been thinking about losing the high tom

[kay-gee]

Why do you need to take a drum away? Just dont play it. Creativity doesnt come from the kit no matter what setup. Creativity comes from the player period.

It could quite easily become a circular argument. If one chooses to develop a style that doesn't require a certain piece of gear, why bother with the extra carrying and set up of that piece?

all the best...

[Northern Redneck]

It could quite easily become a circular argument. If one chooses to develop a style that doesn't require a certain piece of gear, why bother with the extra carrying and set up of that piece?

all the best...

Thats a completely different thing. I am talking about removing a piece of gear to force you to play differently.

[imperialstar15]

Not you in particular. Just because there is something on your kit, that doesnt mean you have to play it. Do you always have to play your cowbell, or china or jam block? No, when its not needed you just dont play it. Why is a tom any different? Do you look at your setlist and go "Lets see I dont play the china on this song so I better get rid of it, and then put it back on the kit for song 4."
As for moving around the kit, my floor tom is in the same place 3pc 4pc 5pc or 20pc.

You bring up a good point, but to me, if you phyiscally take it away, then it will visually inspire you more, because theres no way you can play that drum anymore, so you start playing for fills, and beats, with the floor tom, and you can build-up your creativity from there. And its not like he is going to put that drum back on in the middle of the song becaue he needs it, he has probably taken into the consideration, that he will be playing all his fills on the rack, on the floortom or bass drum or whatever,. Maybe he wants it that way, like how SOOOO many people have siwtched from 5-piece to a 4-piece in the past couple of years.

Also james05 if your main goal here is creativity, then change your config, I.E ( taking off a rack tom, switching cymbal setups, or even try switching your kit to a lefty, etc. I would say change your config for a week or two, gain that creativity, then you can aplly it back to your four piece.

[Northern Redneck]

Its called restraint and discipline.

[imperialstar15]

Its called restraint and discipline.

what does that mean?

[Northern Redneck]

what does that mean?

And therein lies the problem.

[imperialstar15]

And therein lies the problem.

so my lack of knowledge is a problem to you?

[pelicandrum]

I like the set up of the 3 piece better than when I have my 4 or 5 piece configuration. I also find that I find myself being more creative. Drumming is not just about the discipline and to me it is not about restraint, there is also the intangibles that come from creativity. The same way that looking at something from a new perspective can make you see something new, having you drums set up in a different way can give a new perspective or just a fresh mindset to your drumming.

[james05]

Reason I started thinking about it was because it would be easy travel with just a floor tom. Then I got to thinking of the benefits of practicing this way. I realize I could just not hit the high tom....lol

[kyle102565]

i went from an 11 pc double bass down to a 4 pc jazz kit and my style changed dramatically. it was fun for a few months. went back to a 5 pc, thinking of removing the 12 and adding the 14 floor tom to the 16 floor, but as stated before, why remove it, i dont have to play the 12 if i dont want to.
theres only so many drums i can hit in a fill, one too many and im late for beat 1.

[imperialstar15]

Drumming is not just about the discipline and to me it is not about restraint, there is also the intangibles that come from creativity. The same way that looking at something from a new perspective can make you see something new, having you drums set up in a different way can give a new perspective or just a fresh mindset to your drumming.

Exactly..........

[kay-gee]

The sans high tom looks kinda cool IMO. I see lots of drummers playing that config in videoes.

If ever I wanted to have a honking big bass drum, that would be the way to go about it.

I play a 26 marching bass some of the time and there is simply no way to mount a forward tom, so I mount them off to the side in the floor tom position on low snare stands. I don't really think it changes the way I play much if at all.

Face it. Not all music requires multiple tom toms. It really comes down to the style of music you play. Sometimes nothing nothing more is required than a huge thumping back beat.

Also you can draw from other sound sources besides toms...blocks, bells, tambourines etc...

all the best...

[Russ]

the sans high tom looks kinda cool imo. I see lots of drummers playing that config in videoes.

If ever i wanted to have a honking big bass drum, that would be the way to go about it.

I play a 26 marching bass some of the time and there is simply no way to mount a forward tom, so i mount them off to the side in the floor tom position on low snare stands. I don't really think it changes the way i play much if at all.

Face it. Not all music requires multiple tom toms. It really comes down to the style of music you play. Sometimes nothing nothing more is required than a huge thumping back beat.

Also you can draw from other sound sources besides toms...blocks, bells, tambourines etc...

All the best...

+1.