The best possible drum kit setup is different for every drummer: you should be able to play easily and it should feel natural to you. That said, most drum kits can be set up in a way that provides a good foundation for any drummer. Quickly skip to step 1 to learn this standard setup!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: The preparation
Step 1. Gather all the necessary parts for your drum kit
In addition to the drums and cymbals, you also need a drum key. This is a small wrench that allows you to loosen or tighten the bolts on the toms, snare and kick. You need that to replace heads, but also to tune your drum set properly. A regular size drum kit usually contains the following parts:
- snare
- Bass drum, or kick drum (with pedal)
- Hi-hat (with pedal)
- crash cymbal
- ride basin
- Toms and floor tom
- Drum Throne
Step 2. Find a good place to build your drum kit
You have to find a place that is big enough to properly arrange all the parts, the parts should not be too close together. While playing you need enough space to move freely. If the different parts are close together, drumming becomes more difficult, and it can have a negative effect on your sound (for example, if a cymbal hits the rim of a tom when you hit it).
It is of course true that a drum set with many parts needs more space, but in general you can say the following about the space needed: if you can lie flat on the floor and spread arms and legs without hitting anything, the place is big enough
Step 3. Do the necessary maintenance first
Before you set up the drum set, you can view and check each part. If you see something that needs to be done, it's better to do it now than when the drum kit is built. It can be annoying to have to disassemble the drum set again later because you have to adjust a small thing. Here are some things to watch out for:
- Worn sheets
- squeaky pedals
- Worn rubbers under stands
- Dust and dirt
Part 2 of 3: Assembling and setting up the drum kit
Step 1. Place the bass drum in a central location
You always start with the bass drum - from this part you set up the rest of the drum kit. Place the bass drum on the floor in such a way that the outer skin (often has the logo or brand name on it) will be facing away from you.
Step 2. Attach the bass drum feet
Two metal feet fit into holes on the side of the bass drum. Insert the feet into the holes provided and tighten the wing nuts. The legs should touch the floor and they should point slightly forward so that they can bear the weight of the bass drum when you are drumming. With some drum sets the legs are recessed into the bass drum, in that case you have to loosen the nuts, lower the legs out to the floor, and then tighten again.
Some legs have sharp points, others have a rubber foot. You can use both types on carpet, but the pointed version without rubber is less suitable for a hard surface. For example, if you have a wooden floor, the points can damage your floor
Step 3. Attach the kick pedal
In most cases, the foot pedal you use to play the bass drum is attached to the bottom edge of the bass drum, with some sort of clamp. Insert the lower part of the clamp under the rim and then tighten the upper part with the screws on the top. The kick pedal is now firmly clamped to the edge of the bass drum and should stay in place when you press the pedal.
There are other types of pedals (for example, double pedals) that are a bit more complicated to assemble. If necessary, refer to the instruction manual of the pedals for more information
Step 4. Place the drum stool behind the bass drum and adjust the stool so that you are at the correct height later
With the button or lever under the seat you can adjust the drum throne higher or lower. Try out different heights, sit on the stool and press the kick pedal a few times. It should feel comfortable and play easy. Most drummers drum with their knees at a 90-degree angle.
Other heights are also possible. Any height of the drum throne will do, as long as you can play comfortably and as long as you can press the pedal without moving forward
Step 5. Attach the snare drum to the snare stand
The snare normally rests on a short stand with three adjustable arms that hold the snare in place. The ends of these arms are usually made of rubber so that the snare does not move or get damaged when you hit it. The stand is easy to set up - fold out the legs at the bottom so that the stand stands upright and adjust the angle of the arms with the mechanism at the top of the stand.
The snare should be firmly seated in the stand, approximately horizontally, but that angle also depends on your own preference. Daru Jones, a drummer who has played with Jack White, for example, uses a different setup: some parts of his drum kit face forward and down, toward the floor
Step 6. Adjust the height of the snare
Loosen the large nut on the stand and adjust the height of the snare so it plays comfortably for you. In any case, you should not touch the snare with your legs while drumming. In most cases, you can choose a height that is slightly higher than the height of your knees.
For rock drummers, the snare is usually in front of the kick drum, slightly to the left so you can hit it with your left stick (if you're right-handed). Position the snare so that you can hit it with an almost straight stick. This gives a loud sound and it offers the possibility to strike the head and the rim at the same time
Step 7. Attach the toms to the bass drum
Most bass dums come with a stand that allows you to mount two toms on the bass drum. In some cases there are two holes on top of the bass drum, one for each tom. With other types there is only one hole, here fits a central stand to which both toms are attached. The way toms are attached varies by brand, so if in doubt, it is better to read the manual for your drum kit before continuing.
