Reggae players.

[Stanley Design]

Tell me what your drummers setup is please? I've been wanting to buy a kit and don't know what best suits my needs, but that is the style I've always played on my previous kits. My last kit was Yamaha Rydeens (with the 20 inch bass drum). I tuned the skins very high but kind of wish I had both highs and lows.

If it suits my needs I may buy the kit back and add some pieces. I was thinking maybe rototoms/timbale's etc?

I just want an idea of what most reggae players have in their basic kit for shells.

[BurningSkies]

I've played with a bunch of drummers and they've all had different kits.

The current player I spend the most time with has a really stripped down kit, and moreso for practicing. Just kick, snare, hat and 1 cymbal. For live shows, he brings one or two toms. We appreciate the lack of toms or extra shiny noise makers in practice, because he has to concentrate on the groove making.

In reggae, almost all the 'action' should be between the hi hat and the snare. Almost all the color should be hi hat.

Other players I've been with have had variations of a regular 4 or 5 pc. kit.

My favorite drummer, ol' Slack Mattie, used to have a small 4 pc kit and used 2 snares + timbale in his kit.

A couple quick things...a lot of knowledgeable reggae drummers will set up on the diagonal and orient their bodies to the hi hat and snare rather than the usual rock set up.

Also, THERE'S NO RIDE CYMBAL IN REGGAE.

When a new drummer shows up to play, I hide their ride.

[jobo4]

The drummer I play with has a similar practice set up: snare, kick, HH and crash. To shows he brings along one timbale. He's been playing reggae for 25 years now and pretty much does all the time keeping work.