Watch and learn

[eric vaxxine]

I watched a Buddy Rich gig from 1970's and grabbed a couple of tweaks to my kit layout.
(Bear in mind I am a guitarist of 30 yrs getting back on the kit)

Two things I noticed were this......

His snare was set at an obvious tilt, away, downhill from him.
This enables 'rimshot' .....I adjusted my own snare, set it up in a similar way and it really works for me.
I also noticed that his floor tom was sitting high, a high as his snare, so I tried it and ... Yes, it works for me....

[FlyByNight]

Interesting. Whenever I watch a video of a famous drummer, I tend to play with my setup. do you play traditional grip? My floor toms are about an inch higher than my snare.

[rickthedrummer]

Your FT height should be even with your snare. The up tom IMHO should be at a 30 degree angle down towards the snare and approx. 2"-3" higher than the snare.

The FT should be as close to you as possible.

Keep everything close and avoid any wasted motion.

Rich was quick around the set because he was, well, QUICK.

He didn't have to reach into the next county to hit anything, and that helped him to be fast around the set.

[inthpktplayer]

Your FT height should be even with your snare. The up tom IMHO should be at a 30 degree angle down towards the snare and approx. 2"-3" higher than the snare.

The FT should be as close to you as possible.

Keep everything close and avoid any wasted motion.

I've always tried to keep things as close to me as possible. So close in fact that my right leg brushes up against my floor tom. Also, I've always had my floor tom(s) at the same height as my snare.

Don't think that you have to go by any hard and fast rules about set up. Just have things so that it feels comfortable and you can get around your kit as easily and fast as you need to or physically can.

[drummer]

Don't think that you have to go by any hard and fast rules about set up. Just have things so that it feels comfortable and you can get around your kit as easily and fast as you need to or physically can.

I agree and remember that Buddy played traditional grip so the angle of his snare makes more sense for his style.

[rickthedrummer]

I've always tried to keep things as close to me as possible. So close in fact that my right leg brushes up against my floor tom. Also, I've always had my floor tom(s) at the same height as my snare.

Don't think that you have to go by any hard and fast rules about set up. Just have things so that it feels comfortable and you can get around your kit as easily and fast as you need to or physically can.

Marc,

I didn't mean to make it sound like my way is carved in stone.

Like everybody else (I guess) I experimented around with different set-ups when I got my 1st set of drums. Then when I was about 12, I saw Rich on TV with Harry James and saw how close everything was to him. I set my drums like he had his, and my speed around the drums increased a lot.

Anyway, I just thought I would throw it out there as a possible starting point for some newer drummers.


By the way, my leg will hit the FT sometimes.

[inthpktplayer]

Marc,

I didn't mean to make it sound like my way is carved in stone.

Like everybody else (I guess) I experimented around with different set-ups when I got my 1st set of drums. Then when I was about 12, I saw Rich on TV with Harry James and saw how close everything was to him. I set my drums like he had his, and my speed around the drums increased a lot.

Anyway, I just thought I would throw it out there as a possible starting point for some newer drummers.


By the way, my leg will hit the FT sometimes.

No worries.....sorry. I knew what you meant Rick. You need to start somewhere.

[gdmoore28]

You can find videos of Buddy Rich playing with his snare adjusted perfectly flat, and other videos with it adjusted dramatically away from him. He seems to have kept the rest of his set very consistent, with the occational addition of a china cymbal to his right. He openly admitted that his second 16" floor tom often served primarily as a place to hold his towels, cigarettes, and whatever else. I've seen him actually use that second floor tom, too. I hate to sound sentimental, but for me, Buddy Rich will forever remain The Best Drummer Who Ever Lived.

GeeDeeEmm

[SpazApproved]

in school I did a paper/presentation on Buddy Rich. I studied his videos for months.

I know a lot of drummers don't agree on Buddy Rich but in my opinion truly he was simply just a phenomenal player.

[rickthedrummer]

in school I did a paper/presentation on Buddy Rich. I studied his videos for months.

I know a lot of drummers don't agree on Buddy Rich but in my opinion truly he was simply just a phenomenal player.

Buddy was the best to ever pick up sticks.

[kay-gee]

He was one of those rare once in a blue moon prodigy's. I kind of think of him as on the same level as a Mozart, but of drums of course!

Think about it...a guy that could drive a jazz band at age four, couldn't read music, never had a lesson and never practiced. It just aint fair! LOL

all the best...

[late8]

I'll never forget the time I went and saw Buddy play in Sacramento in the '80s in a small venue The Sacramento Grand Ballroom Inn. "Blown away", can't even help describe how I felt that night. It was better than seeing any iconic rock concert that I ever attended.

[longgun]

I'll never forget the time I went and saw Buddy play in Sacramento in the '80s in a small venue The Sacramento Grand Ballroom Inn. "Blown away", can't even help describe how I felt that night. It was better than seeing any iconic rock concert that I ever attended.

Wish I could have seen him play!

[rickthedrummer]

When he had his small club, I, sometimes got a table so close that I could reach out and touch his BD.

The guy at the door I got to know fairly well. They were recording a live album and I had gone to the club on a Tuesday, and went again on Thursday. When my GF and I walked in, Phil Sloves at the door was like "Rick, Rick, man you should have been here last night." "I asked him what happened last night and he says to me, the MAN was here, Sinatra was here."

I go on Tuesday and Thursday, and Sinatra shows up on Wednesday.

C'est la vie

To see Buddy play live was like going to the mount.

[kay-gee]

I'm kinda lucky because I did get to see him perform. He came to high school auditorium in our town around 76 or 77. My mother came with me. Wanted to see what the fuss was all about.

all the best...

[joecut]

I'll never forget the time I went and saw Buddy play in Sacramento in the '80s in a small venue The Sacramento Grand Ballroom Inn. "Blown away", can't even help describe how I felt that night. It was better than seeing any iconic rock concert that I ever attended.

I know how you feel. It is indescribable! I saw BR in the mid-late 70's at a small club on LI called My Father's Place. What a show.