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Thread: Good posture behind the drums

  1. #1

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    Default Good posture behind the drums

    After watching several video's on how to sit behind the drums and have good posture. I decided to try it out on my small kit. Well it turns out that 1). need to go back to the bigger kit.2).need to correct my posture by setting up the snare first and then build the kit around me. At 5'6" I see where there is a lot of improvement that needs to be made. Although small kits are fun to play on I don't think they are the right size for me. Some drummers will say that your height has nothing to do with it but I think it might. Besides I don't think this subject has ever been talked about on here.

    Keep drumming
    Gregg

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Good posture behind the drums

    I always set my throne, then kick drum and high hats first that way my feet are comfortable, then go from there.
    Six Piece Mapex Saturn V, Five Piece DW Performance Series, NOS Slingerland Snares, Centent Ardor and Emperor Cymbals


  3. #3

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    I used to set my throne really high. My legs would sit at around a 45 angle. It felt like I was towering over the kit which I liked. I tried to set it low so that my legs are a 90 angle. Very comfortable. I can look straight at my kit instead of always looking down.
    Quote Originally Posted by rickthedrummer View Post
    There is intelligent life out there. The problem is that there isn't any here.

    -Mike

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Good posture behind the drums

    By bigger kit do you mean 2 up because the gap between high and floor tom is too great? If so can you move the high tom more to the center of the kick? Sometimes that works.
    SONOR 6 pc Special Edition 3007's red maple, old Pearl Brass 14x6 FF snare, Yamaha Tour Custom maple 8 pc., Tama 4 pc., honey amber B/B, Ludwig Supralite chrome 14x6.5 steel snare, Paiste, Saluda & Zildjian
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  5. #5

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    Default Re: Good posture behind the drums

    I'm also short.. 5'6" as well.

    I like sitting a little higher so that the drums don't over power me.
    But not super high that it's uncomfortable and I can't play with good technique.

    I don't know how so drummers sit on the ground?!
    I have a couple of friends who sit soooo low and play upwards.
    I can't do that.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Good posture behind the drums

    I'm short as well 5'-8" and short arms so everything is pulled in. I have the worst posture mainly because of a bad back. So when I play sometimes I look like the hunchback of Notre Dame. I recently started raising the snare and it helps. For 30+ years I played with the snare in my crotch.

  7. #7

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    Default Re: Good posture behind the drums

    from Ptrick


    Kit set-up efficiency


    After seeing that thread on how to properly set up a kit I thought I'd share this post from our very own Ptrick that I saved a couple years back. I found it very informative and I'm glad I ended up saving it since cymbalholic went down and it appears all that knowledge is unfortunately gone.

    Great topic. There have been some good points made. Many of you here know I am a professional drummer and also instructor. Now is a good time to let you know how I got there. I have a muscle condition that makes my muscles tense up into painful spasms if they are overused or used incorrectly. It was a frightening diagnosis because they told me (at 22 years old) that I would not be able to do things that required much repetition (ie drums). I wouldn’t have it…I had to play…no choice…So I had to learn a new way because the way I was doing it was damaging my body. I discovered the Moeller method, and that allowed me to play for longer periods much more relaxed. I studied the methods of Jim Chapin and Freddie Gruber, and got a chance to ask Jim himself a few different times for clarification on certain things. Ok, so off the soapbox. I now am an instructor because of my condition…I realized these methods and techniques are good for everybody, and something that was lacking in drum instruction all over (consequently then Weckl comes out with his series of videos on it…) I now do clinics and workshops on setup and techniques that are efficient and healthy for the body, which also increase speed, accuracy, and stamina.

    These tips I’m going give where all arrived at also with the help of several PHD Physical Therapists in San Francisco involved in Physiology, Kinestetics, and Anatomy (they were nice enough to help me along the way using video’s and demonstrations).

    Let me preface this all by stating that while everybody is different and everyone has different preferences and habits, the laws that rule our body are NOT. You cannot fight the way your body is built and the way it is supposed to function. As pointed out, setup will be different for every person because of different body types, but the guidelines will all be the same.

    I’ll go in the order I set up my kit, basically from the ground up.

    IMPORTANT: Setup your kit IN FRONT OF A MIRROR. You will not be able to see the angles of your arms, legs and observe your posture unless you can SEE YOURSELF. Practicing in front of a mirror is also great to do to see when you are tensing up.

