Remembering a comment about kit size...

Jeremy Bender

Platinum Member
Back in the late 80's while touring with the US Navy big-band, a teenage drummer and his Dad walked up to me and said "Those are nice drums! But why is your kit so small?" Mind you I was playing an acoustic 4 pc. Yamaha kit with 4 cymbals.
I explained to him that 'if I can't play what's in our songbook (spanning 50 yrs. of American music) with what I have, then I might as well take up fishing instead of drumming.' I went on to explain to him about the rigors of buses and cargo planes, hauling and packing up often for more than one performance at a different location on the same day. He seemed to understand a little better, but this was in the heyday of large kits being the norm in magazines and MTV.

To an extent I think it still holds true in 2015. That the majority of what we do is based around two cymbals and two drums 90% of the song.

It's kinda interesting how a lot of guy's still use Fab-4/ big-band type of set up for their music. Guy's like Jason McGerr of Death Cab for Cutie and Eric Slick of Dr. Dog are just a couple that come to mind.
 
I think the way it used to be was like this.
Playing well on a small kit impressed other musicians.
Playing well on a large kit impressed non-musicians.
Not so much any more.

But even today, if you are a famous drummer and the show requires generating excitement for the fans, then I guess you'd better have a large kit.


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I would like to think that it doesn't matter. It's the drummer that generates everything. You don't look at a chef or a surgeon and say, wow, your gear is (insert a starry eyed comment). You are more impressed with the skill of the handler.

Anyone who knows I drum invariably asks what kit I play. I'd much rather be asked about what I do/did, not about my inanimate gear that can be had by anyone.

Also, they see my WMP PDP kit and are really impressed how beautiful they are lol. People really react to WMP it seems. I love bursting their bubble and tell them how little I paid for it. Then I go on to quick mention that the hand hammered genuine Turkish cymbals are where it's at for me personally, and they just glaze over lol. I got more comps on my WMP than my exotic lacquered DW's (when I gigged them).

In my mind only drummers can understand other drummers fully. The rest of the world has no clue what goes on inside our minds. Which is no fault of theirs, but I truly believe that. That's why I come here and not FB.
 
Big kits are cool to look at and to play, although I suppose the packing up and carrying isn't so cool. I always liked Carl Palmer's massive stainless steel kit from the ELP days.

It seems that 90% of N.P.'s playing with Rush is snare-bass and hi hat-ride. Of course that's a rough estimate.
 
Never configured to impress aesthetically, rather to have the options to go where the music takes us -- when sets change real-time, or when flow / feel takes over.
 
Subbed 3 times last month for another band (knew the bassist).
Gig#1 ...brought 4 piece + 3 cymbals (+hats)
Gig#2 ....a 4 piece + 2 cymbals
Gig#3 ....a 3 piece + 1 cymbal
Not once did any of the other 3 musicians notice or comment on the number of pieces in my setup, only the finish on the drums.
I'm convinced it doesn't matter.
 
I was in a punk band awhile ago and the guitarist always wanted me to have a minimal kit because he thought it was more punk. So I went with it. That's what kinda got me to liking a minimal kit. I'm punk, you see? We're all punk!
 
I get asked why I play a four piece a lot, or I get "you should have a bigger set."
I tell them if they haul it for me I will get a bigger set.
 
The way I look at it is play whatever kit size you want but if you've got lots of cymbals and drums the rest of the band are going to be half an hour down the road by the time you leave a venue.

I was taught you can do everything on a 4/5 piece and that's how I've always looked at it.
 
The way I look at it is play whatever kit size you want but if you've got lots of cymbals and drums the rest of the band are going to be half an hour down the road by the time you leave a venue.

I was taught you can do everything on a 4/5 piece and that's how I've always looked at it.

I play a four, a few cymbals at most, and my band mates help me load in and out. Haha. But then again I supply the amps and mics too... so maybe they feel obligated. Or finally understand that struggle of hauling a kit.
Some times I miss the voice of a third tom, but when I put my ten up top, I either move my ride, or my hats and main crash and then feel crowded out and uncomfortable.
 
I wish I had a dollar for everytime I played a 4-5 band show (metal/hard rock) and the drummers had large double bass kits and they would only use 5 of the drums, and play single kick the whole time but throw in dbl kick rolls at the very end of the show that were totally uneven :)

Meanwhile, there I am with a 5 pc, with extreme attention to detail on the tuning, hardware setup, double pedal accuracy, spring tension, and overall performance preparation (all aspects).

My point is make the absolute best of the tools you need to get the job done best to your ability.

And in the defense of guys using large kits, I had to do a Rush cover gig a while back, and to do it right (playing Tom Sawyer, Natural Science, 2112, Spirit of Radio, YYZ, Subdivisions, Big Money and etc), I had to use at least an 8pc kit to cover those voices at a minimum, also needed chimes, cowbells and etc. So I totally understand using a large kit if that's what the music requires, especially if it that is what the audience expects. (Rush fans are very demanding!)

Everything else I do, can be done on a 4pc easily. No one has ever commented on the size of my kit, just the volume :)
 
I wish I had a dollar for everytime I played a 4-5 band show (metal/hard rock) and the drummers had large double bass kits and they would only use 5 of the drums, and play single kick the whole time but throw in dbl kick rolls at the very end of the show that were totally uneven :)

Meanwhile, there I am with a 5 pc, with extreme attention to detail on the tuning, hardware setup, double pedal accuracy, spring tension, and overall performance preparation (all aspects).

My point is make the absolute best of the tools you need to get the job done best to your ability.

And in the defense of guys using large kits, I had to do a Rush cover gig a while back, and to do it right (playing Tom Sawyer, Natural Science, 2112, Spirit of Radio, YYZ, Subdivisions, Big Money and etc), I had to use at least an 8pc kit to cover those voices at a minimum, also needed chimes, cowbells and etc. So I totally understand using a large kit if that's what the music requires, especially if it that is what the audience expects. (Rush fans are very demanding!)

Everything else I do, can be done on a 4pc easily. No one has ever commented on the size of my kit, just the volume :)

It's not the size that matters, it's how you use it! ;)
A local guy and friend of mine is playing more technical metal on a three piece with one crash and hats. That's all and he rocks it.
 
I think drummers get way to hung up on kit size.

And way too many think they're somehow better for playing less.

You have to play what the music calls for.

Playing a 3pc in a Rush tribute band would be as stupid as playing a 10 pc in a Rolling Stones tribute band. Playing a double bass kit with rock crashes with a piano trio is just a silly as bringing an 18" bass drum bop kit to a Power Metal gig.

Use what's right, not what your ego thinks.
 
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