Drumming in Harmony: 3 ideas for sitting comfortably at the drum set

Welcome to my Drumming in Harmony blog series. In this article, I’d like to share some ideas to help you sit comfortably while playing the drum set.

1. Take a moment to analyze your posture

Keep your head in line with your shoulders, not jutting out front of your body. Visualize the natural shape of your spine, including the slight inward curve in your lower back. Sit tall so that your spine feels extended and aligned with your head. Notice how your chest naturally relaxes and you can breathe more easily once your head, neck, and shoulders are all balanced over your hips. Finally allow your shoulders to relax and widen so that your arms hang loosely and feel free to move.

2. Improve your sense of balance

Work on maintaining balance while you are playing. Take a few minutes to find the position where your body feels most balanced on your drum throne. Remember to keep your body energy even, not pulling to your left or right side. Next, check to see that your head feels balanced on your neck.  (Imagine that your head is floating over your neck and free to move in any direction.) Finally, relax your legs so that your feet feel balanced on the pedals. Keeping your feet balanced will help you avoid excess leg tension that can pull your body down when you play.

3. Allow yourself to feel rooted

Take a moment to feel your body weight settle evenly through your drum throne and down into the ground. There are two sit bones on the bottom of your pelvis. Think of the weight of your upper body transferring directly through them into the seat. As you do this, feel the weight continue down through your legs into your foot pedals. When you feel rooted, you feel connected into the earth. Imagine tapping into that primal energy and allow it to flow into your playing.

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