![[How best to set up your drum kit by Waywood Music]](images/waywood.jpg)
Kit Set-Up & Posture for Drummers
The following basic rules will help you to conserve energy and
allow you to concentrate on your playing. They may seem like
common sense, but next time you are at a gig take a closer look
and see how many masochistic drummers there are!
Kit Set-Up
- Ensure that all your drums and cymbals are within easy reach
when you are sat at the kit. You should NOT have to stretch to
reach any item on the kit, and your arms should not need to
extend much beyond 90° at the elbow to reach the centre of
your drums or bow of the cymbal with the tip of your stick.
- Set up so that you DO NOT have to twist further than
necessary to reach any item.
- Ensure that the angle of the drum's playing surface is
neither too horizontal ('flat') or too vertical ('angled'). The
sticks should bounce off the head following a simple 'drop' and
'lift' of the wrist.
- Set up your cymbals so that they are within easy reach of the
drums. Too close and you'll be catching them with your sticks,
and too far away and you'll miss them as often as you hit
them!
- When sitting on your drum stool your legs should be at (or
around) 90° at the knee when your feet are flat on the
pedals.
- Ensure that you learn to play with a good sitting posture
(straight back) and are relaxed. It will save you a lot of
problems later!
- If you add items of percussion to your kit set-up, TAKE TIME
to find their best positions. If you follow rules 1 to 6 above
for these and you won't go far wrong.
- Make sure that ALL stands are locked and secure.
- ALWAYS carry a rubber mat OR a foam-backed carpet/mat with
you to all gigs to put your kit on. This helps you to avoid
'skating'on shiny floors. If you need a 'quick fix' for such
occasions, try securing your drum stool to your bass drum with a
piece of rope. At least if you then travel, you travel
together!
- 'Memory lock' all of your settings either with the real
thing, or with pieces of insulation/gaffa tape. Alternatively
you can mark all settings on your stands with a waterproof marker
pen. Be sure to mark both height and angle settings.
- Cymbals should MOVE FREE on their stands. Use protective
sleeves between the cymbals and the stand, and support above and
below with cymbal felts (see thumbnail below). Try using a thick
felt under the cymbal and then, either a thin top felt for
crash/splash cymbals, or a thicker top felt for ride
cymbals/chinas. Do NOT over tighten cymbal felts, ESPECIALLY for
the TOP HI-HAT.
![[Photograph of cymbal stand assembly showing protective features]](images/cymflsm.jpg)
Protective Feature of Cymbal Stand Assembly
(click on image to enlarge)
Bass Pedals
Foot techniques are a matter of personal
preference. 'Heel down' and 'heel up' have their own fans. Use
the one which suits your style. Power, speed and agility can be
achieved using both techniques with practice.
If your pedal has beater adjustment, don't set the beater too
near the drum head when the pedal is in the resting position.
Also, remember to set the spring tension to the appropriate level
for your style of playing. If it is too loose or too tight you
will experience problems with faster patterns.
As for the other equipment, experiment and find out what suits
you best.
REMEMBER that to improve your playing take a lot
of TIME and EFFORT. But take heart, even the top professionals
often take many years to perfect their best breaks.
'The difference between an amateur and a
professional is this:
Amateurs practice until they get it right; professionals
practice until they can't get it wrong.'
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![[Photograph of cymbal stand assembly showing protective features]](images/cymflas.jpg)