The Minimal Setup

I use hats, 2 crashes, and a china in my rock band with a 4-piece. It's just so easy to set up. I cringe when I think of having to deal with my two rack toms' spacing while setting up. I might try just bringing two floor toms to a gig instead of one up two down.

If I played progressive metal out (okay Jon... get the drool under control!) I might consider taking most of my kit but it's such a PITA to set up that I might just trying to do Mangini fills with a four-piece. That'd be fun...
 
Anthony Amodeo said:
I play 12+ gigs a month not counting tours.....and I see more 4 piece kits than any other configuration by far

more drummers with 1 up 1 down a ride and a crash than anything thing else

why ?....... because cats who gig constantly and carry their own gear in and out of clubs, bars, theaters, up and down stairs , in and out of double parked cars, in and out of cabs are smart and don't bring what they don't need.

everything I need to say what I need to say on a drum kit can be carried in and out of the venue in one trip
Click to expand...

This. The journeymen who are in a different venue every night, often with different bands playing different kinds of music have learned to do what is necessary with less. Maybe someone who only does lots of prog rock would typically bring in a bigger kit. But a good drummer with a basic 4 piece and couple of good cymbals can carry most any gig. Well enough to get paid and called back. Which is what it's about for these folks. I know a lot of cats doing double headers and traipsing back and forth around the Bay Area 6 nights a week, who are using even smaller kits where they can get away with it.

Not only is a smaller kit less work to haul in and set up, it is also physically easier to play. You don't have to reach all over the place just to hit the basic beat parts. So when you're playing a wedding in the afternoon, and a bar gig that night, conservation of motion and endurance becomes something to think about.

And after getting used to it, they often don't really see the use in bigger kits if they get to the point where someone else is setting it up for them.
 
My using a 4-piece had nothing to do with trends or what was fashionable at the time. Well it kind of did indirectly. In the mid 90's, my band decided we would do a covers only project that would focus on grunge and the punk/alternative hits of the day. I knew I wouldn't need anything more than a 4-piece for this so that's what I went with. Then we started gigging....a lot. I got so used to that set-up because of all the gigging that it spilled into our originals as well and became my default set-up. Before that for years I used a 7-piece kit. Now that would just feel alien to me.
 
keep it simple said:
Can I just say that I like their live sound much more than I like the uber produced sound on their official video. Great band, & with their material, especially with two drummers, they're setups are more than enough.
Click to expand...
I completely agree. That singer really likes effected and layered vocals plus a fair amount of AutoTune - though for artistic effect since she clearly doesn't need it as a crutch.
 
MikeM said:
I completely agree. That singer really likes effected and layered vocals plus a fair amount of AutoTune - though for artistic effect since she clearly doesn't need it as a crutch.
Click to expand...
Yes mike, that surprised me, as her natural vocal is just so damn good, beautiful even. Love the band vibe - especially the bass player.

Been sleeping lately ;) ;) ;)
 
I have used this set-up the last couple times I have played out. If your low tom is a floor tom, and not a rack that mounts to the ride stand, and your ride is crash-able, then you can position the ride up higher, sort of in between crash and ride position. It does change the way the groove feels compared to my normal set-up. I like it, but many times I will prefer the second rack tom and the extra crash.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top