The Big Kits vs. Small Kits Debate

Once again it all boils down to the music you play....and what gig you're doing !

Essentially......it would be perfect to have 2 ...or.....one large kit that can be easily broken down into different kits.......

the smallest would probably be ...say....10-12-14-16-22 , a snare or 2 .....then you could do jazz.....fusion, ......and rock with different set ups.........cymbals would work the same way ......have different sizes and styles for different gigs.....

it's all personal preference..............currently........I'm doing a rock gig.....5 piece kit, 5 cymbals.....very practical...FOR WHAT I'M DOING!

So ...it's not all so cut and dry when it comes to answering this post.....
 
Re: Is Your Drumset Practical?

Superlow said:
The biggest factor of me not playing a BIG is due to space contraints and the fact that I have been playing gigs quite regularly since I started playing the drums. I don't like lugging around a lot of equipment it's not fun. I play a four piece with a high-hat and two rides. I have grown very comfortable with this setup. However if I had a roadie or drum technician I would gladly add another rack tom and floor tom, not to mention some more rides.

Interesting. Sorry, I'm ignorant, but why would you want more than two rides, along with apparently no crashes? Is that the type of band you have?
 
Re: Is Your Drumset Practical?

4 pce for me - with hats a crash and ride. small is good for my style - thinking about losing another drum as well....i love seeing drummers doing interesting things on tiny kits

Recently i saw the Von Bondies play - the drummer used no hi-hat, it was great - really good - he had a good groove...



big kits are fun too - but not for me (I’d be lost)
 
Re: Is Your Drumset Practical?

Sticksman said:
Interesting. Sorry, I'm ignorant, but why would you want more than two rides, along with apparently no crashes? Is that the type of band you have?
I wouldn't mind 50 rides for jazz....so many different colours.....but crashes can definitely do the same....it's just that rides tend to give a longer/darker sound
 
Re: Is Your Drumset Practical?

My poor drumkit is a slowly evolving beast. My 1st drumkit, started as std 5 pce kit, hi hat, ride and crash. i now have an A custom 17" crash, 18" china, 10" splash, cowbell and a keg hehe which i use an old single pedal on. It suits me fine, now i just need to save enough dollars to buy a new kit hehehe but im happy with the setup. Actually something noone has commented on so far is the actual practicality of playing thier kit. I read an interview with Mike Mangini in the Australian Drumscene mag, where he describes his ambidexterous kit. He puts the hihat in the center and has a mirror image on each side. I think my kit is very practical, and balanced, i like symmetry aswell so i have my drums set up as std, 3 cymbals to the left of the toms, 3 to the right and the cowbell in the middle. Does anyone else have a particular set up that makes playing the kit "practical"?
 
Re: Is Your Drumset Practical?

my drumset is very basic. 4 piece, single pedal, hi hats, 2 crashes, and a ride. It has done me well because now i learn alot more so that i dont have to depend on 6 or 7 toms.
 
THE BIG KITS VS SMALL KITS DEBATE

So I've been drumming for about 5 years now and my kit's 3 toms, snare, single bass, hi hat and 3 cymbals. I always get into arguments with my friends for criticizing other drummers for having such big kits. Sure it's kind of justifiable if the drummer uses it all, but I think the core of drumming is being able to pick out what sounds good with the music, not technique. Personally I don't think it's ever necessary for a drummer to use more than a double bass, 3 or 4 toms, snare, hi hat, and 3 or 4 cymbals, what do you think?
 
Re: Big kit or small kit?

I woud tend to agree that less is more - its a reflection of the skill and touch of the drummer to get a large array of sounds from a small set, Buddy Rich being the master of this. I would say that even the double bass is not necessary, it is possible to develop your single foot technique and combine with hand technique to anything (musical) that a double bass drummer can do.
That said, IMO the more the cymbals the better, cos it looks nice :)
 
Re: Big kit or small kit?

I would personnally prefer to have a larger kit, but I've always had a 5 piece kit, and I don't really see that much need for a really big kit. Although I do think that more cymbals is better, to get a variety of sounds, such as cup chimes and splashes etc.

I am looking into getting a six piece kit, as I have always wanted a 6 piece kit, but I think that that is a sensible size.
 
Re: Big kit or small kit?

I recently picked up a DVD of the rock group Triumph at the Us festival in 1983. Gil Moore used this big kit, and I noticed that each of his fills could be done on a kit that is significantly smaller for the same sound and effect.

