The Kickflip Bass Drum Setup: A Smarter Way to Position Your Kit

Most drummers set up their bass drum the way the factory intended: batter side toward the player, resonant head facing out, toms mounted directly on top. It’s standard. It works. But it also forces toms to sit higher and at steeper angles than what’s ideal for technique.

That’s where the Kickflip Bass Drum Setup comes in.

What Is the Kickflip Setup?

The Kickflip Setup is a bass drum configuration that flips tradition on its head, literally. Instead of using the bass drum in its stock orientation, the batter and resonant sides are swapped. The spurs are now on the drummer’s side of the bass drum, and a small riser is placed under the front of the drum. This stabilizes the bass drum while lifting it slightly off the ground.

With the drum flipped, the tom mount shifts closer to the player. This allows rack toms to sit lower and flatter, hanging naturally over the edge of the bass drum instead of towering above it. The result is a more ergonomic playing position that favors relaxed, efficient technique.

Why It Works

1. Better Tom Placement
   Lower, flatter toms make it easier to strike with proper stick angles. You don’t have to reach or over-rotate your wrists, which reduces strain and improves accuracy. No more crazy tom angles that bounce the stick back in unnatural directions!

2. Improved Stability
   The bass drum now has four contact points with the floor: the two spurs angled forward, the bass pedal, and the riser. This locks the drum in place while taking some weight off the bass drum pedal itself, which means the drum is less likely to slide forward when played (coupled with the four points of contact). The bass drum angle is also now more customizable since the riser at the front and the spurs can work together to hold the weight more securely with whatever angle you prefer (improving sound quality as well, because now you can point the drum exactly at the desired angle!).

3. Cleaner Look
   Since the resonant head is now facing the drummer, the drum’s logo ends up on top and uncovered. It’s a small detail, but it makes the kit look sharp from the audience’s perspective. It’s almost like this was meant to be!

4. Fresh Feel
   Raising the front of the bass drum even slightly can change its response. The angle of the drum is now more customizable, and therefore the bass drum beater’s angle of attack can be set more accurately. This also pushes the bass drum a light further from the players body which means the leg isn’t uncomfortably cramped behind the bass drum, and you now have the freedom to place the snare and hihat where they feel the best, instead of shoving them in a tighter space.

Who Should Try It?

• Drummers chasing ergonomics: If your toms always feel too high or angled, this solves the problem. Especially drummers who own very tall rack toms!

• Players with smaller builds: A more compact setup keeps everything within reach.

• Technique-focused students: Teaching with this setup encourages better wrist paths and cleaner motion.

• Creative tinkerers: If you’re the type to experiment with gear, this is an easy mod that requires no permanent changes to your drum.

How to Set It Up

1. Remove both bass drum heads and hoops.

2. Swap them: put your batter head on the resonant side and your resonant head on the batter side (switch the hoops too, your bass pedal should still mount on the padded hoop if you have one).

3. Rotate the spurs so they now extend toward you. Some spurs will still allow you to point the tips forward which is even better! Worst-case scenario, you can remove both spurs and swap which side they’re on, but this may mean you can’t collapse them alongside the shell for a kit that travels. Play around with the spurs for your best options!

4. Place a riser under the new front of the bass drum to keep it stable and slightly elevated. Adjust the riser to your desired height.

5. Mount your toms from the repositioned holder, they’ll sit lower and flatter, right where you want them.

6. Test angles, fine-tune spur position and riser height, and lock everything down. Make sure to do this step with the bass drum pedal attached so the angles don’t change when you eventually attach it.

Final Thoughts

The Kickflip Bass Drum Setup is about breaking free from convention to serve your technique. By flipping the drum and supporting it with a riser, you gain better ergonomics, improved stability, and a cleaner stage look. It’s simple, it’s reversible, and it might just make your kit feel brand new.

Drumming is about finding what works for you. For me, the Kickflip Setup is the most natural, comfortable way to play, and once you try it, you might never go back.