How to Get Your Drum Kit Setup: Step-by-Step
According to a recent survey by Modern Drummer magazine, 78% of professional drummers believe that proper drum kit setup is crucial for achieving optimal performance. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, mastering the art of drum kit setup is essential for unleashing your full potential behind the kit. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to create the perfect drum setup that’ll have you sounding like a rock star in no time!
Step-by-Step Drum Kit Assembly
First things first: unboxing and inventory check. This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s crucial. Lay everything out neatly and check it against the inventory list. It’ll save you a ton of headaches later on.
If you bought your kit from the local music shop and it comes preassembled, or if you bought it online and each drum arrives in an individual box, you should be good to go and can move on with the setup process.
However, some budget kits will arrive with the all of the shells nested inside each other in one big box. For example, the 20″ bass drum shell is in one huge box, and inside that is the 16″ floor tom shell, and inside that is the 14″ snare drum shell, and inside that is the 12″ rack tom shell.
In this case, you’ll need to follow the assembly instructions to mount any remaining hardware to the shells, and then put on the heads. You’ll be OK! Just follow the instructions.
Pro Tip: If the company has included a QR code to take you to the manufacturer’s website to watch an assembly video, check it out as it will save you a ton of time.
Remember, the goal here isn’t just to set up a drum kit – it’s to create your instrument. Every drummer’s setup is unique, reflecting their style and preferences. So don’t be afraid to make adjustments as you go along. Your perfect setup is out there, waiting for you to discover it.
Optimizing Your Drum Kit Layout
Optimizing your drum kit layout is like finding the perfect pair of shoes – it takes time, but once you get it right, it’s pure magic.
Getting your throne height right is crucial for your comfort, playing, and long-term back health. Your future self will thank you for taking the time to get this right.
What you are aiming for is the angle of your legs to be at least a 90-degree angle. Slightly more than that it OK, but having it under 90 degrees can lead to issues with your lower back. Speaking of your back – sit up straight!
In terms of how close or far away you are from the kit, the best position is to have the balls of your feet positioned about half way along the bass drum and hi-hat pedals.
A cool you can use is to use a mirror. Set it up so you can see your profile when you’re seated. This helps you check your posture and make sure you’re not slouching or overreaching.
Adjusting your throne height to make it feel comfortable. Too high, and you’ll be putting unnecessary strain on your lower back. Too low, and you’ll lose power in your strokes. The sweet spot is where your thighs are slightly over parallel to the ground – sloping slightly downward.
Once you’ve got your throne dialed in, you might need to adjust the position of your other drums and cymbals. Lastly, don’t forget about comfort. A good drum throne should have plenty of padding and support.
Tuning Your Drums for the Perfect Sound
Tuning drums is an art form, and there are various opinions on the best way to do it. It’s amazing once you get them dialed in right though!
I’ve discovered that for or high quality drums, I can tune just by listening, and by feeling the tension on each lug. But sometimes I use a device like the Tama Tension Watch which measures the tension at each individual lug, so I can make sure they all match. I also write down my settings for each drum, so I can get back to that point later.
The Tension Watch can also be useful if you have a kit with toms with certain mounting systems that make it difficult to feel the tension, like if they are on a floating metal hoop and some of the tension rods go through rubber grommets.
Pro Tip: the easiest way to make a cheap kit sound good, is to upgrade the drum heads and tune it well! A good set of heads (and a bit of Gaff Tape for dampening snares and toms) can make even entry level kits sound great!
There’s plenty I could write here, but I think it’s time to watch a video about tuning from Benny Greb, who has some of the best drum sounds I’ve ever heard. It was Benny who first introduced me to the concept of putting cotton wool into the floor toms for dampening. Brilliant!
Cymbal Selection and Placement
Choosing the right cymbals for your style is crucial. It’s like picking out the right outfit for a special occasion – you want something that fits just right and makes you feel awesome. For rock and metal, you might want heavier, louder cymbals that can cut through distorted guitars. Jazz? You’re probably looking for thinner, more responsive B20 cymbals with complex overtones.
Pro Tip: Use nylon cymbal sleeves on your cymbal stands! This will protect the cymbal and ensure there is no metal-on-metal contact which would cause damage to it. You’ll find the nylon cymbal sleeves will wear out over time, so check them regularly and replace them as needed!
For crash cymbals, I always use a felt washer above and below the cymbal. It helps protect the cymbal and gives it room to swing and will ring for much longer.
When it comes to ride cymbals, they’re the workhorses of your kit. You want them stable but not choked. I use a cymbal sleeve on the stand to prevent metal-on-metal contact. It’s a small detail, but trust me, it makes a world of difference in your sound.
I like to have my ride cymbal positioned where I have my shoulder very relaxed. I remember playing a three-hour gig once where I had the ride a few inches too high, and I had a sore shoulder and tension headache afterwards. Not cool!