There is no "right" kit, there is only your personal preference and what you can play. get and keep the size kit that you are comfortable with. My kit isn't the biggest, but it represents exactly what I want, and can play.

(optimally, a spectral spread of 8,10,12,14,16,18 toms and a single kick.) I use a main and side snare with a variety of cymbals.

I don't need all of it for all music that I play, but I can always use less drums.
 
Re: Big kit or small kit?

I've got more drums than I know what to do with. The sizes go 8", 10", 12", 13", 14", 16" and a single 22" bass. My snares are the classic Ludwig Supraphonic, and two Yamaha snares (3.5" brass piccolo and 8" wood snare). Cymbals - hi-hat, ride, spash, china, 3 various sized/sound crash cymbals. Many others in the cases.

Sometimes I take the 8/10/12/16 set up with a full compliment of cymbals.

Sometimes I find myself taking the bass, snare, hi-hat, ride and single crash.

It really depends on the gig.
 
Re: Big kit or small kit?

My personal preferences lean towards a medium-sized kit, say a 7 piece. Anything bigger and I'd be lost! However, an example of one who uses and utilises a large kit is Neil Peart, he has used every single bit of his kit at some point of his career in Rush. In the 'Burning for Buddy' sessions, he used nothing larger than a 4 or 5 piece kit, but he used it all to its full potential.

There is such a thing as overkill, but only when half the kit is for show... but as entertainers there could be a level of spectacle built in too I suppose. So a large kit could be considered good as a bit of crowd pleaser in some situations.
 
Re: Big kit or small kit?

I respect drummers like neil peart and mike portnoy and carter beuford with their big kits; they are amazing, dont get me wrong, but i think that another way one can show skill is by making magic happen with a very small kit, like a four or five piece kit and a few cymbals. Well, I would prefer a Peart sized kit to a four piece, but I still think think a drummer that can make magic on a small kit can make magic on any kit.
 
Re: Big kit or small kit?

There was a band out of NYC called "Second Step" 10-15 years ago and fortunately they made it to RI on occasion. They had a drummer out of Baltimore. They were a R&B/Funk group with sax, bone, trumpet, bass, guitar, drums and lead singer. Energy out the caboose. The drummer's set up - bass, snare, three cymbals and hi-hat. He had such skill and taste as a player that you never noticed the fact that was all he had for equipment. It's not the amount of drums, it's how you use them.

Come to think of it, I think he was a student of Gary Chaffee for a time - or that may have been their second drummer.

davodi74 said:
I respect drummers like neil peart and mike portnoy and carter beuford with their big kits; they are amazing, dont get me wrong, but i think that another way one can show skill is by making magic happen with a very small kit, like a four or five piece kit and a few cymbals. Well, I would prefer a Peart sized kit to a four piece, but I still think think a drummer that can make magic on a small kit can make magic on any kit.
 
Re: Big kit or small kit?

I really think it depends on the individual's preference,ability and style of music that he is required to play.
Another factor is the venue and the interaction with other musicians.
My main gigging and recording kit at the moment, { for classic rock & blues }, is s follows:

8" 10" 12" 14" 16" toms, snare and 22" bass drum.

15" Hatts, 20" rock & 20" ping ride, 2 x 16" crash, 17" crash, 18" crash, 6" & 10" splash, 18" china and 20" china.

I've just come out of the studio today and the kit has recorded great, i particularly like the sound of the run down on the toms that you just couldn't achieve using only a couple of drums.
 
Re: Big kit or small kit?

now i ahve a four peice kit. 2 toms. snare and kick. i only ahve 2 crashes and a ride.i do use doubel kick too. i hhave alwasy been comfortable playing on a small kit. the 4 perice works great. but recetly i ahve been considerign adding a 10 inch and 14 inch tom to my set for a more variety of soudsn for filsl and grooves. i am playing alto mor emetal now too and it makes sense to get more toms so i can do longer fils wihtout going back and forth on the 2 toms. i am also consifering addign more cymbals.
personally i think kit size has alot to do with waht type of music you play. in msot pop muisic when ppl are playing the rock beat 90% of the time there is nto poitn ot have 20 crahes adn 10 toms. but in metal and prog music you need alot mroe soudn sources to give moe variety to the parts.
 
Re: Big kit or small kit?

I have three kits that are all four pieces. I like the abillity to pack it up and go places easily. So what if I can't do huge cascading single stroke rolls down the kit? That's not my style- I like what I have for what I do.
 
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