I've struggled with a set-up delema all my career. Using two to three rack toms verses using only one rack tom and one or two floor toms. The "one up, two down" set up seems to be the "fad" today. Almost all my favorite drummers use this set up; ie Abe Laboriel Jr, Chad Smith, Stanton Moore, Shawn Pelton, etc... but there are many awesome drummers who use multiple rack toms like Dennis Chambers, Stewart Copeland, Chris Coleman, etc... The man himself Neil Peart kinda uses a hybrid of the two having multiple rack toms but mounted over his hihat so that his ride is still tight over his kick and separating the racks from the floors. I have a Mapex Horizon series kit with 8, 10, and 12 rack toms and a 16 floor tom. I have tried just using the 12 and 16, (one up, one down), I've also used two up, one down (10, 12, 16) and recently been using all of them, three up, one down (8, 10, 12, and 16). If you look at my pics on my profile page you can see the different variations.
I have found interestingly, that the different set-ups, tend to inspire different kinds of playing in me. Last night while spending some time in the woodshed, I have a revalation. It seems that when I play my kit with the 2-3 up, 1 down set up, it tends to invoke a more expressive type of playing, whereas the 1 up, 1 down set up tends to make me more of a "groove" player. Has anyone else ever experienced this? I think its something about when you have the 2-3 up, 1 down set up, you feel a little more "buried" behind your kit, and you feel more like, "I am the great and powerful OZ!!! never mind that man behind the curtain" kinda thing. All the gear kinda makes you feel a little more detached and seperated from the audience, so I tend to think more like a "drummer". Conversly, when I play the 1 up, 1 down set up, I feel more exposed to the audience, and feel more freedom to, if you will, have a "personality" on stage, and feel less like the man behind the curtain, and actually a little less like a "drummer" and more like a "performer"....if that makes any sense. As a result I tend to play in a more "groove oriented" fashion.
My feeling is that the way that these two different types of set-ups make me play respectively, is useful in different applications. If I was playing something more progressive I would probably feel more comfortable playing the 2-3 up, 1 down set up where I can be more expressive, having my "pallet" more right in front of me at my disposal. However when playing in my band ATOMIC LOUNGE, which is basically a rock party band (covers), It's more about bringing energy to the dance floor and "entertaining" if you (ie more "groove" playing). My next endeavor is to mount my 12" tom off of a cymbal stand as a "floor" tom, and go with a 1 up, 2 down set up (10, 12, 16), thus still having more tonal variety with my toms, but preserving that "feeling" I get from playing a 1 up type set up, ie feeling more connection with the audience.
I was just wondering if anyone else had ever noticed this, what others preferrences are, and in general what anyone elses thoughts are on this. I've never seen any articles on this issue in any major drum publications and think it would be cool to.
I have found interestingly, that the different set-ups, tend to inspire different kinds of playing in me. Last night while spending some time in the woodshed, I have a revalation. It seems that when I play my kit with the 2-3 up, 1 down set up, it tends to invoke a more expressive type of playing, whereas the 1 up, 1 down set up tends to make me more of a "groove" player. Has anyone else ever experienced this? I think its something about when you have the 2-3 up, 1 down set up, you feel a little more "buried" behind your kit, and you feel more like, "I am the great and powerful OZ!!! never mind that man behind the curtain" kinda thing. All the gear kinda makes you feel a little more detached and seperated from the audience, so I tend to think more like a "drummer". Conversly, when I play the 1 up, 1 down set up, I feel more exposed to the audience, and feel more freedom to, if you will, have a "personality" on stage, and feel less like the man behind the curtain, and actually a little less like a "drummer" and more like a "performer"....if that makes any sense. As a result I tend to play in a more "groove oriented" fashion.
My feeling is that the way that these two different types of set-ups make me play respectively, is useful in different applications. If I was playing something more progressive I would probably feel more comfortable playing the 2-3 up, 1 down set up where I can be more expressive, having my "pallet" more right in front of me at my disposal. However when playing in my band ATOMIC LOUNGE, which is basically a rock party band (covers), It's more about bringing energy to the dance floor and "entertaining" if you (ie more "groove" playing). My next endeavor is to mount my 12" tom off of a cymbal stand as a "floor" tom, and go with a 1 up, 2 down set up (10, 12, 16), thus still having more tonal variety with my toms, but preserving that "feeling" I get from playing a 1 up type set up, ie feeling more connection with the audience.
I was just wondering if anyone else had ever noticed this, what others preferrences are, and in general what anyone elses thoughts are on this. I've never seen any articles on this issue in any major drum publications and think it would be cool to.