[resonut]

Im always amazed at how many drummers im impressed with play 4 piece kits. I love the look of a two up two down kit but if being totally honest i could get by wonderfully on a 4 piece. Have any of you larger kit players entertained the thought of going groove conscious to the max and EXPANDING your creativity on a 4 piece kit?. Shawn Pelton rules.

[tamazildjian]

I used to use 2 up 1 down but then I switched to a 4 piece about a year ago and haven't gone back to a 5 piece

[butter]

im buying a 6 piece, 2 up, 2 down. however, i plan to remove 2 drums in order to, yes, expand my creativity. ill use the whole kit, but then i will downgrade for some practice for a while.

[Infero Exicution]

One day i was bored and took down my 7-piece to a 4 (that took a while)
And I enjoyed the feel of it.
I played brushes on it as well as sticks.
I could do a lot that I wouldn't have expected. So yeah it was fun.
I'd love to do it again.

[Buddy]

I like to do that when we play church gigs and smaller stuff like that. I usually have a 7 piece and move down to a four. its really fun. plus it takes WAY less time to move around and setup

[resonut]

Its interesting that some of you experiment with a smaller kit. After some soul searching ive really wondered what a 4 piece kit couldnt do for me (as a groove player) that a 6 piece could?. In large venues the bigger 14 and 16'' floor toms can be indistinguishable. I think fills PERIOD can get lost a bit in the mayhem of an 8 piece horn band when all hell is breaking loose. Im thinking on joining Andy Newmark, Shawn Pelton, Ringo, Dino Dinelli, Charlie and a hundred others that have grooved supremely with a 4 piece. You?.

[Drum Key]

Mike wengren's tom grooves on a 4 piece? not happening =P
I play 2 up , 2 down and a 13" hanging around in the middle. its intense stuff

[PearlVSX]

I have been playing a minimalist set up for at least the past 10-12 years>

I recently bought a new Studio/rehearsal kit. Something went off inside my head and I decided I wanted to go bigger.

For gigs, especially smaller venues.. this configuration wins!



Specs upon request.

[jamaul08]

My first time EVER playing a 4-piece set up was last night when I went to audition for a new band. My tom mounts did not fit the bass drum that was there. So I decided to wing it and use the snare stand as a tom mount.

I ended up with a snare, bass, 1 tom on a snare stand and floor tom. Had no other hardware to attach the other tom. There was so much room to put my 18" crash and with no mounted tom on the right, I was able to lower the crash to a crazy comfortable height. Overall, I played as good, if not better than I did with a 5-piece. I feel like it pushed me to be faster and precise with my fills.

Without a doubt, I want my next kit to be a 4-piece. Later I could add a floor tom for 1 up 2 down, but I am now leaning towards the "less is more" crowd.

[resonut]

Thanks for your thoughts thus far you guys. Interesting.