What is a drum throne?
A drum throne is a drum stool for playing drums and it’s the most important piece of any drum set. I’ve played on tons of them over the years. In this article, I want to highlight a few that will save your back and extend your drumming career!
When I started drumming at 15, I heard the name drum throne. I thought it was a joke. Like a way of elevating a drummer’s status in the band. Anyway, I guess we are the kings and queens of the beat and rhythm!
In Japan, I play on many different drum kits at clubs, rehearsal studios and in recording studios. These are the drumming stools that seem to be the best for my back and legs while playing drums for long periods of time. I actually own two of the 3 thrones I’m reviewing.
You might also enjoy my article about the best drum throne cushion. If you’re not looking buy a new drum throne, this low-cost solution can save your back. You can also take it with you to all of your performances.
Is a drumming stool important?
The type of drumming stool you use can directly impact how long your drumming career will last. Think about the great drummer Phil Collins.
He has recently retired from music after a brief comeback. He suffered from debilitating chronic back pain for years due to poor drumming posture. It makes me wonder if the throne design was better when he was young, would it have extended his career?
I just can’t underscore how important a drumming stool is for your playing. Here’s a photo of the drum throne I use at a local club here in Japan. As you might guess, I ALWAYS bring my drum throne cushion with me when I play here.
If I used this one all the time, I would also end up like Phil Collins. Since we sit for long periods of time using both our hands and feet, we need a drum chair that supports our body properly.
A cushion that is too soft or too hard will be of little use to you. It’s like the story of Goldilocks when searching for a drum throne. Has to be “just right.” If you want to see the “just right” drum thrones I recommend, you can skip to the bottom of this article.
The stool drum
The good ol’ stool drum. I had a Rick Marotta Yamaha Hip Gig drumset in the early 2000’s. One of the cool features about the kit was that it could be packed into two cases. One case with all of the drums nested inside each other and the other one with the hardware inside a drum-shaped drum stool.
It was a cool design and I’d probably be using that set until today if I didn’t opt to get my Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute kit.
One of the downsides to this type of drum throne is that you can’t adjust its height. It seemed to fit me perfectly but for taller or shorter drummers, I think it might be a challenge.
I use affiliate links in this article. Buying through me is a convenient way to get your drumming products and an easy way to support this blog. Thank you! 🤙
Thrones for sale
If you’re looking for drum thrones for sale, I have 3 recommendations below.
The Roc-n-Soc drum throne
I actually own the Roc-n-Soc throne and use it in my drum studio for Zoom drum lessons and producing my Jazz drumming courses. I’ve had it for years and it’s got that classic comfortable saddle design to reduce tension in your legs.
It’s quite comfortable for gigs with long music sets or when the vocalist talks too much. LOL. It supports your posture with that “just right” density of foam and if I add my throne cushion, it feels like I’m floating! WOW!
Ludwig Atlas Classic Round Throne
I have found the Ludwig Atlas Classic Round Throne drum throne in various clubs, rehearsal studios and recording studios here in Japan. It has that “just right” foam density and its universal round design makes it easy to transport.
It’s always been comfortable and easy to use for long periods of time. I’m not an endorsee of Ludwig drums but I think the logo design on the seat is pretty cool too. If you’re looking for a firm and round throne, this one will do the trick.
Yamaha DS-550 Drum Throne – Lightweight
This is my go-to drum throne for my compact drumset. You might also be interested in the Pearl Midtown drumset review I did. I use the Yamaha DS-550 drum throne with this kit on many gigs each year in Japan.
It’s not as comfortable as the other two drum stools above but it is very lightweight and compact making it easy for transport to gigs. I will usually also bring my drum cushion and place it on top of this drum throne. If I include the cushion, it works for playing longer sets of music.
Drum stools Australia and beyond
I’ve thought lately about famous Australian drummer Lindy Morrison, who is also a customer of my online drumming with brushes course. I don’t know what drum throne she uses but I’m sure for all of her Rock drumming, she’s got something that feels great.
If you also play physically demanding music like Rock or Metal, you will definitely want a drum throne to support all of that fast double-pedal work!
Conclusion
Regardless of style of music, you need a throne that supports your drumming endurance. Get a throne that is comfortable to sit on for long periods of time while you flail your arms and legs around the drums. The 3 thrones I mentioned above will help you achieve this.
Anymore, too I don’t think it really matters where you are in the World, the Internet has made it easier than ever to have drum equipment delivered to your door. So, check out some of my affiliate links and do some of your own detective work.
Ask your drummer friends and pay attention to the drum thrones you use at rehearsal studios and clubs. You might even find another drumming stool that you like better than my recommendations.
As always, I wish you the best of health and the ability to be your best behind the drums!
What drum throne do you use or recommend?
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