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Yes' Alan White's dos and don'ts for drummers

The legendary sticksman reveals his secrets

Joe Bosso, Mon 22 Jun 2009, 4:17 pm UTC

2. DO arrange your kit in a comfortable fashion

"No matter if you're playing a four-piece kit or if you have a wall of drums around you, you have to feel comfortable behind your set," says White.

"Arranging a drum kit is still one of the most misunderstood aspects of playing the instrument. A lot of it is trial-and-error, but the biggest thing I find drummers get wrong consistently is that they don't make their sets comfortable for them.

"Think about it: You might be playing a two or three-hour show. You might be practicing all day. If you don't feel right sitting behind your kit, and if you have your drums laid out in an awkward fashion, you're not going to play well - and you could develop all kinds of physical problems.

"I like to sit behind my drums as if I were driving a car. Arrange your seat comfortably, have your feet where they would go naturally, and assemble your drums around you like a dashboard almost, where you can get to everything easily. It's as simple as that. If you have to lean over and reach for a drum or cymbal, then something's wrong. Make the necessary adjustments."

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User comments (2)

  • stringsthings

    Avatar for stringsthings

    21 weeks ago.

    Alan White Rocks !!! :)

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  • thedude5

    Avatar for thedude5

    21 weeks ago.

    Alan White is an AMAZING drummer, and his advice is fantastic. I'm going to rearrange my drum set right now, in fact.
    On a different note...I think I partied with that girl drinking the 40 ouncer. Just sayin'.

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