What's up with the whole one tom trend?

[quikstang2]

I think the OP means literally ONE tom. Not one rack and or one floor tom, or some combination with adding others, as that means two or more toms.

I've seen it on some late night TV shows and small chic cafes, mostly with hipster style music. The bands are usually incredibly boring, to me. I think Lars Ulrich did it at an awards show of some sorts years ago, before it became trendier. I guess that makes Lars a hipster too. Some of it is done because the drummer doesn't need any more than that, or can get away with bringing less to that particular gig, and some of it is done because the drummer wants to look like he doesn't need any more than that. There can also be the occasion where to people who run the band are nazis and won't let the player do anything but keep time as minimally as possible. (I've been in those situations and it is infuriatingly boring.)

[rickthedrummer]

You got some technically boring drummers out there, sounds like!

More than a few. Drummers that have good technique, but have no sense of adventure.


Rick, start back easy, maybe put "Wipe Out" on the back burner for a while!

Hey, Sling!! I have to put everything drum-wise on the back burner for a while.

I sat down behind my set the other day, and even though it's only been 3 weeks today since I played, it felt like it's been years since I did play.

[onegourd]

one floor no rack is my basic config and suits me fine. I do own a high tom and do enjoy it when set up but I keep coming back to the ultra-minimal setup. and no im not a hipster

[slinglander]

one floor no rack is my basic config and suits me fine. I do own a high tom and do enjoy it when set up but I keep coming back to the ultra-minimal setup. and no im not a hipster

What kind of music do you play?

[kay-gee]

I guess some drummers are coming to the realization that's it's all about the beat.

I guess I could ask the question in reverse...what's with the 8 toms?!!

all the best...

[rickthedrummer]

I guess some drummers are coming to the realization that's it's all about the beat.

I guess I could ask the question in reverse...what's with the 8 toms?!!

all the best...

The 8 toms is just something to mess around with.

It's not something I would have played out with, but, being as I don't have to move them, why not.

If it were Neil Peart, nobody would question it.

[N2Bluz]

The 8 toms is just something to mess around with.

It's not something I would have played out with, but, being as I don't have to move them, why not.

If it were Neil Peart, nobody would question it.

I'm sure you've said before, Rick, but what did you typically gig with? 5pc? 6pc?

[rickthedrummer]

I'm sure you've said before, Rick, but what did you typically gig with? 5pc? 6pc?

The drums I used the vast majority of the time is the set I have now.

When I bought them (c.72), the set was 24", 13",14", 16",and 18".

While I had 2 other sets of Ludwigs, both BDP, I hated the Ludwig tom mount, so they were rarely used. I also had a set of Rogers that stayed in our rehearsal studio, and a set of Slingerlands in White Pearl that I bought for no other reason than they were a gorgeous "Buddy Rich" set.

The set I kept (see vids) I bought with a un-drilled BD for which I bought a Slingerland "Set-O-Matic" that is still on the set to this day. Actually I'm surprised that, for all the vids I've put up, nobody has noticed it.

90% of the time, I played with the 14x10, 16x16, and 18x16. 24x14 BD and either a Black Beauty Super Sensitive or a Supra. Sometimes I would add the 13x9 with the 14x10, and, for a while, I used double floor toms on both sides.

[itchie]

do you just mean one floor tom no other drums or cymbals


cause thats just ..not right

[marko138]

The drums I used the vast majority of the time is the set I have now.

When I bought them (c.72), the set was 24", 13",14", 16",and 18".

While I had 2 other sets of Ludwigs, both BDP, I hated the Ludwig tom mount, so they were rarely used. I also had a set of Rogers that stayed in our rehearsal studio, and a set of Slingerlands in White Pearl that I bought for no other reason than they were a gorgeous "Buddy Rich" set.

The set I kept (see vids) I bought with a un-drilled BD for which I bought a Slingerland "Set-O-Matic" that is still on the set to this day. Actually I'm surprised that, for all the vids I've put up, nobody has noticed it.

