Massive Drumkits V Little Drumkits.

[holycow77]

By reading through many of the threads here, it seems to me that most of the drummers around are quite fond of huge drum kits capable of producing enough power to run a small country.

Personally, I prefer not so huge kits. (5 piece or less with not many cymbals.)
I often see drummers in bands with 600 drums and 1,000 cymbals and fail to see how the same results couldn't be achieved with much, much less.

The drummer from my fav band Jet, has a 4 piece with just a pair of hi-hats and a ride. I've never been listening to their music and felt like anything was lacking as far as the drumming goes. If anything, I think it sounds better.

On the other hand, one of my other fav drummers - from the John Butler Trio - has a beast of a kit - in addition to all the toms and cymbals, he has timbales and a conga and even a big gong - but he uses it all... which is incredible to watch. Watching him play a rock beat with one hand, a hand drum with the other and sing harmonies at the same time usually makes me want to give up being a drummer.

Anyway, just wondering what you all think....

Steve

[drummer]

To each his own. The more you have, the more you set up. LOL
I use a 5 piece with just a few cymbals. I'm not opposed to using a slightly larger drumset but it depends on the band and the style of music.

[Roger]

The guy from John Butler Trio is probably one of the best percussionists in this generation, admit it, his ability to play a number of off beat patterns on a percussion instrument with one hand while playing melodies on his toms with the other stump me.

EDIT: Back on topic though, if you're gigging seven days a week, it's probably best you stick to something under a 6pc because anything bigger than that will become a complete drag to setup day after day. And if you really are playing different places that often it's probably suitable to mount the rack tom off the bass drum or a snare stand, and have the floor tom have legs just to make it easier to set up.

Though if you're playing in a symphonic metal band it's probably really useful to have three rack toms and two floor toms. And 10+ cymbals to go with it.

Roadies on the other hand, if you've got them, and if you're playing in stadiums and can really use them, you've obviously got enough money to out and buy a kit with 5 bass drums and 5 rack toms and 3 floor toms. And it's totally fine to have a setup that big if you've got roadies because you aren't setting that beast up.

[coke_can]

john butler trio has an incredibly diverse sound though they need all the percussion they can get, and when i saw them play on jay leno he had only a 4 piece with a ride crash and hats

[Pic8158]

My first kit was a beach ball (kick), wood chair (tom), garbage can (floor tom), pie tin on a stick (ride). I was 4. I miss that kit.

[coke_can]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=URNtuqyWW8Q&feature=related

watch the first 20 seconds to see what kind of percussionist the drummer for john butler trio is. amazing

[pastor_bob]

Cool CC! Thanks, I hadn't heard them before.

Steve, I confess that I enjoy the bigger set up. I am not gigging, and my kit will be for use in my church, so having more sonic possibilities intrugues me. Since I don't move it around much, the bigger kit don't bother me.

[Stevo42w]

I wouldnt say everyone is on the big kits. Im sure everyone loves the idea of a mammoth kit to play. But most of us are practible. And have an idea of minimilist playing. I hope :S I guess over time if your happy with what you have you go with new things to play with not just sitting on a kit you have. Ie efx cymbals and stuffs.

But in general i would have thought we were 50 50 on the issue?

[Roger]

I'd probably like to add that about 6 months ago my dream kit was a huge two 24/6" bass drums, 8 all the way to 15 rack toms (don't ask me how I thought I was going to mount them) and a 16" and 18" floor tom. I've come down to believe that I'm fine with a 7pc kit with two bass drums and a 2 up, 2 down set up is about as large as I'd like it. Part of really realizing this was that I bought a 3up and 2down setup and played with it a lot, seeing how I would go without this and that. I wouldn't recommend spending that kind of money just to see if you like playing a 5pc or an 8pc though.

[Diesel777]

It's all preference. I have 2 kits that are totally different. I have my monster kit, and I have my 4 piece that I usually use when I gig that is sized a little larger than usual. I will never take apart the monster kit unless I really have to. It's the 22 bass with extension, 9 rack, 1 floor, 3 snare, and a crap load of cymbals that I lost count of. And then there is my 6 piece, 2x 24 bass 2 rack 1 floor and 6 cymbals. You tell me what you wanna bring around, loL. On the other hand you can't beat the different sounds and options that a monster kit can produce.

[bongobro]

My first kit was a beach ball (kick), wood chair (tom), garbage can (floor tom), pie tin on a stick (ride). I was 4. I miss that kit.

And I bet you cooked on that one!

I've seen experienced drummers get more sound out a five-piece kit with high-hat, crash and ride than a "huge drum kit capable of producing enough power to run a small country."

...On the other hand, one of my other fav drummers - from the John Butler Trio - has a beast of a kit - in addition to all the toms and cymbals, he has timbales and a conga and even a big gong - but he uses it all... which is incredible to watch. Watching him play a rock beat with one hand, a hand drum with the other and sing harmonies at the same time usually makes me want to give up being a drummer...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=URNtuqyWW8Q&feature=related

watch the first 20 seconds to see what kind of percussionist the drummer for john butler trio is. amazing

coke_can, I was blown away by that video, man! The JBT fan club has just grown by one!

