

I just recently swapped my 10 for an 8 in a 1up-1down set up. Mind you, the 8 doesn't have to be tuned to high heavens. As long as it has a decent tuning range, you can get a usable high (but not "boing!" high) tuning from it. The set up is just for fun and experimental reasons. Don't worry too much about what others are doing, do what makes sense for you. Whatever sounds/feels the best for what you're trying to do.

I used an 8 in an offset position (8 on a cymbal stand to the left of 10 which was mounted on the bass drum) too.

 

[MrInsanePolack]

I have an 8" concert tom. I couldn't really get on with it so it got donated. I would be willing to try again with a 2 headed tom.

For those who havent seen my 8" tom yet:

 

[iCe]

+1 for the Jojo Mayer solution to move it next to the 14" tom
I use my 8" often and is in my setup, but otherwise i'd go for what i stated above.

 

[Super Phil]

I use several different combinations of drums depending on what I'm feeling like at a particular time, but this weekend I'm going with a 10 and 12 on top of the kick, 8 inch tom to the left of the 10 and 12 mounted on a cymbal stand, and a 14 inch suspended 'floor' tom.
So what I'm trying to say is 'rock that 8!'

 

[Quai34]

I assume your 14" is the floor tom? Having 2 up 2 down is very fun to play. Three across the top looks badass in a stadium rock sort of way, but it widens the space between hats and cymbals and so on.

I concur, I had to use a rack to save space and put the huge amount of cymbals I wantedwth 10, 12, 13 rack toms...but yes, looks awesome!!!

 

[Quai34]

I use 8 10 12 across the top on two of my kits. I call the 8's fun drums. Great for flams, accents, and reggae sounds when combined with the snare.

Super nice kit, I love it!!!Question though for all of you: As a lot of you call the 8" a more"effect" tom, and knowing that I don't have any room between the 10" and the snare because I have 10, 12 & 13 plus lots of cymbals on the rack, woild it make sense to put it above the second snare, that snare being in the left of the Hihat? Let me know if you have done it...

 

[Darth Vater]

I've seen them mounted off a cymbal stand over by the floor toms. I've never done that though. Try it. Basically it comes down to where it's comfortable for you.