Just wondering how many people play with your right hand crossed above your left hand when playing hihat/snare rythmns.

I was taking a serious look at open-handed technique (left on hihat/ right on snare). I play partial open handed anyway for simple rythmns, and I play a lot of percussion with my left hand )tamborine/cowbell/timbales etc) - but to play more complex rythmns (like I do in my sleep) seemed to require a lot of woodshedding and I didn't want to relearn eveything openhanded so.. I came up with a faster way of achieving the same thing - and I just love it.. basically you just position the hihat close to you small tom (usually up close to the side of the bass drum.. with a bit of positioning your arms it makes it effortless to keep your right stick clear of the left - so you basically float/rebound your left stick way up in the air without getting tangled with your right. plus I find it makes it really easy to hit rimshots, as the stick hits the snare a bit higher on the snare. Apart from being really a blast to play (no crossed handed constraints) it also is much more interesting for the audience to watch you play - as they can see your hands moving- as opposed to crossed down low. .. and its not just for volume or straight whacking the snare - you can float the stick in an arc to control the bounce and sticking etc.  I must admit when I first tried this I whacked my hand a few times but not since..

Having said all that - I still cross my hands depending on what I'm playing - but if you need a lot of volume or ya just want to show off - its a blast and a half.. so what was my question again?? Oh yeah does anyone else do this?

P.S. sorry for the long winded post but I just had to get this off my chest, wait.. its the cat

Yup - that's what I'm talking about , although I push the hihat up closer to the 10.30-11 oclock position.

This is a BAD ergonomic pic!  

I'll post a pic tomorrow of my current setup: but basically the kick and the hats have moved closer together.  My legs are very close together in this configuration- it seems to be pretty comfortable.  My foot is at a more ergonomic angle also *like JonE's pic*

With the new positioning *not pictured here* it is easier for me to play "uncrossed" with a RH lead on the hi hat.  I still usually play crossed I suppose.  No big deal I don't think.  I have so many things to work on that this is just another facet which I lump into the "good posture" "playing technique" camp.

This is practically how my setup looks.  I'll take a picture (for the hell of it) later.  But, Jon, i thought i was an outcast for having my double pedal outside of my hi-hat and not inside.  Phew

I've never considered moving the kick slave pedal to the outside.  Now I have to try it.  Dang you guys!  Arrrggghhhh!  

Watch, I'll either cramp up and have a leg like Popeye's arm, or I'll suddenly be able to play with machine-gun speed like that guy with the girl hanging on him in the cheesy Modern Drummer ad!

I'm tall and have long arms and legs, so needless to say, MY set up is likely to be much different/more comfortable to some people than others.

here's my current setup...trying some new things out with ergonomics.  That and i got lazy and never put my kit back together after tuning and rearranging.




old setup (i know the mufflers are lame)