Thought I would blog about drum and cymbal setup. There seems to be a lot of questions about where things should be. My best answer is, wherever you feel most comfortable. Keeping that in mind, you want to make sure that you are comfortable and not having to reach for any part of your setup. The more you have to stretch and reach while you are playing the more tired you will become. It will also affect your performance and overall sound. I used to play with my cymbals high and rack toms angled at me and sit high on my throne. One day I was having a jam session with a friend of mine and noticed he had very thing set low. I sat at his kit and at first it was uncomfortable, I thought how can you do this. He explained about how fast he can get to each piece of his kit with fluidity. He talked me into trying it, so he helped me re-design my setup. It's been about 3 years now and must say I would never go back. My playing has gotten tighter and I feel less worked at the end of a session. You must understand that each person will vary, but I like my cymbals low and stacked around my kit. Leaving enough space between my 18" crash that it won't hit my 21" ride when I'm rockin' it. I started there and positioned the other cymbals at the same height so it is symetrical and easy to move around on every cymbal. I also sit lower on the throne, to where my knees are slightly bent. My rack tom is lower and not at much of an angle. I position it right above my snare at almost the same height. No matter how you setup, make it comfortable for you. One more thought, always remember to stretch and warm up before each session. "Now go get your drum on."
