(continued from part one)
Picture it. You are at a concert with an opening band or band(s) you are unfamiliar with. There is no one on stage to look at but roadies so what do you do? I'll tell you what I do. I check out the band's banner/backdrops if they have them, I check out the backline equipment to get a sense of the band i.e. are there two guitarists? Is there a keyboard player? But mostly I check out the kit to see if it is big or small. From looking at the gear on stage, the band has already made its first impression, and they haven't even walked on stage or played the first note yet.
You can tell a lot about a drummer, or any musician by the gear he plays with. At the local level, I always check out what other drummer's are playing when I share the bill with other bands for the first time. Are they lefty? Does the drummer have cases? Are the skins beat to shit? Are the cymbals cracked? Is the hardware rusted or pitted? Does he use a throne? Is there something original and distinctive about the kit? These details of the instrument can reveal details about the drummer. It is always fun for me to check out the drummer in action later and see how accurate that first impression is. This leads us to....
Rule #3: A drummer uses quality gear.
You need to have good gear to get the job done. Notice I used the word good and not expensive. You can have very solid gear that does the job without breaking the bank. Wether it is a massive 12pc kit with all the bells and whistles, or a 3 piece kit with two cymbals - it is more about getting what you need to get the job done. Two classic patterns that non drummers may fall into:
1. "Drummer"A - image first/money no object: buying drums and cymbals more for how they look on stage, or for the brand name than for how they sound. Cannot imagine how he could not get an endorsement once the drum company sees how cool he looks standing behind the kit with his awesome piercings and tats.
2. "Drummer" B - path of least resistance/lazy: bought a drum kit his buddy was selling for cheap. Uses the least (and smallest sized) gear because he hates all the work it takes to set up and tear down the kit. Does not invest any money into his instrument unless absolutely possible (i.e. a repair that duct tape cannot fix). He also secretly wishes to play the harmonica.
Hopefully you fall into the "C" category. You know what you need and get a good quality instrument that you can have for years. You add or subtract pieces according to the band or gig you are playing. You maintain that instrument for years and are inspired to greatness by it. A flashy color or a boutique kit is just icing on the cake for you. If you want it- you get it - but you play the shit out of those drums because you love them.
I don't think there has ever been a better time to be a drummer. The gear just keeps getting better and better. The amount of products, companies and variety out there staggers the mind. Drummers have the most unique instrument on stage. We can tune it how we want to, we can choose to play on as many or as few drums as we want. We can even dive into the realm of triggers and sampled sounds, sequencers, drum loops and electronic drums .
If gear can reflect professionalism and personality, then what does YOUR kit say about you?
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