Big Kits vs. Small Kits - What Makes for a Better Drumming Experience?
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- Опубліковано 5 лис 2022
- A phrase 'drum kit' can include an incredible variety of setups, from 3-piece bop kits all the way to 12-piece metal monsters. It's easy to look at a big kit and be drawn in by the sheer size and vastness of it all; but does it actually translate to a better playing experience?
Nick shares his thoughts about kit size from his experience with a variety of setups, which he finds more enjoyable to play, and which coaxes out a better performance!
What size kit do you play? Let us know down in the comments.
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For more in-depth lessons on all things drumming, check out our site where you can explore full-length lesson packs! - drum.dog
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Gear Featured:
Yamaha Stage Custom - 22, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16
Tama Starclassic Copper Snare - 14x5.5"
Zildjian Avedis 14" Hats
Sabian HHX Evolution 17" Crash
Paiste Signature Dry Ride
Meinl Byzance Extra Dry 18" Crash
Sabian AA 19" Holy China
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Great episode‼️for a tiro drummer less is definitely more. Recently I reduced my drum set to four shells and three cymbals. It’s made my learning so much easier. You are so right about kick/hat/snare. Add just a ride and a Tom and you’re set for learning jazz comping…✌️🌻
If someone asked me this in the late '80's to around 2010, I'd have said that I preferred a bigger kit. I had a 9 piece (without the snare)1986 Ludwig Rocker (USA). I got used to it. In 2010 I was injured in a car crash, then in 2014 I developed an auto-immune problem that mimics ALS, affecting my motor skills. So now, being in my 50's, I traded my Ludwig (not my cymbals) for a 5 piece Tama, & the thing is, I love the more compact setup. I play better, & my ALS-like problem went into remission thanks to drumming.
I really enjoyed this episode of Drum Dog, because I started out with a 4 piece kit which I bought used. I had some old random drums that were given to me that I added to my kit. I also purchased a couple of toms. Now my kit is a 9 piece kit, so I have a lot of drums to hit.
Lately I have gotten the urge to strip it down a bit as you suggested, and that is the beauty of having some extra drums. Play a big kit or play a small kit. Changing things up is exciting, and changing to a more minimalistic kit might lead me to greater gains. Thank you for your help.
definitely more impressive to see a guy do a lot with less rather than the guy with a huge kit that doesn’t use 90% of the stuff
Short answer............. Bigger!
Real answer............... Whatever you like and whatever the gig calls for..
The bottom line is you usually don’t have the stage room or time to setup a bigger kit. I have several configuration and landed on a 4 piece kit. So instead of big fills I focus more on the correct beat and bass drum work 👊🤘
It’s more for show, a smaller kit makes just as much noise.
I have five toms, and I don't use all for all songs. I'd say the 10 and 16 are the least used, and the 12, 13 and 14 are used the most. I've considered if I were to drop one, if I would drop the 10 or 16. Or maybe both? I think I could do without them, but for certain songs, they are useful. But 80% of my fills involve mainly the 3 in the middle. And I have them fairly low-tuned. If I were a touring drummer I probably would, but I just have them permanently in my basement, so there's no practical reason. The cost for replacing all batter heads does add up over time though...
I often scale down to just kick, hat, snare, exactly for that reason to focus on rhythms. At gigs, I’ve limited my playing to kick,hat, snare, ride. Learn to crash on the ride, learn the various positions on the hi hat to get a broad sound palette. Plus lugging less stuff to gigs is a big plus!
You Can never achieve a proper dynamic without any Toms at all in my ears.
The regular kit i played on b4 getting any of my own gear was a standard smaller sizes, 5 peice. since getting my own kit, my minium setups are kick ,hats,snare floor tom. and they are a 18"14"13" less is more, all though my fav sizes would have to be benny greb sizes, 20"10"16"
I must admit that for me a 7-piece kit is the optimal.
There’s plenty of videos of Nicko Mcbrain playing on a 4 piece kit and sounding as good as he does on his monster kit. I usually play a 5 piece although really it could sensibly be a 4 piece.
I play a large kit (Kick, Snare, Two Rack Toms, & Two Floor Toms) I honesty got use to a 5pc kit but on top of that, I thought what if I wanna try a 6pc kit.
I play a larger kit (two snares/HH/two rack toms/two floor toms/22” kick/multiple cymbals) but I must say that some of the best technique I have seen is jazz players on kick/HH/snare/two cymbals.
I get sick of playing with two rack toms sometimes, my toms are 10",12", floor toms are 14", 16", and a 22"x20" bass. Getting sick of these 2000's sets that mostly come like this. I really like sets that have a 13" tom, 14" and 16" floor toms and a 22"x14" or 24"x14".
They are great until you have to pack it up and take it home at the end of the night! After 40 years of playing I'm happy to take a standard 5 piece out! I used to play 7 and had a forest of cymbals to match - not sure it made me a better drummer but it sure looked cool in the 80s!
Hi I noticed this myself and asking it myself some days ago are you a mind reader 😁 Wenn you have a snare and hihat and bassdrum you are forced to play and learn basic skills. The more you have around the more you want to hit 😄 thanks for sharing greetings from Austria.
You have to learn the basic skills on a small set before you can master the large set. For example you may learn a 5 stroke roll on a snare first - then you can play the two doubles on the snare, and then hit a tom on the 5th note. You can also hit 2 double on 2 different toms, and then hit the snare for your 5th note.
It is like telling to guitar player: "Play just with 3 strings, you will be more creative".
These drummers who have big kits more or less do it for show, you make just as much noise on a 4 or 5 piece kit, big heads.