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Thread: Where are your hats?

  1. #1

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    Default Where are your hats?

    I know this is a "play around with em and find what's best for you" question but I was wondering how you guys have your hats positioned?

    I've been working on playing more little dynamics between hats and snare and in moving back and forth quickly I keep catching the edge... but it's getting smoother. That and when I'm playing off beats on the snare my hands tend to hit. I moved the hats more to the left to clear my hands but it makes taking both sticks to hats awkward as I feel like I have to move my L hand way to far. Also started just lifting my R just a little higher on the L offbeats so it's coming along... slowly!

    So just wondering how you guys are set up? How high are they, how close/far to the snare L & R and forward/back?

    Peace!
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  2. #2

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    Usually at a jaunty angle


  3. #3

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    Haha... well played!
    Attitude is everything!

  4. #4

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    Great question KC! The hihat positioning for me has never been an issue until I convinced myself that I should play with a double pedal but I've grown acustom to them and here's my layout:

    1. I like to have the hihat pedal positioned right next to my slave pedal for quick and easy transitions from pedal to pedal.
    2. The snare and the hihat have about 5 inches of separation.
    3. My hands must fall naturally to the center of the snare
    4. The ride must be equally reachable as the hihats




    The hihat stand must be low enough for the left hand to clear the top hihat cymbal to comfortably reach the center of the high rack tom without bashing into the edge of the hihat cymbals. In the past, I've managed to get some nasty knuckle buster cuts on my left hand from smashing them into the edges of the hats. OUCH!!!


  5. #5

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    Where are my hats? On my heads of course. See avatar above. Duh.
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  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Markadiddle View Post
    Where are my hats? On my heads of course. See avatar above. Duh.
    smart arse

  7. #7

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    late8 you have the best replies ever, complete with pics and arrows! Good stuff man, thanks!
    Attitude is everything!

  8. #8

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    My hihats are in about the same position as Late8's.
    - Zack

  9. #9

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    KCJones, here are a couple of pics that will show where I like my hi-hats:

    This overhead shot shows when I have it in relation to the rest of the kit.



    This one shows the height in relation to where I sit.

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  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    KCJones, here are a couple of pics that will show where I like my hi-hats:

    This overhead shot shows when I have it in relation to the rest of the kit.



    This one shows the height in relation to where I sit.


    Why is Tim Allen playing your drums?

  11. #11

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    Unlike the above kits, my hats are slightly 'behind' the snare, or parallel to it. I guess because I bounce my heel on the hat pedal. Hard to do that with the pedal ahead of my left knee, ahead of my snare as is PB's.
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  12. #12

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    I love reading this thread i have been arguing with my hats for years. what ive found is the best place to put them for my hands to be comfortable pull them too far back and my feet dont work right. I love all the pictures giving me a little more idiea of how others are doing it so I can explore more.

    oh yeah .. and all over my house .. I have a bunch of them.
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  13. #13

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    I'm like Rich. My hat position used to be a struggle with the double pedal. It's a compromise. But I've got them where I want them now. The 2 leg stand helped. I like my hat and slave pedal right next to each other as well.

    I keep them low but not so much that I hat sticks when playing. I should say that when I set my stuff up I position the 2 kick pedals and snare where I want them and the hat is secondary. I play my 18" crash a lot so I don't really worry about where the hats are too terribly much. I do need them to be comfortable though.


  14. #14

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    I fiddled with my main hats for awhile trying to find the best balance between comfort and playability with double bass drums. I have it pretty much figured out now. The 2nd hats are positioned higher and don't move at all.

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  15. #15

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    Pretty close to my snare, i'd say about a few inches side by side distance. I don't keep them skyhigh like some do, I really never understood the point of that. I like to keep stuff as close as I can get it, organized, and easy to access.
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  16. #16

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    11 o'clock...left hats (on dw remote stand)
    2 o'clock (closed hats on rt hand side)
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  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by KCJones View Post
    late8 you have the best replies ever, complete with pics and arrows! Good stuff man, thanks!
    yeah x2 on this! Late8 will even go as far as helping you explain something to someone else by making a diagram on your behalf! I love it!

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by truckerdrummer View Post
    yeah x2 on this! Late8 will even go as far as helping you explain something to someone else by making a diagram on your behalf! I love it!
    X3 on that. He even goes a step further for me, he shows me in person!
    Stolen from EddieV:
    Boom, ching, boom boom ching, fuggadugga fuggadugga fuggadugga crash. Rinse, Repeat ad-nauseum.

    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Come on Mark. You steal copy. Just look at your signature.
    Quote Originally Posted by Texdrumr View Post
    Nothing says 'tough' like a drummer with ducklings on his drums. Ha!

  19. #19

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    I'm right handed, so my main hats are about 2 1/2 inches from my snare at around the 10:00 position in relation to my snare. And 4" above the snare. Ease of movement with no wasted effort, and at the same time without cramping or restricting access is the key.
    Last edited by wolvie56; 04-12-2013 at 11:01 PM.
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  20. #20

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    mine are close to the snare. Closer than Marcos pic above for example. This brings up something I've been shopping for a little, and that is a remote set on the right.. don't want the line and pedal just a set on an extension arm..
    Last edited by slinky; 04-14-2013 at 08:46 AM.
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  21. #21

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    My main hat's (left) are 15" from the center of my snare. My X-hats (right) are 25" away from the center of the snare.


  22. #22

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    Main hi-hat at 10 o'clock on the left, remote hi-hat at 2 o'clock on the right, I use a single bass drum pedal, so the main hi-hat is fairly close to the snare.

    I also have a winter hat, a straw hat and a cowboy hat, but they're not on the kit, I keep them in my wardrobe.
    Last edited by Brain The Minter; 04-14-2013 at 10:23 AM.

  23. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by slinky View Post
    mine are close to the snare. Closer than Marcos pic above for example. This brings up something I've been shopping for a little, and that is a remote set on the right.. don't want the line and pedal just a set on an extension arm..
    Tama has just the piece for you, my friend:


  24. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by KCJones View Post
    late8 you have the best replies ever, complete with pics and arrows! Good stuff man, thanks!
    Quote Originally Posted by truckerdrummer View Post
    yeah x2 on this! Late8 will even go as far as helping you explain something to someone else by making a diagram on your behalf! I love it!
    Quote Originally Posted by Markadiddle View Post
    X3 on that. He even goes a step further for me, he shows me in person!
    ^It's always a pleasure to help out Drumchat members!! You guys are the BEST!!!

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