Drummer Set-Up: How Long is Too Long?

Most drummers I've worked with it's usually around a 1/2 hour. I'm usually busy setting up my bass rig, the pa and lights (and thats an hour or more) so I don't know exactly.

 

As long as he's not late, it really doesn't matter, does it?

 

I think a 1/2hr is reasonable. I have experienced an hour upwards to 2 hours.

 

yeah half hour or so seems about right , how about paying more attention to the job at hand and offer to help him if you think he is too slow
acceptable time is what it is , some things just don't have to be clocked or controlled

 

My drummer has a monster double bass kit. 12 mics in all. Usually puts up a riser too. It takes him about an hour.

 

I am completely impatient with anyone who can't set up their rig with any urgency at a gig. It takes me all of 5 minutes to get my gear in order. Drummers naturally take longer than that, but my biggest beef is with guitarists who are generally lagging far behind everyone else.

 

seems some drummers I've worked with set up and tear down slowly to avoid helping load in / load out the pa/lights.

 

A half hour is not bad. You say he's a good drummer so I would not be complaining about his set up time. Lot's of drummers have more serious baggage than that. Consider yourself lucky.

 

Man there are a lot of control freaks here

 

Is this your drummer?

 

^^^That rug really ties the stage together.

 

Not this long...

 

20 minutes tops

 

i hear ya, i get impatient too, but i think 30 mins isn't bad, especially since he's setting his own mics.

that's a perfectly reasonably sized kit, too... it's when they start bringing stadium-sized 1,000 piece kits to bar gigs that you want to worry

 

If you are trying to paint me as a "control freak," I would respectfully say that you are way off base.

 

As long as they're ready to play on time, what's the dif?

 

Not sure why you would get impatient with someone for how long it takes to set up as long as they start on time, though. What I get most impatient with are the stragglers who show up 15 minutes before start time and throw everyone else in a panic trying to get them going. Sure, I've done it a couple times but nothing I make a habit of.

 

+1. ^^^ This.

Normal/typically - about 20 to 30 minutes (including load in time).