Cut down on set up time: Minimizing Set Up Time For Live Gigs
A drummer tends to take a great deal of time setting up his or her drum set because there are many components to deal with. For example, drums, hardware, cymbals, assorted clamps, and auxiliary percussion instruments must be positioned according to one’s personal preference. Since the majority of drummers do not have the luxury of a Roadie or Drum Tech to help minimize set up and break down time, he or she is usually setting up alone. This article discusses simple tips on how one or two people (if available) can set up in less time.
Bass Drum and Floor Mat
The bass drum is both the center and foundation of the entire set-up. The position of the legs/spurs, the rack toms, and kick pedal must be adjusted for personal preference. Moreover, the rug or other floor covering material (which acts as both a barrier and a means of preventing unnecessary bass drum movement when the beater strikes the head) should have some type of marking (gaffer or duct tape, etc.) to pinpoint consistent positioning. Rack mounted toms must have memory locks to maintain the appropriate height. The angle adjustment of the rack toms needs to be decided before you get to the gig–Believe it or not, time is wasted playing with those angles. Take pictures of your “in the zone” setup at home and memorize them.
As far as the rug (or floor mat) is concerned, one can use permanent marker, different color tapes, or a combination to mark the exact position. People see the overall drum setup. Hence, marking and taping the rug saves time and won’t bruise your ego.
Toms, Tom Holders, Snare Drum, and Hi-hat
As I stated earlier, memory locks are great for any Toms and the Hi-hat as well. If you use 2 Floor Toms (like Steve Gadd), memory locks are paramount. Also, I mark the legs with both permanent marker and small number stickers which I obtain from leftover cassette labels. For example, leg number one will be closest to my bass drum foot, and the height will be marked with permanent marker. The two remaining legs will also be numbered and marked. Another way to deal with floor tom placement is to eliminate three legs and use a combination single tom holder and hardware stand. Once again, use a memory lock to mark the desired tom position. The choice is yours: 6 legs or 1 tom stand for 2 drums. The clock is ticking!
Snare drum position is determined by too many factors… The “correct” height and angle could inspire a doctoral dissertation and thus goes beyond the scope of this article. However, if you’re consistent with the aforementioned “in the zone” setup, then you know that the snare stand should have a memory lock. Also bear in mind that your matched or traditional grip will play a vital role regarding positioning of the snare drum. Again, figure it out at home before you get to the gig!
Hardware and Cymbals
Cymbal stands are placed into two categories – Straight or Boom. All hardware stands take the longest to adjust because they are designed to accommodate various heights and angles. The first thing I do is to assign a cymbal to a specific stand. For example, my crash cymbals are usually placed onto boom stands. Then, I label my stands with a marker for easy convenience. I do not recommend labeling the hardware with tape because the stand will not be able to freely collapse. Straight stands are used for the ride or a cymbal that is not used much. Also, straight stands are ideal for auxiliary percussion. If you have several blocks and cowbells, then you need to assign them to a stand–number them. Finally, when breaking down the stands, don’t separate all of the parts because you’ll just have to reassemble them for the next time you play.
Multi Clamps and Specialty Accessory Holders
All of these components are small, cute, light, and convenient. As I stated earlier, time can be minimized by clearly knowing in advance where everything is placed. For example, my Latin Percussion Claw cymbal holder is always attached to my second mounted rack tom. My other clamps are marked with permanent marker. If possible leave these clamps attached to a specific stand and then label the stand with its specific functions. For example, boom number 2 contains my 16″ crash, and my ribbon crasher. I have spent endless hours tweaking combinations to accommodate my accessories. Once I find the ultimate configuration, I take another snapshot and add it to my scrapbook.
Conclusion
If you are fortunate to have a Roadie here are some quick set up suggestions:
Roadie: set up the rug, unpack all of the drums, and then store the drum cases elsewhere.
Drummer: center your bass drum, set up the snare and Hi-hat hardware.
Roadie: unpack the cymbals and wait for the drummer to guide you.
Drummer: set up the boom stands & make hardware adjustments.
Roadie: get drinks before the gig starts.
If you must set up by yourself, here are a few suggestions:
-Work out all setting up details during practice time AT HOME, NOT AT THE GIG!
-Use memory locks to mark specific heights and angles.
-Use adhesive tape, stickers, diagrams or permanent markers to label remaining components.
-Only use what the gig requires, i.e. eight mounted toms are pointless for a Jazz Trio situation or a wedding. If your car is already packed, don’t waste time shlepping things into the gig. You’ll waste time storing your stuff, when you need the 15 minutes to set up and warm up. In my opinion, rushing through a setup and stressing out before you play your first note is usually a bad combination. Again, do the “leg work” at home so you can focus on the music.
Finally, the hours you spend setting up at home could also be filmed on video tape. Moreover, I would recommend experimenting with several configurations for Rock, Jazz, wedding gigs, etc. Take more pictures, shoot more video, label them, study them, and show them to your Roadie.
Hopefully, I have provided some useful set up suggestions. If you have any short cuts and you’d like to share them, email me at the hyperlink below. Good luck!
About The Author
Evan M. Jacobson has attained a Master of Arts degree in Music from Radford University, Virginia, 1995. His Master’s Thesis is entitled “The TwentyFirst Century Drum Set: Combining New Technology With Traditional Instruments.” This thesis discusses a traditional acoustic drum set-up along with various electronics, and set-ups from contemporary drummers such as Neil Peart, Van Romaine, Kenwood Dennard, Tony Verderosa, Bill Bruford, and Dave Weckl.
Evan has performed, recorded, and produced various musical projects in New York City, New Jersey, Virginia and Washington. He currently resides in New Jersey and teaches English and Music. He can be reached at: Evan Jacobson