    1) Seat height. As mentioned, this one is something many people mess around with. The basic guideline is to have the angle of your legs AT LEAST 90 degrees (more is ok, less is not). This is the most efficient position for sitting, and for drumming an angle slightly above 90 degrees is preferred because you are raising your legs up and down. Too low and you are putting too much pressure on your hip flexors, too high and you are straining your lower back and hamstrings.

    2) Stance: This is SUPER IMPORTANT! I’m amazed how many players do not obey this basic rule…Your stance should be shoulder width apart, with your feet the SAME DISTANCE apart and the same distance out from your body. Your feet should also point slightly out like you are making a wide “V” with your feet. The mistake most people make is putting their bass drum directly in front of them and then moving their hi hat towards them to get it closer. This creates an awkward stance to say the least, and is horrible for your lower back (your muscles are all out of alignment) and does not promote balance.

    3) Sit up straight! With your stance at shoulder width apart, you should feel the weight over your pelvis. It is crucial to maintain a curve in your lower back lumbar area and not to slouch. People slouch to relax, not realizing that it stretches the muscles of your back tremendously, and can result in the muscles becoming used tot his, and you will always retain that posture, even while standing…Ever seen an old person? I looked like that at 20 because of horrible posture. Also, poor posture makes your heart and lungs work harder because it collapses your ribcage.

    4) Pedals: Your pedals should be exactly where your feet are when you have your stance at shoulder width apart and your legs at 90 degrees. Any other position and you are working too hard, and you have thrown off your center of balance.

    5) Snare Drum: Think of this as your steering wheel. It has to be equally accessible with both hands, and directly in front of you. I will now break it down to matched and traditional grips, because the positions are different.

    Matched: With your arms relaxed by your side, raise up your arms to 90 degrees. With your wrist completely straight and in line with your arm, lower your arms JUST A HAIR from 90 degrees. This is your snare height. How far away from your body is accomplished by having the stick tips right in the center of the drum with your arms right next to the side of your body. The most powerful position in striking a drum is with your wrist straight in line with your arm, and 90 degrees, basically with the stick parallel to the ground. If you have your arms at 90 degrees, your wrist straight, and your palms down, you should notice that the angle the stick sits in your hand is NOT flat. It is slightly angled towards your body. Your snare angle should accommodate this, and it should be one or tow clicks towards you. IF you play with your snare flat, you are sacrificing the last part of your stroke because your wrist will have to hit the drum at an angle, which is not healthy. If you angle your snare extensively, you actually go TOO FAR and put your wrist in a very dangerous position (flexed upward). When you are at the optimal point of contact (wrist straight) your body can absorb the shock the best.

    Traditional: With your arms relaxed by your side, raise both hands up to 90 degrees. You will notice that the stick in your left hand will be at about a 45 degree angle. You will need to adjust the snare to this exact angle. With your wrist straight and your arms and 90, this is your snare height. Again, how far away is determined by the stick tips being dead in the center of the drum with your arms right next to your side.

    Acoustic & Electronic:
    Pearl Prestige World Series WLX 1988
    Tama Swingstar 1983
    Tama Superstar Hyper-Drive (Birch) 2007
    Ludwig Acrolite Snare 1976
    Ludwig Supraphonic 6.5x14" 2021
    Pearl Sensitone Elite Aluminum 5.5" and 6.5" Snare
    Pearl COB Custom Deluxe [Gladstone] (75-76) Snare
    Love Drum Co. Hammered Steel 5.5" Snare
    Roland TD-1KV

    Paiste
    Accent 8"

    Paiste Signature:
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    Paiste PST7:
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    Sabian:
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  8. #8

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    Default Re: Good posture behind the drums

    EyePea, do you have a website (or can recommend one) that illustrates those positions? I'm having a particularly difficult time envisioning the "snare at a click or two lower than 90 degrees" portion of your description. Photo's or drawings would be helpful.

    I'm realizing that I'm set up quite differently than most of what you have described. I want to try and make some changes towards what you describe, as I do end up with a very tired back as well as arms/shoulders after a long gig.

    Pretty sure that I do not want to try and change everything all at once, as it will likely affect my playing, and it might throw my back off even more if too drastic a change is made. I don't practice with my acoustic kit (no space, I use an e-kit) so I'll need to affect these changes at gigs.

    Thanks for the suggestions.

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