Tips for setting up kit ergonomically

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gclark2708

Junior Member
Hi,

So I've been playing for 13 year on and off but have never found a truly comfortable position for my kit. I always find my legs get in the way when I'm playing my snare and I can never find the right height and distance for pedals or the right position for my hi-hat.
All the fundamental parts of the kit, I know.

So my question is, do you have any tips for finding the right combination and positioning for the snare, throne/ pedals and hi-hat?
The trouble I have is I have long legs in relation to the rest of me, even my arms so it feels like I have to sit further away which makes it harder on everything else. With my hi-hat it always feels too far away, my snare needs to be higher so my legs aren't in the way which makes it harder to cross over with the hi-hat, and then I just never feel comfortable with my feet at the pedals.

Any help would be appreciated, cheers.
 
When I set up I usually sit down on my throne and where ever my legs fall me pedals will go. I then add my snare and move it to where ever feels comfortable in relation to the bass drum. For your hi hat I would recommend trying bigger hats or even a remote hi hat pedal that would allow the hi hats to be moved independently from the pedal.
 
My best advice is to work slowly, and be methodical and intentional about adding each subsequent piece of the kit. Don't jump ahead until a piece is really where you want it to be.

I start with the throne height, making sure that my legs are at a comfortable angle to the floor.

I pay attention to where my feet naturally want to land, and make sure my bass drum (and pedal) is angled so that I can draw an imaginary line from my hip, through my knee, heel, and toes straight down the middle of my pedal from the heel plate to the beater. That means my bass drum is at more of an angle as opposed to looking like I'm sitting almost directly behind the drum.

I'd love to say I could do the same with my hi hat, but while I'm close, there are some compromises to where the pedal is in order to get the cymbals where I want them.

After I have throne and bass drum in place I'll add the snare, then the hi hat. Snare height and angle is dictated by my natural arm swing so that the head is pretty close to parallel with the stick when I drop my arm to strike it and just below the point where I'd play a rimshot.

Next I'll air drum a bit and I do my best to place my toms and cymbals where I naturally swing my arms. Having true flexibility in this almost certainly means some kind of tom stand (as opposed to bass drum mounting) and boom cymbal stands. They aren't sexy, fun purchases, but having extra hardware pieces like an assortment of tripod bases or high-quality and solid tom mounting hardware really helps when you find you need to move something a couple inches one way or another to get to your ideal placement.

My natural preferred set up has two mounted toms, and I find using a tom stand or stealth rack to center my two toms directly over my snare (like Mickey Mouse's head) is super comfortable.

As long as you continue to be mindful of where your body tells you to place things you should be able to continue adding more pieces and keep things comfortable.

Having a big kit (either size or number of pieces) makes this harder. The more things you have to fit into your set up the more you'll have to compromise and you reach a point where there is no longer a "perfect" placement for everything, just "good enough."
 
gclark2708 said:
So my question is, do you have any tips for finding the right combination and positioning for the snare, throne/ pedals and hi-hat?
The trouble I have is I have long legs in relation to the rest of me, even my arms so it feels like I have to sit further away which makes it harder on everything else. With my hi-hat it always feels too far away, my snare needs to be higher so my legs aren't in the way which makes it harder to cross over with the hi-hat, and then I just never feel comfortable with my feet at the pedals.
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Sounds like the first step for you would be to raise your throne seat. If your legs/knees are sticking up and interfering with playing the snare, you're probably sitting too low. Your hips should not be below your knees, they should be at least slightly higher. If the inside of your knee is at less than a 90 degree angle, you're too low.

Now, as several have said previously, place your feet where they are most comfortable. Your heels should be even with, or slightly ahead of, your knees. That's where your pedals go, right where your feet are. Snare goes in the middle. Height should be high enough to not be smacking your thighs with the butt ends of the sticks, not so high you're ticking the rim all the time. The hi-hat height adjusts from there. (Pro tip: if you're just starting out, try playing the hi-hat open handed instead of crossing over. You'll thank me in 10 years.)
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Frank Godiva said:
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Thats pretty much exactly the way I do it. Dave Weckl has a good bit about sitting on the throne..kind of half on the seat so your legs can move.also the height and position of the hats are key.. .. looking down on the hh cymbals I try to get them so they are just touching the snare if you dropped a string down from the hat edge to the snare rim. And the height should match your alower arm position when in the ready position..ymmv. Once you find the optimal positions mark all your stands with a sharpie .. some also mark the drum rug.
 
My idea of ergonomic is to scrunch up everything as close as humanly possible with as little space between the batter heads of the snare and rack tom as I could reasonably get, while a guy like Jeff Friedl has his drums spaced out to an impossible degree (for me). Aside from him being lefty, there’s no way he’d be comfortable with my setup.

What does that mean for you? I don’t know ;). All I know is I had to find my own way around the set and use trial and error to get it right for me. It’s always a work in progress, though I’m pretty close.
 
Here's how I break it down to my students.
The snare is the center of your kit, NOT the bass drum. Sit on the throne with nothing in front of you. Height of the thrown should have your hips slightly higher than your knees when your feet are flat on the ground. Now, with a stick, cover your eyes and throw your arm down as if hitting an imaginary snare. Freeze when you strike and look at where the tip of you stick is. That's where the center of your snare should be. So no position your snare to match that.
For Hi-Hat and Kick pedals. Take note of where your feet are when sitting at the snare. Place the kick pedal under your right foot (or left if you set up lefty) and the Hi-Hat pedal under your left foot. (right if lefty). Having the pedals placed where your feet naturally sit when at you snare is ideal for ergonomics. From there you can build the rest of the kit to be anyplace you like.
 
What's everybody talkin' about? *runs*


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It was suggested by a pro at a drum clinic to start with the throne. Hips higher than knees. Then place the bass drum, then the high hat, then the snare, and the rest of the kit where all pieces are in reach and not over reaching. Then check your posture, straight back and not hunched over. If the kit is not comfortable sitting, not playing, it will tire you out while playing. Reaching, hunched over will kill your back and you will join Phil Collins on the side lines. Good luck. PS Ringo sat very high for a short guy. Tommy Lee sat very low for a tall guy.
 
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