For most working class drummers – and even practicing ones – we have to compartmentalize our various sized drum kits to fit the intended stage dimensions. Having a 12X12 stage dimension is gravy for bands these days. More often than not, however, we face strange L-shaped stages situated flat against bar walls, no stages at all leaving us to create one around tables and chairs, or an actual elevated stage that a ventriloquist could barely fit on.

So how do we adapt to ever-changing stage sizes? First, Gibraltar Hardware and other drum hardware companies got smart years ago and innovated the use of drum rack systems, which saves tons of space and lessens set-up time and energy. If you don’t own one and play out regularly, you should definitely at least consider purchasing one.

Before anything else, don’t screw yourself over to accommodate guitar amps. What I mean is if you don’t fight for your rights as a musician, you will lose them. Guitarists sometimes forget that drummers also need to hear the music in order to play well. Unless you have a sound man who understands how to mix all the instruments and vocals into a good monitor for you and you alone, then setting your drum kit up behind everyone else is a mistake.
I have yet to meet a sound man who can mix everything together effectively that way.

My point is guitarists rarely stop to adjust control knobs on their amplifiers while playing songs. Most use their effects pedals and guitar dials to control and change sound. So why must guitarists and bassists set up their amps in front of the drums? The audience will still hear everything fine if the amps are placed against the wall to the left and right beside your drum throne.

My advice is for drummers to get to shows and new practice spaces early and own your space first. Your carpet is king. Let the band build their gear around you, and strongly encourage them not to fear placing amps back in alignment with the rear of your drum set. It will help the mix immensely and provide more actual playing space for musicians. If you are unsure of the stage size, call the club or venue earlier in the week to inquire or go check it out ahead of time.

Enough of my drummer discrimination rant, though I’ll conclude by adding that stringed instrument players should leave their cases and back-up guitars back stage or in the cars just like drummers do. Big space saver. And there’s no need to display five guitars on stage unless you intend to play them all.

Then there’s actual stage sound variations to consider. I’m no soundman, but have found better success with my own band setting up our amps somewhat blowing across stage at each other rather than directly pointing out into the audience. You can control the mix better that way. In very small venues, I have even seen a band leader turn all the amps inward toward the stage to control maximum sound output decibels. Obviously, in that case setting up amps behind the drum kit would be a moot point.

Some bands also run everything through the PA system regardless of stage or venue size. I can’t advise you one way or the other on that front; I only add that for most small to mid-sized clubs – unless you are live recording -you can get away with having only three mics on the drums for your kick, snare and an ambient overhead. That will save a lot of on-stage clutter and time. In many cases, you don’t need any mics and neither do guitarists.

The very worst thing you can do as a drummer is to try to cram a 12-piece Gretsch Renown series into a space not made for it. For one, it will take you twice the amount of time as normal to re-configure your cymbal stand spans, and you’ll end up with too tight an area in which to play. Less is more in that case. Leave half the kit in your car and go basic.

- Tim Kane is a freelance drummer, instructor and writer living in Massachusetts. He writes a regular blog for Gibraltar Hardware.

Possibly related posts:

• November 17, 2011 -- Getting The Biggest Bang Out Of Your Bass Drum Pedal
• August 2, 2011 -- Gibraltar Rack Supports 200 lb. “Drum”
• December 20, 2011 -- Rack it up with NO LEG hi-hat and cymbal boom stands

Custom Drum Hardware Blog, 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: clamps accessories, drum hardware, drum kit, drum rack, drum racks, drummers, drums, racks, tips

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Possibly related posts:

• January 27, 2012 -- Size and equality matter when it comes to band stage set-ups
• November 14, 2011 -- Cool Things from Gibraltar
• September 12, 2011 -- 4600 Hardware Series Standing On Its Own

Custom Drum Hardware Blog, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: clamps accessories, drum hardware, drum rack, drum racks, high hat stands

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

So where did I go wrong? First of all, I should have known better than to not understand the gig logistics prior to actually showing up with my gear. Come to find out, this particular club didn’t even have a stage area. I helped the bar manager move tables and chairs to open up room. If I had taken just a little more time before the gig to analyze how many tables would actually have to be moved in order to comfortably accommodate a 5-piece band, many challenges that particular evening would have been erased. My bad.

Moreover, the band I was filling-in for on drums did no sound check prior to the first set. We just started playing. If one were held, I would have requested a monitor and more room to maneuver. As drummers, we have just as much right to ask for certain amenities at gigs as our fellow musicians do. My bad.

Getting muscle cramps like I did during the gig is never cool, either. Dehydration and lack of food to power your muscles are the primary causes of cramps. Given bottled water is usually hard to come by in bars, I should have brought five bottles and placed them behind my drum kit. I also should have arrived much earlier at the gig and ordered dinner there. If not, a couple of high-energy bars stuck in your stick bag will do the trick. My bad.

As for floor monitoring and getting proper levels, all I heard that evening was mush from other bandmates (and they actually played well). And with the lead guitarist’s amp placed directly in front of my kick drum, I am sure the audience had trouble hearing me, too. The band ended playing tight against two walls in an L-shape. It was one of the most maniacal stage set-ups I have ever experienced. I should have asked that question well before the gig and also allowed time for readjustment after the sound check that was never conducted. Again, my bad.

