A most controversial position

IsaiahBenJamin

Junior Member
A lot of drummers are going to have opinions on this;

How come virtually every instrument including piano, marimba, xylophone, bass, guitar etc, achieve a lower note by moving your hands to the left yet most drummers set up their kit with the low toms on the right? If you tell me it's because most people are right handed and it's easier or more natural to lead a roll with your right hand I'm calling bullsh*t. It's like why do drummers still insist on putting the high hat on the left despite the invention of remote hats? Pianists and most other musicians manage to use their left hand to great effect, Most drummers strive for ambidexterity. Drumming teachers often teach starting a beat with your right hand. Why? Sorry to question the basic assumptions but that's how I roll; out of the box. What's up with all that?
 
Ever try to fit a floor tom on top of your bass drum? And most remote hats are expensive and don't have as good action. Basically its equipment constraints, no one wants to cross your hands to play hi hat, and toms are really any way you want them as long as they fit, and with double pedals you can move your bass further away to achieve what you are after but that is a lot of money and there is no need for any order on toms unless you need to do rock 16th note rolls on the toms which are easiest with standard setup. There are no rules on how to set up your kit but the standard ways are easiest for most people.
 
Not sure why on any of that, although standard positioning and methods have never got in my way. I suppose if anything didn't feel right or prevented me from playing certain parts, I would make the necessary adjustments, just as many drummers do. It's not so uncommon to see rack toms out of order, a 2nd floor tom on the opposite side of the hat, a remote hat, etc. And many drummers embrace an "open" playing approach where they don't cross arms/sticks - the left hand plays everything on the left-hand side of the kit, and the right plays the right.

Drummers do what's comfortable for them, and that should never be considered wrong, even when it's not the norm.

Bermuda
 
It's a tradition that we get used to and work with, however if it's a big deal for a certain gig it's normal for most players I know to change things around. Especially today when it seems to me that many players do all sorts of things.

For me personally, I might change things over time, but so far it hasn't been a hinderance for me. Only thing I change is that I don't always bring the whole kit. It's also nice to be used to a standard configuration, so you can easily work with other people's setups.
 
Since the bass drum was played with the right foot (by most people), when the bass drum pedal was invented, the later "low boy" (which was 2 small cymbals down at the floor) was played with the left foot.

Once the cymbals were raised to play with sticks, the hi hat came into play.
People must have naturally placed their "lead hand" on them to keep time, like they did on a ride.
As a remote hat was not invented until a decade or so ago, there was no other spot drummers could place the hats but on the left side.
Most people use their right hand on them, as that's how it had been done since the cymbals were raised.

Play how you want if you don't like the usual way. There are no rules, especially with the abundance of customizable hardware.

Billy Cobam plays open handed with his ride on the left, and his toms low to high....
Simon Phillips has played open handed for years also, but his toms are high to low...
Bill Bruford has his hats in the center with tom tones descending right to left....

Do what you want.
 
Because on a piano the right hand (generally) plays a busier role. The left plays rhythm. The layout of xylophones, marimbas etc are based on the piano. It would be silly to reverse it.

On a guitar you can reverse it if you're willing to turn the guitar upside down and play left handed....
 
All of the other instruments are of a size that they can be played in a straight linear fashion. Left to right, piano, organ etc. Back and forth, trombone, up and down, marching chimes or bells. Drums are too large to sit and play and have them all lined up side by side. Pretty simple. Also Tympani are played small to large, high to low, from left to right, congas, bongos. so It isn't just drum set. And as far as the hats being where they are, most people are right handed and the bass drum is played with the dominant foot and the ride, and hats, on the left, because of the only foot left over is the one on the left. With todays technology, hats can be where you want them but that is not the "norm" I find it all pretty simple and basic if you take the time to look at the history of the set and the population percentage that is right-handed. Keyboards are that way because the dominant hand is playing the melody and the off hand is playing the chords in most cases. And I say most cases for all of you that will argue that there is plenty of music where the left hand does more. there. I said it for you. Also look at the evolution of the set. Traps were added to the top of the set, then toms, one at a time, then another to the right , and then the floor tom. It all has to do with evolution not because some guy decided one day.


.......right hand I'm calling bullsh*t. The very reason Ringo played few runs. He was left hand dominant and set up right handed. It was hard for him to do fills going to his right
 
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Sorry to question the basic assumptions but that's how I roll; out of the box. What's up with all that?
Hey, your a grown man. Nothing written in stone, about how you should set up. Set up any way you like. I do.​
 

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Also Tympani are played small to large, high to low, from left to right, congas, bongos.
I play timpani low to high from L to R. I have never seen someone play high to low. See here: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CCQQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pas.org%2FLibraries%2FPASIC_Archives%2Ftimpsetup.sflb.ashx&ei=PE-LT4HwHYzO9ASuv92-CQ&usg=AFQjCNF1Z9mqlD8aR3iK-N5Uw2JR9VssMg&sig2=oMUof07jGofLcocg6uaiTw

bongos are low to high from L to R

and congas (when only using 2) are high to low from L to R
 
I misspoke. From left to right. large kettle to small kettle. I played in school and just typed wrong with all of the other examples.
 
A lot of drummers are going to have opinions on this;

How come virtually every instrument including piano, marimba, xylophone, bass, guitar etc, achieve a lower note by moving your hands to the left yet most drummers set up their kit with the low toms on the right? If you tell me it's because most people are right handed and it's easier or more natural to lead a roll with your right hand I'm calling bullsh*t. It's like why do drummers still insist on putting the high hat on the left despite the invention of remote hats? Pianists and most other musicians manage to use their left hand to great effect, Most drummers strive for ambidexterity. Drumming teachers often teach starting a beat with your right hand. Why? Sorry to question the basic assumptions but that's how I roll; out of the box. What's up with all that?

I think the presence of the snare muscles out the larger drums. But when you look at kits from the 1910s and 1920s, they tended to go high to low with the percussion as well. I think that's the normal way to go. Whoever laid out the keyboard originally got it wrong!
 
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