Drum Height/Angle??

[agent_orange]

Firstly I must apologise if this is a really simple question,but please bear with me.
Having watched a number of drummers,usually session guys,I've noticed how they seem to play with the toms really low,and seem to be playing down onto them as opposed to them being angled.I am interested as to how this is achieved,is it that they have smaller size toms,i.e. 10" by 5" or 6",which would obviously make the batter head lower or is it as simple as a higher seat? if it is the seat then this would obviously make the bass drum pedal further away.My setup is such that my leg is in just about the right position to optimize my bass drum playing,but my toms are very angled at approx 55 degrees,too steep for me really,and if I angle them any less,say to more like 10 or 15 degrees I find I'm hitting the rims too much.
Any advice would be really appreciated.Thanx in advance

[drummer]

More drummers have their toms angled down a bit than not. I've always liked the way the flatter toms looked and have tried to emulate it but never could stick with it. It always bothered me that it seemed to require greater effort to raise my hands a bit more for execution. I could have raised the stool like some but I always liked the stool midway, not high.

I think it's very subjective. Either way, you could adapt if you wanted to. We're creatures of habit. It just takes getting used to.

[slinglander]

IMO the flat tom players favor the one up- two down kits, so the high tom on a stand next to the virgin kick is not as hard to play. Helps to have a longer reach too! And they do sit a bit higher.

[wolvie56]

It can be achieved with short tom sizes, raising your throne so your sitting over your toms, and using an offset mounting system, not mounting over your bass drum using the bass drum tom mounts, but off of stands with brackets. Personally, I have to sit higher than I'm comfortable with to do this, plus my toms are normal sized in length. But I do utilize the offset method of tom mounting. The end result is I have to angle my toms which is fine because that's what is comfortably for me. There isn't any right or wrong, it's all personal preference. Do what feels right for you. Welcome aboard the friendliest forum on the net.

[SparrowBeat]

I'm pretty tall so I have to raise my throne up high already so I am able to have pretty much flat toms. Before I got a throne, I was just sitting on a regular chair and I had to have my drums really angled to play them. I didn't like it at all. I would suggest putting the toms how you want them to be and then adapt your throne or sitting position to be able to play the toms in that position. Then see which way you like more.

[agent_orange]

wow,thanx for the replies.I wasn't expecting so many so quickly.
I am going to be getting a new/er kit in the next couple of weeks and I'm the same as a number of guys I've seen on here,am coming back to drumming after a while away.I did have a pearl blx back in the early 90's,but boy have things moved on. I had my toms on a stand between two bass drums then,which meant i had more adjustment,and looking at ones around now,I definately want an undrilled single bass drum and cymbal/tom mounts and I do like the smaller sizes for a number of reasons, but I am getting a little swamped though,as around my kind of budget,(circa £700-£800),I can't seem to find one that has everything I want. I wonder if I could pick a couple of your brains,guys?

[Pearl MCX Man]

This is the angle In use on all my toms and snares

[rickthedrummer]

This is the angle I use. It's about 30-35 degrees. Makes it very easy to roll to the up toms without having to lift your arms up.

My floor toms are even with the edge of my snare. It makes moving around the set easy with a minimum of effort.

Notice that Gilles set has approx. the same angle and he plays match grip.

[areFish]

I like all my drums level with the floor with the exception of my rack tom. On that drum, just enough angle so my sticks are not hitting rim is about right for me.

[slinglander]

My slightly tilted high toms.

[KCJones]

My slightly tilted high toms.

Slinglander, I'm diggin the Vitruvian Man on the kick!

[marko138]

I like my floor tom flat. I angle my snare and rack tom just enough so I'm not hitting the rim all the time. I also sit very high, as high as my throne will go.

[Northern Redneck]

The angle of your drum relative to the floor is 100% irreleavent. Its the angle of the drum relative to the stick that matters. As long as your drum is set up so your stick is striking it correctly your drum is angled properly.

