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And yes, obviously we have a differnet view on what is needless on a drumset. If you ask me, anything is needles that goes further than a bassdrum, a snare drum, three toms (better two) and cymbals/bells/hats. Maybe a second snare but that is like the total maximum of stuff.
In that regard we are back to TL now, because I think that there is obviously a lot of needless stuff on his set. And you can trust me that I am a huge fan of Thomas - but that does not mean I have to like anything he does and anything he attaches to his drumset.
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This point-of-view gets into the big-kit/small-kit discussion...
Some drummers approach the kit as a complex polyphonic instrument. They instinctively think of the drumset as a xylophone. This leads to adding a high number of surfaces to hit to reproduce the complexity they hear in their head. A 20-piece kit may be needed to realize this "xylophone" expression. They want to expess multi-layered orchestrations or pseudo melodies on the drumset. This is the Bozzio, Lang, Peart, etc perspective.
But some drummers see the kit as a simpler timekeeping device -- with lots of space and air between each strike (each rythmic accent or event). They are communicating a "heartbeat" with a few subdivisions of that heartbeat to mix things up a bit. This is the Ringo Starr, Charlie Watts, etc perspective.
Both approaches are absolutely valid. Now, the only way people are going to reconcile this difference and be respectful of both approaches is if they feel that those drummers listed above are
born to approach the drumset the way they do.
Think of it as a
coincidence that the "xylophone" drummers and the "heartbeat" drummers happen to use some of the same equipment: drum shells + cymbals . Because their equipment use overlaps, some of us are fooled into thinking that drummer A should do what drummer B does (or vice versa). Some drummers blend a little bit of both (Vinnie C) which confuses folks even more about which type of drummer is "normal" vs "over the top". All of this is irrelevant.
I believe Thomas Lang plays a complex drumset because that's how he
naturally and intrinsically expresses himself. He has no desire to play 3 minutes of a simple 4/4 beat (at least on the DVDs). I also believe Ringo Starr plays a 4-piece because that's what he
naturally hears in his head to express himself. Ringo has no motivation to play polyrhythmic ostinatos or 50 different surfaces. Some people talk fast when they speak, some talk slower. Some people fidget quite a bit sitting around in the waiting room for the dentist; while others are more laid back. People don't seem to understand that these differences in human idiosyncracies get translated to playing a drumset. It's not all training, peer pressure, or ignorance that people play differently on a drumset!
I see what both guys are all about. I respect what both guys are about. I truly
enjoy & appreciate how they both express themselves. Why do you guys have to make this to be an either/or situation?!?!