90% of the time, I played with the 14x10, 16x16, and 18x16. 24x14 BD and either a Black Beauty Super Sensitive or a Supra. Sometimes I would add the 13x9 with the 14x10, and, for a while, I used double floor toms on both sides.

Those are HUGE drums Rick!

[rickthedrummer]

Those are HUGE drums Rick!

Mark,

I always liked a big set ever since I saw Buddy Rich for the 1st time back when I was around 12. He was on Jack Parr with Harry James and up on a drum riser. The drums looked huge, and I thought, "I want that".




This video isn't the 1 I saw, but it's close. The drums looked huge considering I was playing on a set of Kents that were 20, 12 and 16.

Seeing Buddy that 1 night shows where my cross-overs, use of double stroke rolls, the little stick flip I use once in a while and what was going to become my basic set-up for almost 50 years came from.

I worked 3 jobs ( wasn't in school much), setting pins, selling a NY paper that sold for a nickel, but we could buy a hundred copies for $3.00 and make about $4-$5 a night on tips, and I delivered milk from 2 in the morning to 6 AM, 6 nights a week for $18 a week.

I got my 1st set of Ludwigs, 22"BD, 13x9", and 2 16x16" FT's, a Supra, with stands, a Zildjian ride and 18" crash, with 14" hats. The whole set, complete, was $325. After that I never played on a smaller set.

[marko138]

Mark,

I always liked a big set ever since I saw Buddy Rich for the 1st time back when I was around 12. He was on Jack Parr with Harry James and up on a drum riser. The drums looked huge, and I thought, "I want that".




This video isn't the 1 I saw, but it's close. The drums looked huge considering I was playing on a set of Kents that were 20, 12 and 16.

Seeing Buddy that 1 night shows where my cross-overs, use of double stroke rolls, the little stick flip I use once in a while and what was going to become my basic set-up for almost 50 years came from.

I worked 3 jobs ( wasn't in school much), setting pins, selling a NY paper that sold for a nickel, but we could buy a hundred copies for $3.00 and make about $4-$5 a night on tips, and I delivered milk from 2 in the morning to 6 AM, 6 nights a week for $18 a week.

I got my 1st set of Ludwigs, 22"BD, 13x9", and 2 16x16" FT's, a Supra, with stands, a Zildjian ride and 18" crash, with 14" hats. The whole set, complete, was $325. After that I never played on a smaller set.

No doubt, brother. Your smallest drum is as big as my largest. LOL.

[omauro]

I would definitely feel strange with just 1 Tom. Just feel my dynamics would be cut down by 1 less Tom. However I totally see it being more natural and comfortable playing off the RIDE where the Missing TOM would have been.

[PerryGoRound]

I did a hand full of cover gigs with with some guys a while ago, (guitar driven rock/blues stuff) and eventually found that I had more fun playing just "kick and snare". (with full cymbals, obviously) Sometimes I would go "kick and 2 snares", (1 high and tight, 1 low and fat) but for 1 gig of his I decided to go "kick, snare, floor tom". I put the tom on my left side, to the left of my hats, and that was a REAL fun set up to play on.

[Bridie]

I think it is just down to what you want.
I started with 2 up 1 down,
then my kit grew to 4 up 2 down,
now it is 2 up 2 down, and my ride low in front, I just prefer it like that for now. I only miss my extra toms if I cover any Iron Maiden!!

Bridie

[kay-gee]

The 8 toms is just something to mess around with.

It's not something I would have played out with, but, being as I don't have to move them, why not.

If it were Neil Peart, nobody would question it.

I never counted your toms. I more less picked the number 8 out thin air. I think the point is drummers will play what ever they want to play whether tons of toms or no toms.

all the best...

[Jack Keck]

Back in the olden days (I'm talkin' the mid '60s), most of the bands that sip-synched their big hit on the after-school sock-hop shows used drum kits with no floor tom. I'm sure that none of these drummers ever performed live with such a stripped down set.