I play a 4 piece and the ride cymbal stand actually goes in through the top of the bass drum. So I drop my ride cymbal to set low between my rack and floor toms. Its comfortable and if I ever play any fast syncopated patterns similar to Neil Peart's signature ride pattern I find that I can play it a long time without too much fatigue. I was playing with a guitarist who had a 6 piece kit and the ride was mounted up high above the 2 toms on the right and i found that if I didn't reposition it I experienced arm and shoulder fatigue.
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Low ride cymbal vs. High ride cymbal positioning!
- Thread starter LRod1707
- Start date
just a bebop 4 + 1 OD!!
On Gretsch you gotaa "crack the Rims" (rim shot the Toms or " you ain't jazz"... : )
snare 5...12-10-14 toms...18 bass
where's Larry LROD????
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Matched Gripper
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Way too far to the right for me. I would want it to be in front of the 1st floor tom, but, you have a rack tom there. With that tom setup, the way you have it may be the only practical solution.
LRod is Awol.
GiveMeYourSmallestSticks!
Well-Known Member
Never gave this much thought as for the longest time I've played one up, one down with the ride over the right side of the bass drum. Since recently acquiring a significantly larger kit, I seriously struggled with how to set up the toms while keeping the ride at a comfortable height. At first it was looking somewhat like the pic from the OP, but having it so far over to the side was quite uncomfortable, as was positioning it higher than usual. These pics show my solution, with the two smaller toms over to the left, the ride roughly in the same low position, and my 12 and 14 just below. It's the closest I could get it to a one up/one down feel. Works for me!
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LARRY Thought maybe you had an engine catch fire...errrrr nevermind!!!
Gotcha.
Matched Gripper
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I forgot to mention that when I have 2 toms mounted on the bass drum I position the ride so that it covers about half of the second tom. It’s a compromise that puts the ride in a reasonably accessible position and allows enough access to that second mounted tom. That might work for you.
Old Drummer
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Rim shots on toms? You're certainly set to do that . . .
WesChilton
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Hehe, I think its all about the era and the sizes of your toms... back in the 80s EVERYONE was doing the high angled cymbals, power toms and sitting 10" off of the ground! This is me on a big recording session in late 1980s doing my Vinnie thang. If you look though, the kit is pretty compact... toms close to the bass drum, cymbals low and close in but highly angled. It was actually very easy and comfortable to play. But difficult to mic!
I also was in my Weckl hair phase...
Then, later on by the mid 1990s my toms got shallower, set flatter and the cymbals did too... and I started sitting higher.
Also my hair got shorter!
Even when I go back to the power toms (2003-ish) I still kept my ride flatter... but always up over the 12" tom. It just feels natural there.
The hair I just finally gave up on!
I tried the low and over the floor tom position, ala Neil Peart, when I was in high school and just didn't like it.
I also was in my Weckl hair phase...
Then, later on by the mid 1990s my toms got shallower, set flatter and the cymbals did too... and I started sitting higher.
Also my hair got shorter!
Even when I go back to the power toms (2003-ish) I still kept my ride flatter... but always up over the 12" tom. It just feels natural there.
The hair I just finally gave up on!
I tried the low and over the floor tom position, ala Neil Peart, when I was in high school and just didn't like it.
richiegarcia4
Well-Known Member
I like the idea of a low flat ride, but it makes crashing difficult, especially if you want a soft crash with the shoulder of your stick. The floor tom gets in the way. Which is why I like this set up. (Oh, and check out the tilt on that bottom hat).
wow, cool photo - almost riveting !
Tommy D
DFO Veteran
I've done ride up, ride down, a hybrid of the two, and a left side and right side ride setup. You name it, I've likely done it. In the end, it needs to be comfortable for you to play. My right shoulder gives me problems when I need to reach too far back behind me, so a low ride above my floor toms is not a comfortable position for me to be in for any amount of time. I have no pain issues with a high ride or a low ride with an offset tom setup so I generally default to one of these two setups. Anything that gets the ride more in front of me than to the side of me is my preference.
High ride:
Low ride, offset toms:
Left and right side rides:
High ride:
Low ride, offset toms:
Left and right side rides:
as low and as tight into the kit as I can get it, hanging out just over the right side of the bass drum... easy to reach, I can then put a crash or two up and over it to either side for a quick flick of the wrist to crash. I think it makes for some faster transitioning and, well, it just seems to fit my style...
rock roll
Well-Known Member
Love the setup especially the fan. A must as we get older.
cymbals circle the drums. some eye level. below. slightly or somewhat above..
rock roll
Well-Known Member
I've always played the right side ride about 4" above the floor tom.
left side ride the same.
My band share a practice space with several other bands , different days.
Drum kit is a one up one down 22" bass drum ,vintage Ludwig house kit that everyone uses.
The drummer that plays the day before me always raises his ride as high as the mounted tom if not higher than .... and I have never understood why he does that unless he is crashing his ride.
... So I'm loving this thread , hoping to learn something.
left side ride the same.
My band share a practice space with several other bands , different days.
Drum kit is a one up one down 22" bass drum ,vintage Ludwig house kit that everyone uses.
The drummer that plays the day before me always raises his ride as high as the mounted tom if not higher than .... and I have never understood why he does that unless he is crashing his ride.
... So I'm loving this thread , hoping to learn something.
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GiveMeYourSmallestSticks!
Well-Known Member
It's been great seeing a few offset tom set-ups for this, now I don't feel so all alone!