Steve, I had the opposite reaction, mate: Playin' a conga with one hand and keepin' a rock beat goin' with the other inspires me to combine set and hand drums. I've mentioned watching a guy on the "Today Show" (a morning talk show on NBC in the U.S.) maintaining a 4/4 with bass and high-hat while playin' a funky gospel groove on a conga drum--and diggin' it completely!

I agree with Roger--unless you have many roadies and/or much money, simpler and smaller is better. It's not the drums that make the sound...it's the dude or lady playing them...

[coke_can]

glad to make people realize the greatness of JBT

and bongobro i think you would appreciate this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=zdouX23CkYI

[Dawgkikker]

IM currently watching one of my favorite drummers Matt Sorum on a Cult video. He has a small kit and he sounds as good as he did with that huge kit he had with Guns N Roses. For me I like a rather small kit. I like a 5 or 6 piece with 3 or 4 crashes and a nice ride. Maybe throw a splash in there.

[Stevo42w]

lol we all started as kids and turned out men. Looks like alot of us started as newbies on here and became wise with age. Yay for not wanting the wank factor in our lives :P

[Roger]

Stevo, if we all could afford it, I bet you we would all be running around with top of the the line kits with two 26" bass drums lol. But we can't and so we've decided on what kind of sound we really want and need for our drumming and try to stick with that.

I once heard a story about a drummer who would bring his entire kit, like two bass drums, five rack toms, two floor toms, three snares into the studio with the task of trying to only use the kit as a four piece. And after the record was recorded he would go back and see what drums he used and just add them to his gigging kit.

[PHROGGE]

I Have A Humungous Kit Because I Can....but If I Were To Play Out ,small Kit Would Get Loaded Instead...I Used To Have
A "Rims Headset",triggers,& Pa Mixer ,and The Best Time On The Planet!!! It All Fit Together Like An Erector Set,,,,"traps "makes A Similar Kit But Doesnt Sound As Good

[bongobro]

glad to make people realize the greatness of JBT

and bongobro i think you would appreciate this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=zdouX23CkYI

You got it, bro'! That's one goal I want to add to my list for 2008...Michael Barker kicks ... on conga and on drum kit! BTW, look at that vid and you'll see an excellent argument for all of us to develop independence in our hands and feet!

[Church Drummer]

I guess (at the moment I only have a 5 piece, but I've ordered another floor to to make it 6) that having a bigger kit gives you more sonic possibilities, and more flexibility. If you have a 6 or seven piece at home, but you're going to play say and jazz combo job you can take only enough drums with you for a 4 piece kit. It's all about options. If your playing a wide variety of styles, in differing size venues having the extra drums available allows to to configure the set to meet the situation.

[funkymcstain]

my new gig has me downsizing from a 7pc. with 10 cymbals to a 4pc. with 4 cymbals. its all about what is practical and needed for the music you are playing. for a big kit see the link in my sig.

[drummerdavie]

im a fan of both for my own musical stuff i like double 22" kicks(the bigger ones seem far to deep in sound) with 2 up 2 down two rides and a couple crashes and a buch of effects stuff. but if i dont need more than a 4 peice and ride then i aint loaden any more than a 4 peace and ride in my car.

[Stevo42w]

Stevo, if we all could afford it, I bet you we would all be running around with top of the the line kits with two 26" bass drums lol. But we can't and so we've decided on what kind of sound we really want and need for our drumming and try to stick with that.

I once heard a story about a drummer who would bring his entire kit, like two bass drums, five rack toms, two floor toms, three snares into the studio with the task of trying to only use the kit as a four piece. And after the record was recorded he would go back and see what drums he used and just add them to his gigging kit.

Maybe. I know i wouldnt. I would only upgrade the quality of the drums. not my amount. Im pretty set on one kick and 3 rack two floor toms and a snare. Maybe even just two racks after using the TD 20. I under stand the reason for more. I just dont see the point. For me anyway.

[kay-gee]

I'm a one of everything man. one kick one rack one floor one snare one ride one crash one hat. Extravegance to me is a block a bell and tambourine. I realize what an odd ball I must be, but hey, wouldn't want it any other way.

all the best...

[Pic8158]

my new gig has me downsizing from a 7pc. with 10 cymbals to a 4pc. with 4 cymbals. its all about what is practical and needed for the music you are playing. for a big kit see the link in my sig.

You nailed it.

[Pic8158]

my new gig has me downsizing from a 7pc. with 10 cymbals to a 4pc. with 4 cymbals. its all about what is practical and needed for the music you are playing. for a big kit see the link in my sig.

And a very unique and cool looking setup on the big rig by the way. Reminds me of a kit I saw Bozzio playing at a clinic I went to once. I like it!

[backtodrum]

I find it so interesting that drums are in fasion or out of fasion. in the 80s the huge kits reined supreme. then came grunge in the 90s and everyone wanted to change the image of the hair band of the eighties and huge kits and distance themselves from that so drummers wore plaid flannel shirts and torn jeans, dirty hair as opposed to teased and big hair. and small drum kits. 4 piece kits (I think the the punk scene also help develop the minimulist idea as well) I think that will run it course and it will all come full circle. How come guitars don't go in an out of fasion. Other than colors they haven't changed in years