Tall drummers

[rondrums51]

I'm 6'5", and I sit pretty high compared to most drummers.

I was exchanging e mails with some old jazz buddies in Orlando, and we remembered the time I had a night off and came into a club where my old friend Tracy Alexander was playing. He's Mousey Alexander's son, a great drummer, and he's the same size as his dad, about 5'5".

Of course, he invited me to sit in, but he sits about 14 inches off the floor. There was no way I could play his drums without raising everything up about a foot. I didn't want to mess up his mess, so I declined.

Later, at the same club, another drummer invited me to sit in. Same deal, very short guy, plus he was left handed and set up backwards. At his insistence, we arranged the drums as well as possible, but the drum stool was frozen, so I managed to make it through a set with my wrists hitting my knees every time I tried to hit the snare drum.

Conversely, other drummers have a hard time sitting in on my drums because I sit so high. One time, a good friend came in to my gig and sat in. He was about 5'7" maybe. His feet couldn't reach my pedals!

I read that the great jazz drummer Art Taylor, who was about 6'4' used to have the same problem. He'd get off work and go to some after hours session, and the drummer would be some short guy like Roy Haynes, and AT would have to raise everything up about a foot.

I hate being so tall. It's a pain in the ass buying clothes, and I've encountered a lot of snare stands and hi hat stands that didn't come up high enough.

Any of you tall guys want to tell your stories?

 

[FloydZKing]

As a kid taking lessons I played my teacher's set as it was - we all did - and he was a pretty little guy. He'd get on me about my elbows resting on my thighs whn I played his set and we'd laugh about it, but we didn't move anything. Adjusting to his ergo was part of the lessons.

 

[JDA]

NO but If I were 6'5" I grab a bar stool and pull it over to the drums to prevent that

 

[robthetimekeeper]

Reminds me of this...

 

[Tmcfour]

I'm not particularly tall at 5' 10" but I sit high and have my hats high. I've had shows where I supplied the kit and other drummers would have to adjust everything down a bit.

 

[69OysterBlue]

I'm 6'4" and have never "hated" being tall.

Every time I struggle to find tall sized clothing, I take solace in being able to reach things on the top shelf, change light bulbs without a ladder, see over the heads of people in a crowd, etc . . . .

If I can get the stool set to the right height, I can sit in on just about any kit. The only thing that stops me is trying to play lefty - just can't do it.

Enjoy the view from up there - Mick Fleetwood made it work.

 

[Balance]

I don't do being tall very well. I get pack problems, lots of having to reach down everywhere. My upper back starts to hurt straight away when I don't watch how I'm sitting at the drums, though I can always adjust my back afterwards by rolling up a pillow, putting it under my shoulder blades and lying on it, works great.

Got a lot of respect for drummers like Mick Fleetwood.

 

[fun2drum]

My height is now 6'3", an inch down from the 6'4" I was in my 20's lol. I completely understand what you're talking about, and I never say okay to sitting behind somebody's set for a song for that reason. It's just not worth it.

Plus it's difficult to get in and out of a small sports car. I have a 73 Karmann Ghia that we drive for fun, and I had to have the seat tracks remounted back into the back seat floorboard so I could get my knees down below the steering wheel while I drive. I just about have to put the top down on my daughter's Miata to get my head inside.

 

[BennyK]

I happen to believe tall drummers to be a little more fluid in their grooves , their pockets a little deeper , their attack and articulation less so .

Mick Fleetwood, six foot seven .

 

[Sequimite]

6' 4" - I pull back the throne, raise the snare and forget about the toms.

 

[Cauldronics]

Playing drums as a tall guy never was never a problem for me, but I don't sit in on other kits. I'm also a lefty but can play (more simply but still effective) righty.

It's an advatange when I play my kits with deeper toms.

 

[cymtrich]

i have kind of a reverse story. i`m 5'9' and due to circumstances one time had to play on a 6'5' guys set! i was reaching all night! bill

 

[CaptainCrunch]

I'm 6'3", and I don't think I sit crazy high - thighs parallel to the floor, or tilted slightly downward. I do however get really annoyed when a vintage hihat simply won't go high enough to give me room to flail away on the snare and I crack my snare-playing knuckles.

 

[Carlos McSnurf]

I am also 6'3". I have to spread wider the drums and cymbals on (usually too small) club stage. Playing bop drums and 20" ride looks playing the toy, but I love the look behind 26" bass large sized drums

 

[rondrums51]

Plus it's difficult to get in and out of a small sports car. I have a 73 Karmann Ghia that we drive for fun, and I had to have the seat tracks remounted back into the back seat floorboard so I could get my knees down below the steering wheel while I drive. I just about have to put the top down on my daughter's Miata to get my head inside.

Yeah, my wife has a Ford Fiesta, which was basically built for midgets. It takes me 30 seconds to crouch down and get into the seat without throwing out my lower back!

The world is not designed for tall people.

 

[hefty]

I happen to believe tall drummers to be a little more fluid in their grooves , their pockets a little deeper , their attack and articulation less so .

Mick Fleetwood, six foot seven .

Interesting. So what do you believe is typical for shorter drummers?

 

[supershifter2]

Neal Smith of Alice Cooper

 

[PassiveTone78]

Im average height, 71. But my problem isnt the height of my gear, its how far away it is from me. I have long arms, and small hands, so a 5B is max and usually they are in the 16.25 range. I cant use other peoples gear lol

 

[Drums]

I happen to believe tall drummers to be a little more fluid in their grooves , their pockets a little deeper , their attack and articulation less so .

Mick Fleetwood, six foot seven .

Don't think he was ever that tall although photographs make him look like a giant! Probably shrunk a little because of age.

 

[Carlos McSnurf]

I happen to believe tall drummers to be a little more fluid in their grooves , their pockets a little deeper , their attack and articulation less so .

Mick Fleetwood, six foot seven .

Interesting. So what do you believe is typical for shorter drummers?

Speed. Shorter hands - faster reaction