This all takes me back to bagging out on the pre-gig band practice (I was teaching drum lessons at the time and should have just rescheduled those students). That dress rehearsal would have been an ideal time to talk about the gig dynamic, my needs, stage set-up, sound levels, and overall expectations. You should have that group discussion well before the gig.

All of this combined into the perfect storm of a third set meltdown for me personally with near exhaustion and frustration. In the end, lack of advance preparation killed my drumming technique at that gig and I have no one else to blame but myself.

- Tim Kane is a freelance drummer, instructor and writer living in Massachusetts. He writes a regular blog for Gibraltar Hardware.

Possibly related posts:

• November 17, 2011 -- Getting The Biggest Bang Out Of Your Bass Drum Pedal
• January 27, 2012 -- Size and equality matter when it comes to band stage set-ups
• January 3, 2012 -- Drummers Should Listen To Sight-Reading Wisdom

Custom Drum Hardware Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: drum hardware, drummer, drummers, drums, education, gigs, sound check, technique, tips

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

We spent a good deal of time at Gibraltar Hardware packaging our 4600 series hardware together exclusively as a sweet bundle deal with our sister company, Gretsch Drums, for obvious reasons. Because of the 4600 series line’s ever growing popularity, however, we have decided to offer them individually for the first time.

The 4600 series hardware includes a hi-hat stand, snare stand, 1 boom rod and 1 straight cymbal stand, and a kick drum pedal. It was originally designed to give Gretsch drum customers instant kit playability leaving the retail store or delivery truck at a reasonable price, but with the same high quality as our other individual lines. While the Gretsch/Gibraltar hardware packs are no longer Gretsch specific, they still very much pack a punch.

This gear solves several problems for the both the practicing and gigging drummer, especially for those who either are new to the drumming community or looking to upgrade their outdated equipment. First, it’s the perfect way to upgrade to great, low mass double braced hardware to expand your current gear offerings, have back-ups in case of emergency, or to finish off a shell kit purchase. If you don’t place your cymbal positions well above head level or love to thrash hard all the time, then the 4600 cymbal stands (boom stand extension ranges from 30-57 inches tall) are perfect for you. That said, the 4600 series cymbal stands are designed to hold virtually any cymbal weight. It is just a matter of how hard you rock them.

Because the 4600 series cymbal stand bases are a double braced tripod design with hinged height adjustment, drummers can also envision alternative set-up treatments as yet another advantage to owning such components. We’ve seen skinners mounting a tom-tom, cowbell, tambourine, and other percussive devices on these babies with no problems.

As for the 4600 series hi-hat stand, drummers can find an advantage in that the top height extension of 36 inches will certainly make it easier to fit the stand in a standard drum hardware bag without having to collapse it. And its rotating base tripod leg certainly helps provide more foot space for double bass drum players and those fitting a drum kit in tight stage or practice spaces.

The 4600 series snare stand gives drummers the same quality all cast adjustment points, but without the added weight. This may not be the best option for drummers with heavy 6.5-inch deep snare shells, but for smaller piccolo-like snare players and as secondary snare stand option, you can’t beat the price or quality.

And as for the 4600 series bass drum pedal, it is one of the better packaged deal pedals on the market today as a simple and fast pedal, styled with the Wave pedal board and hammer dual surface beater that delivers speed and ease of use. It is the perfect pedal for those learning how to play kick drum, or for old drummers who want a more efficient and transportable piece of gear.

You can see from the product description advantages above why we have decided to break this series out as separate Gibraltar Hardware options. We think you will find the series offering as the perfect individual addition or replacement, or complete line.

Possibly related posts:

• December 20, 2011 -- Rack it up with NO LEG hi-hat and cymbal boom stands
• November 14, 2011 -- Cool Things from Gibraltar
• August 12, 2011 -- It’s In The Bag

Custom Drum Hardware Blog, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: clamps accessories, cymbal stands, drum hardware, drum rack, high hat stands, splash

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Gibraltar’s Brent Barnett, all 200 lbs, performs pull ups on a Gibraltar rack and tom mount to prove that using memory locks correctly will prevent your toms from slipping. Brent demo’s how to use memory locks, in this case a combo of slip on and hinged, to prevent any movement on the bar or the clamp.
Pretty much this ends the discussion on slippage… unless your toms are over 200 lbs!

Possibly related posts:

• January 27, 2012 -- Size and equality matter when it comes to band stage set-ups
• November 14, 2011 -- Cool Things from Gibraltar
• September 15, 2011 -- Custom DJ Rack: Gibraltar Hardware

Custom Drum Hardware Blog, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: clamps accessories, drum hardware, drum kit, drummers, racks, video

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Gibraltar Hardware understands that drummers and their fellow musicians often must lug around makeshift support systems in order to mount a laptop, recording system, trigger module or small mixing console. As the guy charged with digitally recording and mixing my own band’s music live and in studio, I was once that drummer, too. I really needed something a lot more angular, portable and road worthy than my grandma’s old end table.

