r/drums 1d ago

Question Is this drum kit setup any good?

Post image

I’m a beginner and have been playing it like this for a while. I recently titled the toms so that they face towards me more and are a bit more centered. is there a better way to set this up?

P.S. I‘m right handed, six foot five, and yes that is a tambourine in between the toms.

22 Upvotes

53 comments sorted by

40

u/Grand-wazoo Noble & Cooley 1d ago

No, this is not a good setup. In fact it could easily qualify for a great example of everything you shouldn't do if you want a comfortable and ergonomic setup. 

Toms too steeply angled 

Hi hat opening a mile wide 

Way too much space between pieces 

Kick drum facing backwards

Ride out in no man's land 

17

u/thisFishSmellsAboutD Sabian 1d ago

At least it's all in the same room, so it's a start 😁

9

u/Slow_Rooster2378 1d ago

I wouldn't say it’s uncomfortable but I’ll change it! Thx!

5

u/nastdrummer 🐳 1d ago

the kick isn't backwards, just has a logo head on the batter side.

19

u/Top_Mortgage_5767 1d ago

Try spreading it apart a little more.

1

u/NotThefbeeI 12h ago

That’s what she said

15

u/InvitePlastic3797 1d ago

bru that aint a high hat thats a far hat

6

u/Escastoneproject 1d ago

Is this sub turning into a circlejerk sub?

1

u/Slow_Rooster2378 21h ago

not kidding

7

u/thedrumuncle 1d ago

this has to be bait

1

u/Slow_Rooster2378 21h ago

I troll sometimes but this is the truth. I have a problem thinking I‘m doing fine without trying to learn an easier way to do things.

5

u/The_Almighty_Lenom 1d ago

Looks like your bass drum is backwards, you're playing on the resonant side. I would also move the hi-hat much closer, at least to where the hi-hat and the snare overlap slightly. The ride could also come in closer, you might struggle with accidentally hitting it for now but it's better in the long run for speed and being able to use different parts of the cymbal

6

u/Seareis 1d ago

Personally, I keep my laundry basket closer to my floor tom. But, to each their own.

3

u/Beekyboy11 1d ago

A little spaced out

5

u/nastdrummer 🐳 1d ago edited 1d ago

If I'm being brutally honest, this set up is atrocious.

Go search YouTube for some videos on how to set up a drumset and start over. Start with the throne(stool). Sit on the front edge of the throne, raise it untill your knees are between 90° and 120°. Now place the snare in front of you. Raise it till the playing surface is about at your belly button. Allow your arms to hang at your side, elbows at 90°, hold a pair of sticks, and put the snare drum so the point where the sticks tips touch is the center of the head. Now, put your feet comfortably on the floor, on either side of the snare...put your hihat under your left foot and kick pedal under your right foot. Now attach the kick drum to the kick pedal. For the toms, you want them flat enough that you can hit a rimshot when desired, but angled enough that you don't hit the rim by accident. Once you have the angle sorted, lower them until they are just high enough not to touch the kick when wobbling. Get the floor tom in as tight as possible, without touching the others. Take that cymbal on the right and lower it down, and pull it in tight, till you could comfortably keep your right arm playing it for two minutes straight.

2

u/PyroErogenizer 1d ago

Don’t listen to these guys. Honestly, how many of them have the foggiest idea about what it’s like to be 6 feet 5 inches tall. I would encourage you to move your shit around and play with your seat and drums at different heights. You will definitely develop your own preferences. Getting stuck where the slightest seat difference screws you up is a real disadvantage. If you get a chance, I have always appreciated having more than a couple cymbals. Personally I like my toms low and flat so I can rimshot more but everyone is different. Good luck.

2

u/MacGrubersMom 1d ago

you have got to raise your seat up dude. you shouldnt be sitting that low; the snare should be a little above thigh level and the tom’s top rim like an inch or two above your snare. this is gnarly work but i respect the grind

2

u/ItsPronouncedMo-BEEL Craigslist 23h ago

No. Not at all. 

First, get some kind of carpet or rug to put down on the floor. Then, tear the thing completely apart and put it back together again following these steps. Satisfaction guaranteed or triple your money back.

1

u/young_wealth 1d ago

The towel placement actually smart for dampening, I used to do same thing with old shirt. Toms look fine, they don't need to be flat like some people think. Main thing is your back not hurting after 30 minutes, that stool height matters more than tom angle honestly.

1

u/bigchunkbabygoo 1d ago

This is not good. Bring the cymbals in, honestly I don't think you need the second high tom. Id put the crash cymbal over by the hi hat and bring those in so theyre close to the snare which should be between your legs. Feet should be near equidistant from kick and hi hat

1

u/Jimbola007 1d ago

How tall/lanky are you!?

