2 up 1 down vs 1 up 2 down

recently ive been playing 1 up 1 down and wanted to add another...just looking for some ideas.
 
As cool as 2-down is (many of my favorite drummers, like Ronnie Vanucci, play 2-down nowadays), I could never quite get the hang of turning so far to reach the 2nd floor tom. And I actually sort of like my ride up higher a little bit, it helps with crashing since I haven't got a 2nd crash. So, 2-up for me.
Maybe the audience can't see me as well, but I sound a heck of a lot better than straining to reach that floor tom, lol.
 
The one real, practical disadvantage I found with two down is that I've played on some pretty narrow stages (front to back) and I didn't have room for both floor toms to fit properly. At one place I literally sit with my back to the wall. Good place to play in most ways, but I sometimes bang my elbows on the wall. Come to think of it, I'm playing there in a couple of weeks.

Anyway, that club is one of the reasons I stopped using two down.
 
In my mind, a very low tuned floor tom disappears in the mix of the band playing. So it's really only useful to me in a break or at the end of the song. Comfort playing the rest of the song is why I typically play a 4 piece. Although if there is room and I feel like dealing with the extra stuff, I'll occasionally use the larger shell tom as a side tom with the regular floor tom close to it. 10 up, 12 and 14 down. Someday I'll get a matching 16 and be able to have some thunder on the right for song endings.

I've tried putting a second tom to the left of the normal 1 up thing, but it always seems in the way. I have long legs so I tend to have my hat a bit more forward than most folks. My kit came with an 8 which doesn't take up much room, but it still forces everything else into a compromise to cram it in there.
 
I play the 1 up two down ,is for me the best setup .
Sometimes 1 up 1down because i need a bigger car.
 

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I'm all over the place with this one. For the most part it's just the one up, one down 4 piece kit. I have a 6 piece kit so I would sometimes use the 10 and 14 combo and then the 12 & 16 combo, both setups sound good. Then I get in that frame of mind 'let me use all the drums" 2 up 2 down. I try and off center the 2 top toms but I can't get comfortable, then I mount over center and now my ride is too far away. Then the rack comes back out, nope too heavy! After all is said and done, it's back to a 4 piece kit and regular cycmbal stands again?
 

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I currently play a drum set with a 14x5 tom that was a snare when my dad bought it but I converted it to a tom because the bottom head broke and the snare parts didn't work, a 12x10, 13x10.5, 16x15 floor tom, and a 23x19 bass drum, and a 13x4 concert snare, and with 14 hi-hats, 16 crash, 18 crash-ride (mounted to bass drum) and 20 ride (placed between floor tom and snare size tom) I put the snare size tom to the right of my floor tom because I have room for it there. The snare size tom is the highest-tuned tom on my kit, and it is on a snare stand. I did get a bottom head for that drum. The 13x4 did not come with the set, I got that when I started band at Bowling Green Junior High School in 2017. Does anyone know what to call this setup?
 
I currently play a drum set with a 14x5 tom that was a snare when my dad bought it but I converted it to a tom because the bottom head broke and the snare parts didn't work, a 12x10, 13x10.5, 16x15 floor tom, and a 23x19 bass drum, and a 13x4 concert snare, and with 14 hi-hats, 16 crash, 18 crash-ride (mounted to bass drum) and 20 ride (placed between floor tom and snare size tom) I put the snare size tom to the right of my floor tom because I have room for it there. The snare size tom is the highest-tuned tom on my kit, and it is on a snare stand. I did get a bottom head for that drum. The 13x4 did not come with the set, I got that when I started band at Bowling Green Junior High School in 2017. Does anyone know what to call this setup?
I would describe that as "weird", but not as an insult; that's how I describe my kit, which is 10/12/22. My floor tom is the 12" mantle tom on a snare stand. Except for the hi-hat, my cymbals are level with the edge at 34" from the floor.
 

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1-up, 2-down for me (or 1-up, 1-down if there’s less room). I just get hidden behind two rack toms and I like to be seen since I sing too.
 

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3 up, 1 down (or 2 down as long as it's 16 and 18). My bare minimum is 2 up, 1 down. I can't and would not do only 1 up, unless it's for stepping into a small gig with a music style that does not require much/any fills. Which seems far fetched at the moment, maybe in the future.
 
I haven't just read the answers here I've EXAMINED them all to get inside your minds. Everything concerning set up with me of course has to be this turmoil filled ordeal with a psychotherapist. My answer now is after many years of examining what I truly need soundwise..can a 12 satisfy my needs of wanting a 10 ?..im hoping so. 16's and 18's the way I have to tune them are to muddy...if I tune them UP higher I don't like them at all. I like two up two down for reasons to involved to explain but do I truly need them all?..with the help of Prozac I think I can cope without this set up only after years of critical examination. Most of my favorite influential players use one up one down and I believe I can do it to and satisfy my tonal needs completely. Until I can find a 14x14 I'll have to deal with a 12 16 set up not being completely satisfied. I've committed to a 4 piece after decades of examination and experience. I'll probably go back and reread all of the replies again.
 
My "default" kit seems to be 1 up, 2 down. Any time I get a 4 piece kit ..... seems I always start the search for that 2nd floor tom.
Until I can find a 14x14 I'll have to deal with a 12 16 set up not being completely satisfied.
Oh .... I have been there. And in vintage drums, those 14x14's can be like searching for the "Holy Grail";) Funny though, on my Luddie 3 plies, I HAD a 14x14, and I sold it, because I could literally buy another kit with the money.

My formula (if I have one) revolves around bass drum sizes. My 24 and 26 inch kicks both are paired with 16/18 floors. The 22 is kind of my middle space .... I used to run 16/18's there as well .... but I now lean towards 14/16's with 22 and smaller kicks.
 
I play a number of setups, but generally speaking they are 1 up 1 down, or 1 up 2 down. On the rare occasions I play 2 up, they are 10/12. I despise 12/13 and simply won't.
 
There must be 2 down. I dont really care how many up. Ive had as many as 3 up, played as many as 4 up, currently running 1 up. I added a second floor about a year in and havent looked back. One floor just seems weird now.
 
I go between a 4 and a 5 piece (with 2 up on the 5) I took 2 floors to a gig maybe twice. It's not worth it for me. I'm a beat guy predominantly not a fill guy, generally speaking.

A 5 piece is my favorite, 12/13/16/22. I prefer a high, medium and low toms.

Lately I've been doing a 4 piece as my gigs these days are blues gigs. One tom for each arm lol which is plenty for those gigs. I had to quit my covers band in 2018. I feel more comfy with a 5 piece with my ride over my floor tom. With a 4 piece my ride is still over my floor tom.
 
2 up one down with offset toms on a stand is my favourite. The one I use for a long time. The ride gets its natural place but you still have 2 toms in front.
1 up 2 down looks damn cool. But takes more real estate and if you you watch carefully people using this configuration, you’ll notice that they barely play the bigger floor with their left hand.
 
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