As all drummers out there know, drum kits tend to move forwards when played for a period of time, the distance being proportional to the thrashing that the kit gets, and especially related to footwork. Kits are always assembled on a carpet, and a carpet the size of the kit is commonplace when the practice room is not completely carpeted. Like a majority of setups, in the room where I practice the kit sits at the back of the room, using the wall behind it as a surface to project sound and compete with the amplified instruments.
Several workarounds exist, normally involving fancy (and expensive) materials to replace the typical recycled carpet. Drummers are known to invest wisely in new hardware and cymbals so spending close to a hundred quid on a rubber mat is, IMHO, blasphemous. My proposed solution is as follows:
Tools and materials
Method
- Perforate two corners on the same side of the carpet, as far in as your eyelet punch will allow. This will typically be about 1" from the corner.
- Force an eyelet through each hole and punch firmly with the tool. This will result in two neat, brass-reinforced holes at the edges of the carpet.
- Lay the carpet down and assemble the drum kit in a comfortable position. With the drum kit in place, drill two holes in the wall as close to the ground as possible to correspond with each perforation in the carpet.
- Insert an eyebolt into each of the holes in the wall and secure it by tightening the lock-nut tightly.
- Tie each of the holes in the carpet to the corresponding eyelet.
This method, while providing yet another horizontal hazard for drummers to trip over, is the cheapest and most reliable method of preventing a drum kit from moving towards the centre of the room.
Fitch kindly points out that "Damon Che from Don Caballero always used to nail his kit into a large plywood board with carpet on top, large enough that he would be sitting on the board. Same general idea, but quite hilarious to watch."