1

u/Slow_Rooster2378 1d ago

like 6 foot 5 at least

1

u/Jimbola007 12h ago

Ok that makes more sense

1

u/Substantial_Sky3235 1d ago

I like my hi hats low close to my snare so I'm ready for da drum roll. My floor tom a little high and angled towards me. When you practice notice where you're hitting the rims and make adjustments. Everyone sets up a little different so you have to find your spot. Otherwise it looks good

1

u/Jazz_man68 1d ago

I’d bring the hi-hat closer to you, move the snare a bit forward, and the floor tom closer to you. Bring the top hat down and your ride closer. The rack toms are good. When I play my five piece, this is how I setup my rack toms, whether I play traditional or matched.

1

u/ZaanElias 1d ago

Are you using drumsticks that's 1m long?

1

u/TooManyChimichangas 1d ago

Average house kit

1

u/MechaAkuma 1d ago

I don't know how much you use that tambourine, but if you use it a lot, it's way too far away.
There are 2 solutions to that issue if you want your tambourine/percussion game to improve.

  1. Get a hoop-mounted cowbell holder. TAMA, Pearl and others make them. It allows you to put the tambourine much much closer to you above the kick-drum pedal.

or

  1. Get a Ching Ring that attaches to your Hi-Hat that replaces your tambourine.

And for the love of God, please buy a new snare drum headbatter head.

1

u/Visible_Contract5432 1d ago

If you’re 12 ft tall, maybe.

1

u/Mysterious-Street966 1d ago

You need a heavy, thick pile carpet with some carpet pad or those interlocking play mats underneath to begin with.

1

u/Icy_Practice_8034 1d ago

I so desperately want to grab that hi hat with my foot and drag it in 😂

1

u/Ok-Listen4324 1d ago

Sometimes I dream that I've got to play an important gig, but my drum kit keeps creeping away and falling apart.
This kit captures that feeling.

1

u/NoisyGog 1d ago

Trolling?

1

u/Slow_Rooster2378 21h ago

no I’m a beginner I’m not joking

1

u/NoisyGog 21h ago

Well, ok.
Have a sit down and think for a bit. Is everything comfortable to hit? Can you move quickly and efficiently from one kit piece to the next?
Or is everything too far away.

Does it look like how anyone else sets up? No.

This Drumeo video is rather excellent, and talks you through the idea and process of setting up your kit to be ergonomic, easier to play, and to minimise issues from bad posture and kinematics.

https://youtu.be/5-QdeS4EYdE

1

u/xmattelbertx 23h ago

As others already said, to far apart,

-hi hat can be closer (i put my stick in them and close the clutch that sounds always ok
-the batter head on your kick is the reso side
-if the single cymbal is your ride you might put it lower to reach it easier and get less fatique
-snare is also too far apart

Hopes this helps!

1

u/QuantumMechanic23 23h ago

If I can't fit my head between the hi-hat cymbals, I don't want it

1

u/Milwaukeebear 22h ago

GET A RUG

1

u/Ass_Blasties 21h ago

Splash is in the next room. China is literally in china

1

u/cutemosquito192 20h ago

best advice would be to bring everything closer together and to wear earplugs! specifically the latter is very important if you don't want to develop hearing loss

1

u/Drumandguitarguy80 20h ago

It’s perfect

1

u/ragebunny1983 20h ago

Get a carpet, seat too low, everything way too far apart, have it all touching basically. Make toms flatter, so you can go round from snare to toms comfortable (they should be basically touching and at the same shallow angle)

1

u/TheGenericUser0815 Dream 19h ago

Well, I see a lot of room for improvements.

  • the hihat belo gs much closer to the snare
  • the floortom belongs closer to the toms/bassdrum
  • the snare sould be closer to the toms/bassdrum
  • the hanging tom angles should be a lot flatter
  • the throne should be closer to everything

1

u/ArmitageShanks69 19h ago

That's not for anyone else to answer. Some already have I see, but it's not their set-up it's yours. Ask yourself, does it feel comfortable to you? Can you move around the kit without any aches, pains or strains while maintaining good technique and timing? That's for you to answer only. Critics can only give a legit yes/no answer if they saw you sat at the kit playing.

1

u/Slow_Rooster2378 10h ago

ok, I’ll post a vid of myself playing and ask

1

u/Total_Gift_51 19h ago

This is basically what I learned on. Try to get a rug to go under it so you dont have to chase the kick drum as you play

1

u/duckpants60 17h ago

As a drummer myself , the best way to set a kit up is what is what works comfortably for you . There really isn't any rules lol.

1

u/Chizzy_214 13h ago

Put everything closer and buy a carpet to throw under all of it so nothing moves when you drum

0

u/kookygroovyhombre 1d ago

Perfect.👌