Alan_ wrote:

I play a 4 piece, every blue moon I'll add my 16" floor and play 5.

I'd rather have my ride cymbal and hi-hat nice and tight than another rack tom.

The ride and hi hat positioning are the main reason i play a 4 piece kit. It just feels so much better.








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Sonor Force 3007
Saluda Cymbals (14" Diamond Hi Hats, 16" Diamond Fast Crash, 17" Protoype Crash, 20"Earthworks Dry Ride)
Iron Cobra Pedals
DW hardware

I really like the idea of a four piece minimalistic kit and playing really well with it rather than just smash about on a huge kit. I was wondering how valid a smaller kit would be because everyone seems to have a six or seven piece kit with a double pedal and a tonne of brass, but you lot seem to enjoy the more modest kit which is reassuring.

Currently I have a five piece second hand Pearl kit and will be looking to buy a new set in about two months that I'll keep really nice for gigs. I'm thinking... Snare, bass, rack tom, floor tom, hi-hats, splash, crash and ride. I'll use the Pearl to just practice on.

my dw kit is a 6 piece, but i almost exclusively play out with a 4 piece, sometimes ill bring my 16 inch tom as well and have a 5 piece, but i reallly love a 4 piece setup. Especially since i can bring the ride in real close where i would normally have my second tom. It just feels like the most natural setup to me.








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dw collector series maple
zildjian and saluda cymbals
dw and yamaha snares
dw hardware

Not to mention you save room.

Alan_ wrote:

I play a 4 piece, every blue moon I'll add my 16" floor and play 5.

I'd rather have my ride cymbal and hi-hat nice and tight than another rack tom.

Funny thing is, as much as I love playing the 4 piece, I keep the HH over to the left a bit and the ride to the right. These are crucial components and I need them in " a spot". I'm sure I'll always go back to the 4 or 5 tom set up and I don't wanna get comfortable with less. HH sucks over there for shuffle feels. Ride does'nt matter.

okjohne wrote:

Funny thing is, as much as I love playing the 4 piece, I keep the HH over to the left a bit and the ride to the right. These are crucial components and I need them in " a spot". I'm sure I'll always go back to the 4 or 5 tom set up and I don't wanna get comfortable with less. HH sucks over there for shuffle feels. Ride does'nt matter.

I've moved the ride from far right to the spot where the second rack tom used to be, pretty common I think. Sequentially from left, I have HH, 16 fast crash, 20 full ride, 18 fast crash - all paiste sound formulas, I love em! okjohne - you have HH and ride by snare?

Hey Bear. I just have not moved the ride or HH in. I keep the HH out a bit cause I like to play three racks with the middle one about center over the BD. That puts the HH a little left of what's easy. Same with the ride. I leave it right a bit so when I add two or three toms it does'nt kill me. I still like playing a big kit. I'm still trying to get good at double kick. I try to keep the HH and the ride close to their big kit spot so the transition is easy.

^^^^gotcha. Still digging the 4 piece on day two.








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Yamaha
Paiste Sound Formula
Pearl Eliminator
ProMark

Splash cymbals not very popular with smaller kits? Seems most people would rather have a second crash instead.

I'd like to add a splash between HH and 16 thin crash when I find the right one. I play rock and pop style of music for church and splash works in the mix. Maybe use one of those cymbal extender thingies off of the 16 thin crash stand.








_________________
Yamaha
Paiste Sound Formula
Pearl Eliminator
ProMark

Over the years I've moved toward a four piece set up, mainly because of the music I play. If I'm basically laying it down hard, there is really no need for a bunch of toms. Kick, snare, hats play 95% of the notes. With more drums, I start to think "what can I play on that 10" for this fill" rather than "What rhythm is going to fit this piece of music".

I notice that if I play my little old Ludwig 4 piece, I play much differently than if I use my big DW kit with a 22' BD. On the little kit (12", 14", 20")I play much more funky and relaxed. On the big kit, it's all about the ROCK! Even as a four piece, the DW set seems huge because of the space that the stands take up and the height of the toms over that bass drum. Hmmm . . .

tc

silverbear wrote:

kansasdrummer wrote:

It will seen more difficult to do fills on a 4 piece. I have a 6 piece set and a 4 peice set. I actually almost prefer the 4 piece, its just more simple, and its more challanging to do a fill. Play with it, see what you like. Sometimes u will wonder why u lugged the extra tom around, then you will think how could u of played without it.

Your post made me think a bit because I've been finding fills a little easier to do with the 4 piece. I never realized it till now, but I just figured out I tend to play shorter more compact fills or syncopated single accent strokes / short fill combos. Thanks for that!

lol no problem. its wierd for me actually, if im on a 5 or 6 piece set, i tend to only use one mounted tom and the floor tom, but when im on a 4 piece i just wish that other tom was there. its more of a psychologial thing i guess..idk.

this is how i play my setup:










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Creature Drum Co. Kit
20x24, 12x6, 15x13
Ghost Black Satin Stain w/ Brass Hardware

14x7 Hybrid Snare (Green Glitter/Clear Acrylic) {STOLEN}

BillRayDrums wrote:

4 pc kit is a great move. Your playing will grow by leaps & bounds.

save money on buying new heads too

I played on a four piece kit for years with the traditional "cool" flat tom, and decided it wasnt for me. I played it fine and all, but wanted a little more and added another tom. But a 4 piece is my second favorite setup to a 5 piece with the top two toms shifted to the left so my ride can sit over top of the bass drum.