Being comfortable on the drums

[groovearteest]

Hey guys I have a question. How comfortable are you on your set, My church set is very easy to maneuver around, i can go as fast as I want around it with extreme ease and comfortability. But my home set is very uncomfortable to play surprisingly. It used to be comfortable but it seems every time i play it gets more and more uncomfortable and i dont know why, I have tried arranging it in every position i can think of and it still doesnt feel right. The mid tom moves alot but when i first got the set(a year and a half ago) that was no problem for me. The set is at least 10 or 15 years old so it doesn't use sus-toms mounts it uses the regular tom mounting arms. But i have tried sitting higher, lower, level to the kit and its still not comfortable to do everything i desire to do. But at my church our set was setup similar to my home kit and it was extremely comfortable to move around, and our new kit(pdp fs) wasnt as comfortable but once i adjusted it right it was fine to move around as i pleased. But can someone tell me why my home set is so uncomfortable.

[Northern Redneck]

Dunno, could be the throne, could be that your church's kit is a "cooler" kit and in your head you just dont want your kit to be as comfy.

[slinglander]

Measure your church throne height, snare and tom batter head angles and compare them to your home kit, even the ease of pedal use, hihat and kick. If pedals at church are better then your balance may also be better at church-stiffer pedals cause balance issues as you work harder to get your sound.

[late8]

We need more info on your home kit. What don't you like about the home kit compared to the church kit? HiHat too far away? Ride to far away? Every drummer has their own quirks on how the kit is set up to suit their needs but with that being said, it's of my opinion that a seasoned drummer should be expected to play any kit regardless of how it's set up.

I always set my key pieces around where both feet fall naturally when I sit on my throne with the kick drum pedal just slightly forward. My height and reach will also play a major factor on how my toms are angled.



No matter how big I set up a kit, I always set up the 'bread and butter' pieces first and build around them.



I also have limits on how far away I place to the left of the hihat stand and to the right of the ride cymbal if I load up the rack with toms. Remember, there is no right way or wrong way to set up a drum kit just as long as it's comfortable to suit your playing needs.

[drummer]

Yea, you're going to have to examine the little things and when you're playing the kit at home, try to pinpoint what is making you feel uncomfortable. You may need to close your eyes and concentrate.

[slinglander]

Yea, you're going to have to examine the little things and when you're playing the kit at home, try to pinpoint what is making you feel uncomfortable. You may need to close your eyes and concentrate.

+1 with the little things that count: moving your throne 2" left or right can make a BIG difference in comfort.

[groovearteest]

Measure your church throne height, snare and tom batter head angles and compare them to your home kit, even the ease of pedal use, hihat and kick. If pedals at church are better then your balance may also be better at church-stiffer pedals cause balance issues as you work harder to get your sound.

Actually my home sets foot pedal is even better than the three foot pedals we have at church. The throne on the church set was really low for a long time until we just recently got a new throne, but i have tried adjusting the height and everything. Today was a little more comfortable for me though. What i am gonna try is sitting more in the center of the kit instead of more off to the left(closer to the hihats). I think the problem is the toms are too far apart because i am not used to having to move my arms over that far. I tried moving the toms closer together, but the mounts are just made too far apart from each other then what i am used to. Oh well just gonna have to adapt. Or see if they make cymbal stand mounts for those toms so i can bring them closer together. Thanks for the input.

[wolvie56]

I would think a home set would end up being more comfortable by far. You have the time to tweak it the way you want it. It took a while with a lot of fine tuning, but I am very comfortable with my home kit for sure.

[Northern Redneck]

Lets see a pic of your kit. Ive yet to see a mount where you cant get your toms close together.

[Frazzetto]

Late8, im sorry.. Wtf, Thats just amazing! LOL!

As to your problem, just do as they all said, examine whats different between the comfortable kit and yours. As to the tom mounting being annoying to you, you CAN install suspension mounts if you'd like. Or, maybe some screws just need tightening. Check around, any kit is comfortable one you set it right for you.

[inthpktplayer]

Not sure I get this. Only you know why your own kit doesn't feel right to you. Only you know what is right. The kit is set up the way you set it up. It doesn't feel right? Move **** around till it does. You control where things go. Put them where they feel best. Sorry.........that's all I've go for you.

[atomcorr2]

start with your stool , sit on your stool , put your snare stand with the drum on it where you feel you want it , next put your kick drum where it feels best , next your hihat, then your 1st tom ,and so on, you might have to spin some stands and fuss with stuff , but it will all fit . if not, you'll be the only guy in the world of drumming that cant get stuff where you need it . tear your drums down and start with the stool ,give it an honest try and you'll have the most comfortable set ever.

[rickthedrummer]

start with your stool , sit on your stool , put your snare stand with the drum on it where you feel you want it , next put your kick drum where it feels best , next your hihat, then your 1st tom ,and so on, you might have to spin some stands and fuss with stuff , but it will all fit . if not, you'll be the only guy in the world of drumming that cant get stuff where you need it . tear your drums down and start with the stool ,give it an honest try and you'll have the most comfortable set ever.

I agree with atomcorr2, but I would put the bass drum first, making sure I'm totally comfortable with where I want to sit in relationship to it. After that, go to the snare. Once you have that, the other drums should fall into place.

[slinky]

it could be psychlogical maybe. Does the church kit sound better than your home kit?

[bongobro]

On the surface, groovearteest, it sounds like you're more comfortable on your church kit than on the home kit. Do you play more at church than at home? Could be you're more used to the church layout...and playin' on your kit after playin' at church is kinda like getting into a Chevy to drive home after having driven a Ford at work all day. That is, everything is much the same, but in a different position. Do some of the homework our brother drummers have already suggested and see if it doesn't improve your home kit.

Good luck, bro'!

[PerryGoRound]

Like suggested earlier, Start from the ground and go up.

Think of it as a building. Build your first floor, then the second, then the third, etc..

I think of the first floor as the kick, snare, throne, and hats. In that order. When using a double pedal, I suggest connecting the shaft and slave pedal AFTER you get your kick, snare, and throne in place. Get it comfy and then place your hats accordingly.

Second floor: Floor tom(s), then up-tom(s) If you're like me and like to have your ride low and over the kick, then I suggest making it part of the second floor as well. Otherwise, save it for the third floor.

Third: Ride (if not already *installed*), and any accessory stuff you would typically want below your crash cymbal(s). Splash(s), cowbell(s), electronic pad(s), sound module, kitchen sink, etc...

Forth Floor: crash(s), china(s) sometimes I like my china on the third floor with a crash overlapping it.

In the end, it's all up to you, but I think if you approach it this way, you will find what works for you and minimize your footprint as well.