Hi-hats are a bit trickier. The key is to make sure the clutch is adjusted just right. Too loose, and you’ll be chasing your hi-hat all over the stage. Too tight, and you’ll lose that crisp “chick” sound. I like to leave about a finger’s width of space when the pedal is down.
Let’s talk angles, shall we? This is where things get personal. Your ideal cymbal angles depend on your playing style and physical build. If you angle the cymbals slightly towards you this will make them easier to play.
For crash cymbals, I usually go for a 20-30 degree angle. It gives me enough surface area to hit while still looking cool (because let’s face it, that matters too!). Ride cymbals, I keep almost flat. Maybe a 10-15 degree tilt at most. It helps me get a consistent sound whether I’m playing on the bell or the bow.
Hi-hats I position flat, but I angle the bottom cymbal just slightly so that I can get a nice “chick” sound when I close it with my foot. Most decent hi-hat stands will feature a bottom cymbal tilter, which is a small screw on the underside which you can adjust to change the angle of the bottom cymbal.
Balancing cymbal positions is like solving a puzzle. You want everything within reach, but not so close that you’re constantly clashing sticks with the cymbals or accidentally hitting the underside of them when moving around the kit.
Pro Tip: set up your cymbals, then sit at your kit and close your eyes. Can you reach everything comfortably? Now blindfold yourself and play for a while. Did you hit everything comfortably without missing it? If not, it’s time to adjust. Your muscle memory will thank you later.
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to cymbal placement. It’s all about what works for you and your style. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Move things around, try different angles.
Be aware that the style of music you play can in some way guide you in the cymbal choice and setup. Look to see the setup of other drummers playing that style and how they do things to guide you in your setup choices.
Your cymbal placement should serve your music. It’s not just about ergonomics or aesthetics (though those are important too). It’s about creating a setup that lets you express yourself freely.
Troubleshooting Common Drum Kit Issues
First up, let’s tackle those annoying buzzes and rattles. Man, these can drive you crazy during a gig or recording session. It’s usually just a loose tension rod. But one time it was the air vent that had unscrewed from the inside and was bouncing around on the bottom skin!
When you hear a buzz, start by checking all your tension rods. Give each one a little twist with your drum key to make sure they’re snug. If that doesn’t do the trick, look at your snares. Sometimes they can be the culprit, especially if they’re unevenly tensioned. And don’t forget to check for any loose parts on your hardware.
Pro Tip: keep a little roll of gaffer tape in your stick bag. You can use it to dampen any stubborn rattles in a pinch. Just don’t go overboard – you don’t want your drums to sound like cardboard boxes!
For pedals, I like to use machine oil. Just a little bit on the moving parts and bearings can work wonders. Just be careful not to get any on your drum heads or cymbals!
Dealing with broken drum heads or cymbals is a whole other ballgame. It’s every drummer’s nightmare, but it happens to all of us at some point.
For broken heads, the only real solution is to replace them. That’s why I always keep a spare snare head in my car. You can usually limp through a show with a broken tom head, and fix a kick head quickly with some tape, but a broken snare head? That’s a show-ender right there. Unless you have a drum tech with a backup ready to go of course!
Cymbals are trickier. If it’s just a small crack, you might be able to drill a small hole at the end of the crack to stop it from spreading. But honestly, once a cymbal cracks, its days are numbered. Start saving up for a replacement, and in the meantime, be gentle with it!
Lastly, let’s talk about tuning stability problems. This one used to drive me up the wall! I’d spend ages getting my drums perfectly in tune, only to have them sound like garbage halfway through the first song. The key here is understanding that drums are affected by temperature and humidity.
If you’re playing outdoors or in a venue with wild temperature swings, your drums are gonna go out of tune. Not much you can do about that except re-tune between sets. But for general stability issues, there’s a few tricks you can try.
First, make sure your drum heads are properly seated. Sometimes, especially with new heads, they need a bit of help to settle in. I like to press down gently in the center of the head while tightening the lugs. This helps the head seat evenly around the bearing edge.
Another tip: Try using a star pattern when tuning. Don’t just go around the drum in a circle. This helps ensure even tension all around the head. And if you’re really having trouble, try using lug locks on your tension rods which will help keep them from loosening up during playing.
Remember, troubleshooting is all about patience and persistence. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t fix something right away. Sometimes, you just gotta step back, take a deep breath, and approach the problem with fresh eyes. And if all else fails, well, that’s what drum techs are for, right?
Congratulations! You’re now armed with the knowledge to set up your drum kit like a pro. Remember, the perfect setup is a personal journey – so experiment and find what works best for you.With practice and attention to detail, you’ll be creating mind-blowing beats in no time.
Drum kits come in many different forms and variations. Check out these articles for help on choosing a drum kit, the best drum sets for beginners, and the best electronic kits if you need to keep the noise down.
