I currently have my bass drum slightly raised from the floor in the front (about 1 inch from the ground). I guess my rationale was that I wanted the leg hardware to bear the pressure of the rack tom.
However, I wanted to gather some opinions on whether or not I should keep it like this or position it more even with the floor. Will the weight of the drums damage the bass drum over time or does it not even really matter???
I always try to make sure the spurs are raising the front of the BD just enough so that the shell is not sitting flat on the floor, just to improve the resonance of the shell. As for having toms mounted on top, there are lots of opinions on that. I've never seen a case in which the bass drum has been damaged by the weight of mounted toms... but I'm sure lots of people can chime in.
Personally, I try to keep my mounted toms OFF the bass drum (I use a basket stand for my one rack tom, generally), and have used RIMS mounts and cymbal stands to float the toms overtop. Again, only to increase the resonance - not because I feared the weight would be an issue. Drum shells are remarkably strong when used as intended.
By raising the bass drum off the floor allows it to vibrate more freely, thus, creating better resonance...I don`t think it would damage the bass drum considering it was designed to carry the weight of the toms, cymbal arm and ride (if applicable) and the bass drum itself...
Cheers
I was taught to raise the front of the bass by placing my fingers underneath the hoop and then locking it down at that height. (a half inch.) It not only has to do with the resonance of the drum, it has to do with the angle that the beater strikes the head. Once you attach the pedal, you raise the back of the drum about as high as what you set up front.
When the beater strikes the head, it is parallel to the drum head (see illo 1).
Raise the front too much and the beater will dig into the head (see illo 2).
Too much height in the back and the beater will have to go past 90 degree vertical to strike the head (see illo 3).
Mind your beater angle! Raise the front of the drum only enough to match the amount the pedal raises it in the back. The beater will hit dead vertical (beater will be perfectly parallel to the drum head,) if the drum is set-up right.
I whipped up a graphic in photoshop to illustrate what I'm talking about. It's important stuff to know. Save a lot of expensive heads and grief if you do it right.
[IMG]http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n632/PurdieShuffle/illo.jpg[/IMG]
John
John, great graphics and common sense instruction!
I really think the only instance where one has to worry about the weight of the toms causing problems over time is when the front BD head and hoop have been removed. And, IF you're wanting that particular sound, cut out an old head for the front so you can keep your hoops and hardware in place (or buy one of Evan's fancy screen type resonant heads).
Bill
> John, great graphics and common sense instruction!
I've reached an age where I have to start giving some of this back, or it dies with me. I'm hoping the info gets to the young guns that are coming up now. I've got a life-time of this stuff filed away in my head. I was always a good listener.
The student becomes the teacher and the wheel turns. We're all part of a drumming tradition that goes back to the cave men.
'Can't keep it unless you give it away!'
John
Thanks a lot for your suggestions. I have a Ludwig Fab Four set and the spurs are the arched style. There are only two in the front.
I currently have the beater hitting the bass drum head at an incorrect angle due to the raised positioning of the front of the bass drum. I will lower it to correct the issue.
Thanks!
-Carl
I would agree that you need to raise the front of the kick drum just enough to level it and to make sure that you don't have too much forward travel of the beater. I see guys all the time seriously raising the front of the kick for some reason. That will put your batter side hoop in a bind. I see no reason to do that.
I 'think' they do it because they believe it looks 'cool.' I'll bet if you could see the batter heads on those drums, you'd find a big, deep indentation/crater right where the beater hits it.
You can't get a good, full sound out of your bass drum if you're only hitting it with the top edge of the beater. It just digs a hole in the head in a very short time. Bass drum heads are expensive. It just makes sense to be sure the drum is set-up right.
Unless your name is Trump and you can afford to change heads at will...
John Po' Boy
