A Guide to Rack Toms

What Are Rack Toms?

Rack toms are the cylindrical drums mounted above the bass drum, suspended on hardware rather than sitting on legs. They form the mid-range voice of a drum kit — pitched higher than the floor tom, lower than the snare — and are used for fills, rolls and melodic movement between grooves. A standard five-piece kit includes two mounted toms, typically a 10-inch and a 12-inch, though configurations vary widely depending on the music and the drummer's preference.

The term distinguishes these mounted drums from floor toms, which stand independently on their own legs. They are held in position by a mount attached either to the bass drum shell, a dedicated stand, or a full cage system. That distinction matters practically: mounting method affects how freely the drum resonates, which in turn affects the sound.

Sizes and Shell Construction

These drums are measured by diameter and depth, expressed in inches. Common diameters run from 8 inches to 14 inches, with 10 and 12 being the most standard. Depth varies too: a 10×8 is a shallower drum with a faster attack; a 10×10 adds more sustain and body. Deeper shells generally produce more volume and a lower fundamental pitch for a given diameter.

Shell material shapes tone substantially. Maple is the most widely used wood across professional and mid-range kits, offering a warm sound with good high-frequency response. Birch is brighter and more focused, popular for recording. Mahogany is darker and more resonant, common on vintage-style kits. Budget kits often use poplar or basswood, which produce serviceable tones at lower cost. Nine-ply shells strike different balances to seven-ply shells — more plies tend to produce more attack and projection.

Mounting Systems

How rack toms are mounted significantly affects their sustain and resonance. Traditional bass drum-mounted systems pass a bracket through the bass drum shell, which introduces some degree of resonance restriction — the drums couple slightly to the bass drum shell. Many drummers find this acceptable; others prefer alternative solutions.

Suspension mounts — systems that hold the drum at its mounting points rather than clamping directly to the shell — are now common on mid-range and professional kits. They allow the shell to vibrate more freely, typically producing longer sustain and a fuller sound. Stands and cages remove the drum entirely from the bass drum, offering maximum isolation and flexibility in placement.

Tuning Your Toms

Tuning is one of the most important skills in working with rack toms, and one of the areas where beginners lose the most time. Each lug must be tuned evenly around the head — an out-of-even tension produces unwanted overtones and makes the drum difficult to tune out. A drum key and patience are the primary tools. Start at hand tension, then work opposite lugs in a star pattern, bringing the pitch up in small increments.

Batter (top) and resonant (bottom) head tensions interact. Many drummers tune the batter slightly higher than the resonant, which produces a controlled sustain. Equal tension gives a rounder, longer note. A higher resonant head gives a rising pitch on the decay — a popular choice in certain styles. Dampening rings, moongel pads, or internal felt strips can tame excessive ring without choking the drum's natural voice.

Drumheads and Tone

Drumhead choice changes the character of rack toms as much as the shell material. A single-ply clear head is transparent and maximises resonance — common on jazz and studio kits where every nuance of the shell is wanted. Two-ply heads (such as Remo Emperor or Evans G2) reduce high-frequency ring and sustain, producing a more controlled, punchy sound popular for rock and live work. Coated heads add further warmth and reduce overtones, used widely on vintage and jazz-style setups.

Resonant heads are often left single-ply clear to allow maximum projection from the underside. Budget kits sometimes ship with thin, low-quality heads — replacing them is typically the most cost-effective early upgrade for new kit owners.

Positioning and Ergonomics

The position of these drums relative to the snare and bass drum affects both playability and sound. Angling the drums slightly toward the player reduces wrist extension and makes transitions between drums faster. The angle also affects how the stick contacts the head — a more vertical strike at the centre produces a cleaner, clearer note than a glancing blow toward the edge.

Height matters too. Toms mounted very high force the arms into an awkward position during fast fills. The goal is a natural path — the stick should travel in a smooth arc from snare to tom and back, with minimal repositioning of the elbow.

Frequently Asked Questions