The exact placement of the toms depends on your personal preference. But in general, it's helpful to place the toms close together, slightly towards each other so that you can move quickly from one tom to another. They should also be pointed slightly towards you to be able to hit them easily
Step 8. Attach the legs of the floor tom and place the floor in a suitable place
Most floor toms have long, thin metal legs with a bend at the bottom, which gives them more strength when the tom is slightly angled. Loosen the nuts on the sides of the floor and insert the legs (with the rubber feet down). Tighten the nuts in such a way that the floor is slightly above the feet and is well balanced. Sit on your stool and hit it a few times to make sure the floor doesn't move as you play.
Usually a floor is placed to the right of the bass drum so that it can be played easily with the right hand
Step 9. Level the floor with the snare
You should be able to play the floor without any effort, so adjust the legs so that the floor is horizontal and keep it about the same height as the snare.
As with other parts, you can completely adjust the placement of the floor to your personal preference
Part 3 of 3: Adding the cymbals
Step 1. Unfold the hi-hat stand and place the lower cymbal on the stand
The hi-hat stand is a straight stand of medium height, in most cases has a pedal attached to it and three legs on the bottom. Fold out the legs so that you get a solid base. Then slide the lower pelvis over the top of the stand, with the concave side up. The top of the stand is a long, narrow rod, which you insert through the hole in the pelvis. The pelvis remains loose, you do not have to tighten anything.
Usually the manufacturer's name and logo are on the top cymbal of the hi-hat, useful if you don't know which one is the bottom and the top. Often the cymbals are identical, so it doesn't matter which one you place where
Step 2. Assemble the top cymbal of the hi-hat
Loosen the bottom screw on the hi-hat clutch. The clutch is the mechanism by which the upper cymbal attaches to the rod of the stand. Place the basin between the two pieces of felt of the clutch. Retighten the screw and slide the cymbal with the clutch over the rod of the stand. Tighten the nut to secure the cymbal to the rod. Try out the hi-hat by hitting it with the pedal depressed. When you press the pedal you should hear a thin "click", when you release the pedal you should hear a loud "his".
Usually the hi-hat is to the left of the snare, it is played with the right hand (which is crossed with the left hand in front of the snare). The hi-hat pedal is normally pressed with the left foot
Step 3. Place the ride cymbal on the stand
Most ride cymbals come with a two-piece stand with a twist mechanism in the middle and wide legs at the bottom. Fold out the legs for support, loosen the nut on top of the stand and place the ride cymbal between the two pieces of felt. Tighten the nut, but not too tight - the cymbal should be able to move when played. You can adjust the height of the pelvis by adjusting the angle between the two parts of the stand with the knob on the mechanism in the middle.
The ride is usually on the right side of the drum kit, above and behind the floor and bass drum. The cymbal itself hangs slightly over the floor, but make sure that you can play the floor without any problems
Step 4. Assemble the crash cymbal and other cymbals if you have them
Most drum sets have at least one crash cymbal. The standard of the crash cymbal often looks similar to the standard of a ride cymbal, but higher. In other cases, the stand is just straight, in one piece. The crash is mounted in the same way as the ride. Also with this pelvis you have to be careful not to tighten the screw too much - the pelvis must be able to move freely.
Most drummers place the crash cymbal on the left side of the kit, above and behind the bass drum and hi-hat. Other cymbals are usually placed on the sides of the drum kit, or behind the bass drum
Step 5. Play your drum kit
Congratulations - assuming your kit has no other accessories, you're now done setting up. Check the placement and accessibility of all parts by drumming. Every part of the drum kit should be easy to play, so you can take a break without effort.
- Many drummers add all kinds of parts to their drum kit. Here are some options if you want to expand your drum kit:
- Dual Bass Pedals
- Cowbell or woodblock
- More toms (sometimes tuned to specific notes)
- Tambourine, chimes, bells and other percussion instruments
Step 6. Be creative
Good drummers have their own recognizable style. All great drummers play in their own way and they set up their drum kit in their own specific way. Experiment with the things you have, but remember that you have to be able to keep playing. If your setup sounds good and plays easily, you're on the right track!
Tips
- Turn your toms slightly down towards you and the snare, that way you can reach them more easily while you're drumming.
- Metal screws or other metal parts should not touch cymbals. Always use cymbal pads and plastic cymbal sleeves.
- Remember that every drummer sets up their drum kit in their own unique way. Find a way that is comfortable for you.
- Loosen the knob before attempting to move any part or you will damage your drum kit.
- Place the toms close together to make it easier to play fills and breaks.
Warnings
- A drum kit is a very loud instrument, always wear hearing protection. Without hearing protection you can damage your hearing.
- Do not place a wooden drum set in a damp room, that is bad for the wood. Do not clean a wooden kettle with water.
- Be considerate of other people nearby. If necessary, mute the drum set while playing with tea towels.