Playing drums is fun, but setting up a drum kit is complicated. While some find joy in it, others despise it and view it as manual labor. It is challenging for those new to drumming or even those who may be setting a kit up to be gifted during the holidays. A correctly set up drum set is much easier to play, and it will help any beginning drummer start off on the right foot (or left foot). Here are a few tips to help you ensure your drum set is set up for success.
Build the Foundation
The foundation of your sound is in the bass drum and the snare drum. Of course, we will need a place to sit down that is fit for royalty, a drum throne. But before we unpack all that, it is time to prevent sliding and protect the floor below (if that matters).
Drum Rug
Any rug can be a drum rug if it provides a surface area to set up your kit. Your grandparents’ old carpet from the basement or a cleaned bar mat would do just fine. You’re in the clear if you have a fully carpeted practice space. But it’s worth mentioning that some companies sell rugs made specifically for drum sets. For a bit more money, they have helpful features to keep your kit in place. Some include non-slip bottoms or built-in blocks to prevent a bass drum from sliding forward.
Bass Drum
Where you place your bass drum determines where the rest of your drums and cymbals will go. Your bass drum location will also determine the angle you will be facing. The bass drum should be placed in the middle and front of the rug, leaving a little space to move forward. Adjust the bass drum legs to equal heights and tighten them in place. Make sure the drum does not wobble from side to side.
Bass Drum Pedal
Then, attach your bass drum pedal to the batter-side bass drum hoop. You want the bass drum beater to strike the center of the drum head. From there, you can adjust the spring tension of your pedal to your liking. The tighter the spring, the more pressure it will take to strike the drum, and in turn, the beater will return to your foot with more responsiveness. With looser spring tension, your pedal will take less pressure to strike the drum, but in turn, the beater will be less responsive and have a slower rebound speed back to your foot. Bass drum pedal spring tension is a player preference, and it is best to start somewhere in the middle and see how you feel.
Drum Throne
Setting up your drum throne will help you check your bass drum pedal spring tension and further solidify your footprint on stage or in your practice space. Spread the legs of the throne out wide and tighten them in place to ensure your seat is as solid as possible. Place your throne where you can comfortably rest your dominant foot on the bass drum pedal.
Snare Drum
Almost all musical groups rely on the backbeat smack of the snare drum, and that’s why snare drum placement is essential. Place your snare drum stand to the left of your bass drum pedal if you are setting up a conventional right-handed drum set and to the right of your bass drum pedal if you are setting up a traditional left-handed drum set. The snare drum is placed between your legs at a comfortable height to be played without interference from your legs or the snare drum rim.
Fill in with Toms
Next, we move on to set up the rack toms and floor toms. They are played on less frequently in most cases, but the way a drummer utilizes a tom is very telling of their style.
Rack Toms (Tom-Toms)
Most drum sets include one or two tom-toms or rack toms. They are most commonly placed above the bass drum, and there are various mounting systems that vary from brand to brand (bass drum mounts, cymbal stand attachments, or using a snare drum stand). If you have one tom, it is commonly placed in front of your snare drum and at a higher level (to prevent it from contacting the bass drum). If you have two toms, the smaller tom is most commonly placed on your weak-hand side, with the larger tom next to it on your strong-hand side. While bass drum and snare drum placement is mainly universal, tom placement can vary depending on the player’s preference.
Floor Tom
Like rack toms, the number of floor toms in your set can vary, but most drum sets include just one. Your floor tom should be placed on the outside of the leg you are playing your bass drum with, opposite the snare drum. The floor tom height should be close to the same height as your snare drum, and the floor tom legs or mounting hardware can adjust that.
Finish with Cymbals
The most expressive instrument in a drum set is a cymbal, and the collection you use is an important decision. Each cymbal has its purpose, so it is crucial to be intentional about where you place them. Here, we will discuss the big three: hi-hats, crashes, and rides.
Hi-Hats
Your hi-hat cymbal stand is an essential piece to the foundation of your drum set. It’s a good idea to set it up early in the process to establish your footprint. Spread the legs out wide to ensure stability and ensure it is wobble-free. Take the hi-hat clutch off and place the bottom hi-hat cymbal upside down on the “hi-hat seat.” If your hi-hats don’t have labels, the bottom hi-hat is most commonly the heavier of the two cymbals. Then, attach your top hi-hat cymbal to the clutch with the top of the bell facing up towards the wing nut, between the two small cymbal felts. Then, slide the clutch into place to lay on top of the bottom hi-hat. From there, choose your desired hi-hat height with the height adjuster on the mid-shaft and adjust the spacing between your hi-hats by adjusting the height of your clutch.
Crash Cymbal
There’s nothing quite as signature as the sound of a crash cymbal to emphasize a critical moment in a song. The most common place for a crash cymbal is between your hi-hat and rack tom, raised higher to prevent unwanted contact. If you decide one crash cymbal is not enough, another popular location is off to your strong-hand side, beyond your floor tom.
Ride Cymbal
If you are marking time with a cymbal that isn’t your hi-hats, you are most likely marking time on your ride cymbal. It should be placed in a comfortable position so you can articulate the feel you are aiming for with little effort. For a drum set with one rack tom, this location would commonly be the gap between your rack tom and your floor tom on your strong-hand side. If you have two rack toms, the standard location would be just over your larger tom on your strong-hand side.
We have covered a lot of ground, but we know that a drum set can include many more pieces: double bass drums, side snares, several rack and floor toms, octobans, windchimes, electronics, splash and china cymbals, or even a swish knocker. The possibilities are endless. With that said, we hope to have given you some framework to get your drum set up and running.
Please remember, the way a drummer sets up their drum is a personal decision. An increasing number of incredibly talented drummers are choosing to play open-handed, switching up their tom order and breaking away from the conventional setups I reference above. Experimenting with different setups is incredibly fun, and I highly recommend it. If we all set up the same, we might all start sounding the same. Good luck out there, and may you find comfort on your throne.