How you set up our drums and how you sit both play a very important part in how well you actually play the drums. Even if your kit is set up already, read on, as the following information will help. There are four essential items that are very important to set up in the correct positions; the stool, the hi-hats, the bass drum and the snare drum.

1. The stool

Sit comfortably with your back straight and your legs apart a little. Adjust the height of your stool so that your thighs are close to parallel with the floor. Even adjust your stool height so your thighs are pointing down towards your knees a little, so that when you lift your heels up, your thighs are parallel with the ground. Your shins should be relatively vertical. Sit up straight.

2. The pedals

Make sure your feet and legs are at similar angles and distances from your stool. Make them as even as possible. Try sitting on the stool with no pedals and mark where your feet sit naturally, then put the pedals there.

3. The snare drum

Place the snare drum in between your knees with the top of the drum 1 - 4 inches above your knees. Have it reasonably flat, maybe tilted a little. The snare drum needs to be above your knees so that you can lift your heels and play the rim of the snare at the same time without your knees hitting your hands.

To know how far away (forward and back) to place the snare drum, try this trick:

1. Close your eyes and let your arms hang by your side.
2. Bend only your elbows and raise your forearms to playing height making sure you're relaxed and sitting up straight.
3. Turn your wrists in so that the tips of the sticks are close together.
4. When you open your eyes your sticks are in the position where the middle of the snare should be.

4. The hi-hats

Make sure the hi-hats are above the snare, approximately six to eight inches. It is common to adjust these height settings quite frequently until you find a comfortable height.

5. The rest of the kit

The rest of the kit often is decided by personal preference, how many drums you've got, what size they are and most importantly, the proportions of your body. Check the pictures on this CD-ROM and look at your favourite drummers' kits to help get ideas. You must be able to hit each drum naturally and comfortably. Mounted or small toms are placed in front of the snare to the right of the hi-hats on a slight angle so you can hit the drum comfortably without hitting the rims. The floor tom should be positioned to the right of your right leg at a similar height to the snare, maybe a little lower. The cymbals should be mounted so that your stick hits on a slight angle. Experiment. Don't tighten the wing nuts too much as this will restrict the cymbal from its natural vibration and may contribute to cracks.