[Dodeska]

Tilted enough not to hit the rims all the time.

[pastor_bob]

I am going to be getting a new/er kit in the next couple of weeks and I'm the same as a number of guys I've seen on here,am coming back to drumming after a while away.I did have a pearl blx back in the early 90's,but boy have things moved on. I had my toms on a stand between two bass drums then,which meant i had more adjustment,and looking at ones around now,I definately want an undrilled single bass drum and cymbal/tom mounts and I do like the smaller sizes for a number of reasons, but I am getting a little swamped though,as around my kind of budget,(circa £700-£800),I can't seem to find one that has everything I want. I wonder if I could pick a couple of your brains,guys?

Welcome to Drum Chat agent_orange!

Ask away AO. We're a helpful bunch of folks who like to share things that we've learned. If there's anything we can do to help, we'd be happy to do it.

[agent_orange]

Welcome to Drum Chat agent_orange!

Ask away AO. We're a helpful bunch of folks who like to share things that we've learned. If there's anything we can do to help, we'd be happy to do it.

Many thanks for the warm welcome Pastor_bob,I'm really glad to be here.
I have just posted in 'the hunt for a new kit begins...again,but am waiting for it to be checked by a moderator,so I guess this will be too,so which one comes up first I don't know.

[pastor_bob]

I'll check it out AO.

[kay-gee]

The angle of your drum relative to the floor is 100% irreleavent. Its the angle of the drum relative to the stick that matters. As long as your drum is set up so your stick is striking it correctly your drum is angled properly.

In a round about way...drums that are level with the floor ARE in perfect relationship with the sticks.

all the best...

[longgun]

Ever since I saw Ginger Baker play the toms flat when I was a kid..............I loved the look.

I've tried many different angles, but this is what I'm most comfortable with today.






Just a slight tilt on the rack tom.............everything else is pretty flat

[Digital]

I used to have a very pronounced angle on my toms when I started out, but I used to dent my heads a lot like that. When I got back into drumming, I tried a different configuration and found that I really like flatter angles. I'd go flatter if I could but the BD gets in the way. It's still quite comfortable the way it's set up now and it looks way better. The trick is finding the sweet spot for you, without hitting rims all the time.

[Redeye]

Here's what I run these days. I'm 5'8" and sit as high as a Rock-N-Sock throne will go. Floor toms are flat and snare is angled away from me. I've been trying to get my 10" drum higher than my 12" recently with a little steeper angle with mixed results.

[agent_orange]

I used to have a very pronounced angle on my toms when I started out, but I used to dent my heads a lot like that. When I got back into drumming, I tried a different configuration and found that I really like flatter angles. I'd go flatter if I could but the BD gets in the way. It's still quite comfortable the way it's set up now and it looks way better. The trick is finding the sweet spot for you, without hitting rims all the time.

Now the second one is sexy,exactly what I'm talking about!!

[longgun]

Here's what I run these days. I'm 5'8" and sit as high as a Rock-N-Sock throne will go. Floor toms are flat and snare is angled away from me. I've been trying to get my 10" drum higher than my 12" recently with a little steeper angle with mixed results.

..........Just curious Shane, why would you angle the snare away from you?

Most players I've seen do that are "traditional" grip guys

[weezy]

I like my floor tom flat. I angle my snare and rack tom just enough so I'm not hitting the rim all the time. I also sit very high, as high as my throne will go.

This is pretty close to where mine are currently at. I recently moved some things around to try to get out of a rut. My snare and rack tom are angled ever so sligltly and there's actually a straight line running across the rims of those two drums. I don't sit as high as Marko, but I'm 6'1" and have a wingspan that's closer to 6'3". I did raise my throne, floor tom, and snare a bit though.

Longgun, I believe that I read an interview with Taylor Hawkins where he said that angling the snare away made rimshots easier for him.

[NPYYZ]

I have my rack toms at just enough of an angle so they are comfortable to play and I won't be hitting the rim. My floor toms I like almost flat.