With the advent of modular rack systems developed by companies such as Pearl, Gibraltar, Drum Workshop, Tama, and Yamaha, drummers now have the ability to align their components virtually anywhere in order to achieve playing position that's the most comfortable.
Along with offering more set-up choices than conventional stands, there are additional perks to working with a rack, such as...
- racks reduce the overall footprint that a drum kit takes up on the floor, which is optimal when you have a finite amount of floor space or are forced to use a smaller than usual drum riser
- racks are lighter and easier to move than typical stands with heavy tripod bases, and with plenty of equipment as it is, lessening the amount of weight that we have to carry and move is a welcome benefit
- racks enable us to set-up our gear quickly and consistently
I have to use a rack given the sheer number of components that make up my 2 kits - 16 drums and fifty cymbals on one kit, and thirteen drums and 53 cymbals on another! Without a rack, it would also be extremely hard for me to set-up quickly and accurately on a consistent basis.
If you're thinking about exploring the possibility of using a rack system rather than using stands and taking advantage of the full potential that racks can offer, there are a few things to consider when choosing a rack and setting it up for the first time.
Choosing The Type of Rack
There are 2 types of rack bars for your drum set - round and square. (Note: Yamaha employs a hex bar. However, for all intents and purposes, that bar operates like a round one.)
The great thing about using a round bar rack is that any rack clamp that you attach to the bar can rotate 360 degrees. To prevent clamp slippage and prevent accidental rotation, you can install a memory lock next to each rack clamp for extra security. Another benefit of using a round bar rack is that they can be easily cut to any desired length using a standard pipe cutter, allowing for some truly unique and custom designs.
A rack system like Pearl's that utilizes a square bar doesn't have any slippage issues whatsoever. However, because the bar only has four sides, you're limited to positioning clamps in only four positions (although Pearl does offer an optional clamp with a rotating end that allows for more flexibility). Also, there's a slight cost savings in using a square bar rack in that there's no need to get memory locks for each rack clamp in order to prevent unwanted rotation/slippage.
In Part two, I'll discuss topics like rack configuration, assembly, and how to mount your kit's components on your rack.
Should you have any questions or need specific advice regarding your rack decisions or challenges, feel free to reach out. I'm always here to help!
Along with offering more set-up choices than conventional stands, there are additional perks to working with a rack, such as...
- racks reduce the overall footprint that a drum kit takes up on the floor, which is optimal when you have a finite amount of floor space or are forced to use a smaller than usual drum riser
- racks are lighter and easier to move than typical stands with heavy tripod bases, and with plenty of equipment as it is, lessening the amount of weight that we have to carry and move is a welcome benefit
- racks enable us to set-up our gear quickly and consistently
I have to use a rack given the sheer number of components that make up my 2 kits - 16 drums and fifty cymbals on one kit, and thirteen drums and 53 cymbals on another! Without a rack, it would also be extremely hard for me to set-up quickly and accurately on a consistent basis.
If you're thinking about exploring the possibility of using a rack system rather than using stands and taking advantage of the full potential that racks can offer, there are a few things to consider when choosing a rack and setting it up for the first time.
Choosing The Type of Rack
There are 2 types of rack bars for your drum set - round and square. (Note: Yamaha employs a hex bar. However, for all intents and purposes, that bar operates like a round one.)
The great thing about using a round bar rack is that any rack clamp that you attach to the bar can rotate 360 degrees. To prevent clamp slippage and prevent accidental rotation, you can install a memory lock next to each rack clamp for extra security. Another benefit of using a round bar rack is that they can be easily cut to any desired length using a standard pipe cutter, allowing for some truly unique and custom designs.
A rack system like Pearl's that utilizes a square bar doesn't have any slippage issues whatsoever. However, because the bar only has four sides, you're limited to positioning clamps in only four positions (although Pearl does offer an optional clamp with a rotating end that allows for more flexibility). Also, there's a slight cost savings in using a square bar rack in that there's no need to get memory locks for each rack clamp in order to prevent unwanted rotation/slippage.
In Part two, I'll discuss topics like rack configuration, assembly, and how to mount your kit's components on your rack.
Should you have any questions or need specific advice regarding your rack decisions or challenges, feel free to reach out. I'm always here to help!
About the Author:
Victor Salazar is the proprietor
of Vic's Drum Shop, an internationally famous drum and percussion store in
Chicago, Illinois. The voluminous knowledge of drum gear that he's accumulated over his forty
year career has made Vic a sought-after resource for beginning drummers, drumming
hobbyists, professional drummers, and many of the world's most famous drum
celebs.
of Vic's Drum Shop, an internationally famous drum and percussion store in
Chicago, Illinois. The voluminous knowledge of drum gear that he's accumulated over his forty
year career has made Vic a sought-after resource for beginning drummers, drumming
hobbyists, professional drummers, and many of the world's most famous drum
celebs.
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