That’s only one reason that compelled the team here to create the Gibraltar Electronics Mounting Station (GEMS) as the best option to achieve professional level platform nirvana. The unique stand is not only for laptops, but also can support a DJ controller, VJ controller, beat machine or most any other piece of electronic equipment. The GEMS is highly adaptable to supporting a variety of gear in concert, symphonic and recording situations. Guitarists and keyboardists have found this stand as useful as drummers do. In fact, any member of a band – no matter what its size or composition – would truly benefit from owning one.

In today’s digital-driven world of music, we felt the stand itself perhaps would not offer enough options for the multi-gear enabled performer. So an optional 12-inch by 12-inch fiberglass GEMAT Folding Accessory Table was also designed to mount to the vertical tube of the GEMS stand to support smaller modules or even percussion accessories. The platform’s black felt exterior finish looks cool, too.

The specs on these two products give musicians plenty of versatility with regard to angles and heights for their electronic devices. In my world, I need to run my MacBook Pro laptop and M-audio Ultra 8R interface simultaneously live, whether on the road or recording in my home studio. If you have ever tried to adjust gain knobs or panning positions on an interface while playing the drums, it can be quite a challenge to do both at the same time. The GEMS simplifies that process with its tilting mount and height adjustable tripod stand. For drummers with a Gibraltar rack system already in their arsenal, they can also opt for the Gibraltar Electronics Mounting Clamp. That device is attached to a metal rack clamp with a large T handle that fits onto any standard 1.5-inch rack bar.

We’ve noticed some recent forum posts about these products and the one resounding theme is how your precious and expensive electronic gear would be fastened down. That’s where the genius of Gibraltar’s invention comes into play. The two 16.5-inch flat metal mounting arms both have two adjustable stoppers that can slide up and down and lock with an easy hand turn. Your laptop or other device sits perfectly secure between these stoppers, which also sport Gibraltar’s patented no metal-to-metal contact points. The stoppers won’t press into your sensitive electronic gear like other clamps could because of the rubber bushings on their sides. It is a rock solid assembly that also has Gibraltar’s custom memory locks so you don’t have to mess around each time you set-up to achieve that perfect angle and height.

Beyond the incredible stability of the GEMS, which is supported by a 1 ¼-inch tubed tripod base with up to 28-inch wide stance, our Gibraltar design gurus also placed heavy emphasis on the positioning mechanics of the product. Highly efficient and intimate use of digital and electronic gear is paramount to a great performance, especially for drummers. The two t-knobs used to adjust and lock the specific angle of your arms are nice and thick (like a giant sized drum key) and lock down well, allowing almost any vertical or horizontal alignment for your devices. And the stand can reach as high as 42 inches or as low as 28 inches, making it a perfect side station for any type of drum kit or stage arrangement.

If you are serious about recording, sampling and mixing equipment live and in studio, you really need to check out our Gibraltar Electronics Mounting Station.

Question of the week: What type of support do you use to hold your electronic gear?

- Tim Kane is an independent drummer, instructor and writer living in Massachusetts. He writes a weekly blog for Gibraltar Hardware.

Possibly related posts:

• January 27, 2012 -- Size and equality matter when it comes to band stage set-ups
• September 15, 2011 -- Custom DJ Rack: Gibraltar Hardware
• August 2, 2011 -- Gibraltar Rack Supports 200 lb. “Drum”

Custom Drum Hardware Blog, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: custom set ups, Electronics, racks

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

The first video goes into detail about the design process with Gibraltar’s Brent Barnett taking you through the construstion and how he came up with his Low Rider design. In this interview Samantha talks about being inspired by the Gibraltar Stealth rack.

Part One

Part Two

Possibly related posts:

• June 15, 2010 -- Gibraltar welcomes Samantha Maloney to the Team!
• January 27, 2012 -- Size and equality matter when it comes to band stage set-ups
• September 15, 2011 -- Custom DJ Rack: Gibraltar Hardware

Custom Drum Hardware Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: gibraltar artists, racks, Samantha Maloney

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Tobin Wagstaff and his custom drum kit

Tobin says

The smallest tom-tom is dedicated to volunteers of the people: the everyday folks that helped us. The largest tom-tom is dedicated to the “stars” of the build. That is, the designers, the family, the builder, the leads, and crew. The bass drum is dedicated to the home itself. You will see pictures of the old house through its demo and construction of the new home. This is my way, as a drummer, of saying “thank you” to everyone who supported the build.

You can see a gallery of the kit here.

Note: This should not to be confused with Gibaltar’s Extreme Hardware Makeover. Gibaltar’s Extreme Hardware Makeover is a play off of the name of the TV show mentioned above, Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

Most Commented Posts

• June 1, 2009 -- GRS-850DBL Double Bass Rack Kit: Custom Rack for Double Kick Setup
• February 1, 2010 -- Gibraltar’s Extreme Hardware Makeover Video
• May 1, 2009 -- How to Set Up a Clean Looking Custom Drum Rack

Custom Drum Hardware Blog, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: custom drum kit, extreme makeover home edition, tobin wagstaff

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh