Circuit-33 (The Band)Not to be confused with circuits of any other variety

Unlike Other Instruments

Even though the modern day electronic musical keyboard is arguably the most flexible and versatile instrument ever created, and although it would probably not be considered a restriction, I have never seen one with anything except the standard octave key spacing format.  Likewise when it comes to ordering woodwinds, the saxophone player is not asked how he wants his new baritone sax ‘keyed’, or what geometric shape he prefers.   Likewise, professional basketball players have little worry that the courts they will be playing on will be consistent in their dimensions.

Drum and Percussion Sets are Kind of Like Golf Courses

On the other hand, no two golf courses are identical.  Despite being made up of certain general elements that they all have  in common, each one is different, but can be uniquely designed and laid out according to the needs of the players, (golfers & drummers).   Drums as a musical instrument are comprised of many individual things that make different sounds when struck.  There seem to be no cardinal rules, (or even city ordinances for that matter), that are broken when it comes to customizing drum sets to the need and preference of the modern drummer.

Back in the Day

Traditionally a ‘trap set’ consisted of a Bass Drum with a Tom mounted to it, a Floor Tom, a Snare Drum, Hi-Hat Cymbals, and typically a Ride Cymbal, and possibly a Crash Cymbal.  As simplistic as that might sound, it is incredible just how much sound a good drummer could derive from it.

But today it is not uncommon to find sets with multiple Bass Drums, multiple Floor Toms, multiple Snare Drums, and a virtual constellation of Mounted Toms in varying styles and sizes.

Octabons

Groupings of small diameter single-headed drums of varying depths (notably Tama “Octabons”) are often included in some of the larger drum kits. 

Drummer Stuart Copeland (of “The Police”) made extensive use of them in his performances.

Rototoms

Remo “Rototoms” continue to make an interesting addition to many drum kits.  Besides taking up precious little ‘percussion playground’ space because of their having no actual shell, they are unique in that they are tuned simply by hand rotation.  Drummer Danny Seraphine (of “Chicago” fame) was known to have an onstage assistant turn his Rototoms during his solos that featured them. Some drummers use Rototoms almost exclusively for their drum kit.  (You can’t ask for a much easier way to tune them!)

I also ran across this variation:  Rototom mounted (acoustically open) on top of same sized drum shell.

The most unusual use of the Rototom I’ve seen is by Drummer Terry Bozzio, who uses two of the Rototom frames without the drum heads:  He has them attached to a Hi-Hat stand in place of the cymbals! (No Rules, remember?)

(Continued on No Rules for Drum Sets – Pt-2)