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Thread: How to sit at the drumkit?

  1. #1

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    Default How to sit at the drumkit?

    Hi,

    I've been playing drums now for about a month on a Yamaha DTXplorer electronic kit. I've had a few lessons on an acoustic kit, which is set up with different heights of drums and cymbals compared to the one I use at home.

    My question is: what is the correct height and distance from the centre of your body to position each of the drums and cymbals, what height should the stool be and where should the foot pedals for hi-hat and bass drum go?

    I've asked my teacher but he says 'whatever feels comfortable'. Is there a website that gives a diagram of where to place everything?

    I'm concerned because I'm in my 50's and in the past have had back problems, so my aim is to sit in the most efficient position for playing without strain.

    Thanks,

    Paul.

  2. #2

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    Paul, I'm a 52 year old who started drumming about 3 months ago. I just started drum lessons (getting my third lesson today), and the first thing my drum teacher told me was that the standard position is 90/90/90. Sit up straight so that your back is perpedicular to the floor (90 degree angle- less strain on the lower back when we sit with good posture), adjust the throne so that your thighs are parallel to the floor (that's makes a 90 degree angle with the lower back), and sit close enough to your kit that the lower legs are at a 90 degree angle to the thighs. 90/90/90. That's the ideal, so we should be as close to that as possible. Hope that helps.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  3. #3

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    Your toms should be angled ideally so that your stick hits them straight on, not at an angle. So if your stick hits them at a 45 degree angle, you turn them so that when the stick lands it's completely flat. You get a good sound this way and you reduce the chance of you smashing your skins.
    Today, on Ethel The Frog...

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ethel_The_Frog View Post
    Your toms should be angled ideally so that your stick hits them straight on, not at an angle. So if your stick hits them at a 45 degree angle, you turn them so that when the stick lands it's completely flat. You get a good sound this way and you reduce the chance of you smashing your skins.
    I have to disagree with you there, sorry, things like that depend on your height and style of play. I knw allot of people postion their toms flat, but personally, one thing I have often noticed, and one thing that I do asw ell is to have the toms positioned towards face/head. The reason for this is allot of the tie that is where your stick is comming from, so this way it meets the sticks in it's path

    Taller people can get away with flatter toms, but for shorter guys, or bigger sized kits, it seems angling the toms is the best way to go - that being said it is all personal preference for what fits right for you

    As to seating position, the ideal is as described by PB - however, again your teacher is right, whatever feels comfortable for you. Buddy Rich and Neil Peart (two of the biggest legends there are) played/play hunched over the kit with one of the worst positions and postures imaginable - I don't think Neil does it all the time, but he does do it sometimes. Again, it comes down to personal preference.
    "What consumes your mind, controls your life" - So, what consumes your mind?

  5. #5

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    Good topic!

    Man- I struggle so much to get this right.

    TOMS
    I prefer toms on an angle, not a massive angle though. When I tried them flat(ter) I struggled to get the sticks from the snare to the toms in a smooth motion, it felt like I had to lift my forearms and elbows "up and over" to get them up to the toms and felt VERY un-natural.

    SEAT
    I must also be the biggest 'seat fidget' on the planet, I am trying to get my feet going faster ( as they are useless! ) and sometimes I feel that sitting in nice and close ( the 90/90 position ) is great, and other times I prefer to sit with the seat a little further back. Then I find I want to move the seat to the right about an inch , then to the left, then I get annoyed, then I get the SH*TS , then I start over again....I think I have A.D.D ?? !!!!

    I absolutely cannot find a perfect position for my seat ( as in where it sits on the floor- not the seat height ) that suits all feet patterns. It is driving me nuts.

    I find that for double bass I prefer to sit 90/90 with my feet more 'on top' of the pedals and the seat to be more 'in the middle' of the 2 pedals, where as when I attempt faster single pedal stuff I prefer to be further back with my right leg and foot lined up with the right pedal. It makes it tough when playing a song that I want to try and drop a couple of double feet bars into.



    Anyway - I am planning a tear down and 're-build' this weekend, so I will see if I can finally get myself "cumfy".
    ' Up the Irons '

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wotto View Post
    Good topic!


    SEAT
    I must also be the biggest 'seat fidget' on the planet, I am trying to get my feet going faster ( as they are useless! ) and sometimes I feel that sitting in nice and close ( the 90/90 position ) is great, and other times I prefer to sit with the seat a little further back. Then I find I want to move the seat to the right about an inch , then to the left, then I get annoyed, then I get the SH*TS , then I start over again....I think I have A.D.D ?? !!!!

    I absolutely cannot find a perfect position for my seat ( as in where it sits on the floor- not the seat height ) that suits all feet patterns. It is driving me nuts.


    ROFLMAO - Man that is SOOOOOO me too - I am continuously readjusting me seat positon - like eveyrtime I stop playing, even for a second, I adjust it, just a lttile bit into something slightly different. I am never just sitting on one posiiton or anyhting. You got it perfect!!
    "What consumes your mind, controls your life" - So, what consumes your mind?

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