What I love most about the drum kit is how varied the set-ups can be. From a four-piece jazz kit, to the monstrosity that I play, to everything else in between, these configurations have one thing in common - they are all correct.
In this respect, other musicians simply can't enjoy the same freedom that drummers have. Not to disparage other instruments, but for keyboardists, a piano is a piano. Certainly there are different quality levels of a piano, from a basic upright to a $100K Steinway & Sons grand piano, but the manner in which they're configured remains unchanged and cannot be altered. Essentially, it's still eighty-eight keys and three pedals. A pianist cannot say, "You know, today I'm going to move these three black keys to the right side and remove these four white keys altogether and add another pedal." The same can be said about flutes, violins, saxophones, and trombones. Those instruments are what they are. Their configurations are set. They are specific and inflexible.
In fairness to other instruments, our vast set-up possibilities are relatively new. The first recognizable ancestors of the modern day drum kit were born in the North American Vaudeville era of the 1880s through the 1930s, and developed out of necessity - economic and theater space considerations demanded that fewer percussionists cover more percussion parts. Our instrument is literally a contraption, which is where the term "trap kit" comes from. It was (and continues to be) pieced together.
Although the drum is arguably the oldest instrument on the planet other than the human voice, the drum set itself is less than one hundred years old, and is still evolving. Through this process of evolution, we've been given relatively boundless flexibility in terms of how our kits can be constructed. It's this flexibility that works to our advantage in configuring a personalized set-up, thus making every drum kit really unique and one of a kind.
So go on and mount a pair of bongos where you would normally mount your rack tom, like Pat Mastelotto of King Crimson. And run that remote 26 in. bass drum to your left, like Stanton Moore of Galactic. Or forget about using a normal bass drum and just kick the bottom head of your floor tom, like Wilco's Glenn Kotche. And even play on one knee, like Trilok Gurtu if you'd like. Most important, have fun and enjoy how fortunate we are!
Want to share your passion for your drum set or discuss ideas of how to improve your kit's set-up? Feel free to reach out. I'm always here to help!
In this respect, other musicians simply can't enjoy the same freedom that drummers have. Not to disparage other instruments, but for keyboardists, a piano is a piano. Certainly there are different quality levels of a piano, from a basic upright to a $100K Steinway & Sons grand piano, but the manner in which they're configured remains unchanged and cannot be altered. Essentially, it's still eighty-eight keys and three pedals. A pianist cannot say, "You know, today I'm going to move these three black keys to the right side and remove these four white keys altogether and add another pedal." The same can be said about flutes, violins, saxophones, and trombones. Those instruments are what they are. Their configurations are set. They are specific and inflexible.
In fairness to other instruments, our vast set-up possibilities are relatively new. The first recognizable ancestors of the modern day drum kit were born in the North American Vaudeville era of the 1880s through the 1930s, and developed out of necessity - economic and theater space considerations demanded that fewer percussionists cover more percussion parts. Our instrument is literally a contraption, which is where the term "trap kit" comes from. It was (and continues to be) pieced together.
Although the drum is arguably the oldest instrument on the planet other than the human voice, the drum set itself is less than one hundred years old, and is still evolving. Through this process of evolution, we've been given relatively boundless flexibility in terms of how our kits can be constructed. It's this flexibility that works to our advantage in configuring a personalized set-up, thus making every drum kit really unique and one of a kind.
So go on and mount a pair of bongos where you would normally mount your rack tom, like Pat Mastelotto of King Crimson. And run that remote 26 in. bass drum to your left, like Stanton Moore of Galactic. Or forget about using a normal bass drum and just kick the bottom head of your floor tom, like Wilco's Glenn Kotche. And even play on one knee, like Trilok Gurtu if you'd like. Most important, have fun and enjoy how fortunate we are!
Want to share your passion for your drum set or discuss ideas of how to improve your kit's set-up? Feel free to reach out. I'm always here to help!
About the Author:
Victor
Salazar is with Vic's Drum Shop, an
internationally renowned drum and percussion store
in Chicago, Illinois. The wide range of knowledge of drum gear that he has attained over his forty year
career has made Vic a essential resource - and his store
a popular shopping destination - for beginning drummers,
drumming hobbyists, professional drummers, and many of the world's most respected drum superstars.
Salazar is with Vic's Drum Shop, an
internationally renowned drum and percussion store
in Chicago, Illinois. The wide range of knowledge of drum gear that he has attained over his forty year
career has made Vic a essential resource - and his store
a popular shopping destination - for beginning drummers,
drumming hobbyists, professional drummers, and many of the world's most respected drum superstars.
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