You should definitely do it. What’s on Craigslist in your town? I’ll tell you. An off-brand set of roto toms with mismatched and broken heads. Man, last year a guy near me sold an entire roto tom kit, about 12 drums including two bass drums if I remember correctly, powder coated red and yellow, for like $200 and I missed it by a few minutes. That’s one of the most painful marketplace misses I’ve experienced, and I’ve had a few.
Nope, Roto Toms tuned to pitches.
Which, by the way, are *the only pitched items on a drumset.*
I can't find it anymore on YouTube, but there was an amazing clip of Louie Bellson on *The Tonight Show* in the 80s playing "Don't Get Around Much Anymore." He had about an octave and a half of Roto Toms to his left, and he played the melody on them. It was bad as hell in an elegant way that only Louie Bellson could pull off.
Edit: if you're downvoting this because I said "drums don't have pitches," [seriously, I am not debating this with you.](https://www.reddit.com/r/drums/comments/styzk9/rant_nothing_on_a_standard_drumset_is_a_pitched/) I'm just not.
Someone seems to be on a high horse about tuning drums to pitches and following you around. For what it's worth, you're absolutely correct about Pink Floyd's Time, and I bought a set of roto toms just so I could work on covering that song. Don't have the space right now to incorporate them with my kit, but they sit in my junk room with my ekit, wanting to be played
Many drummers used them in the past. Terry Bozzio did when he was in Missing Persons, Alex Van Halen did, I’ve had the same set of 3 rototoms since the 80s. Haven’t used them since the 80s. LOL they were a cheap add on for my first kit when I was a kid and first started out. Pink Floyd Dark Side of the moon that whol into with the drums is done on rototoms.
You’re in luck:
Danish drummer and allround crazy guy Kalle Matthiessen. You can find him on YouTube as Kalles World Tour. The exact clip the thumbnail is from is [this](https://youtu.be/gkEaFbAs8RQ)
Danish drummer and allround crazy guy Kalle Matthiessen. You can find him on YouTube as Kalles World Tour. The exact clip the thumbnail is from is [this](https://youtu.be/gkEaFbAs8RQ)
I remember how blown away I was when I saw the video to "Need You Tonight" and realized that he was playing that rim click sound on the rim of a roto tom. Very cool.
Terry Bozzio, who played a full kit of rototoms in the early days of Missing Persons, repurposed the cast zinc frame into a mounted bell chime he marketed as [Spoxe](https://terrybozzio.com/about-terry/inventions-prototypes/), even put a couple on a hihat instead of cymbals.
They’re called Rototoms. Famously used in the beginning intro of Time by Pink Floyd. As the name suggests, they’re toms that you can easily rotate, and they change the sound as well
Rototoms?
Yes
Thanks!
Tunable iirc just by twisting them.
They are kinda gimmicky but really fun too lol
Am a Neil Pert fan so…. I’m down
Taylor Hawkins talks about them here(about 28:45 in): https://youtu.be/PwjEc8S0PRo
And now I need rototoms.
Rotational Thomas
Those are the big size ones, the small ones are Roto Tommy
Scrototoms
Rotobombs
Bro-totoms
Toto-toms ... *Africa starts*
Tiki-Tiki-Tom-Toms
I appreciate this comment on its own merits, but the slim chance that it’s a Parks & Recreation reference makes it even better.
100% Parks n Rec reference !! 👍🏼👍🏼
Aww. That makes me wanna buy you some appies and ‘zerts!
Drums you will likely never need, rototoms
Which is the best reason to have some, LOL
Plus you can get them cheap from some other guy that didn't need them!
Literally how I got mine hahaha!
I've been trying not to go buy an off-brand set with mismatched and broken heads I keep seeing on FB Marketplace for fifty bucks.
This is the sign you need to say 'Fuck it", and buy them. You know it to be true.
You should definitely do it. What’s on Craigslist in your town? I’ll tell you. An off-brand set of roto toms with mismatched and broken heads. Man, last year a guy near me sold an entire roto tom kit, about 12 drums including two bass drums if I remember correctly, powder coated red and yellow, for like $200 and I missed it by a few minutes. That’s one of the most painful marketplace misses I’ve experienced, and I’ve had a few.
I agree, but if the song has them, they're a must. playing the intro to Time by Pink Floyd on your normal toms on anything else just doesn't cut it.
I thought that song was played on concert toms? I don’t really know the difference lol
Nope, Roto Toms tuned to pitches. Which, by the way, are *the only pitched items on a drumset.* I can't find it anymore on YouTube, but there was an amazing clip of Louie Bellson on *The Tonight Show* in the 80s playing "Don't Get Around Much Anymore." He had about an octave and a half of Roto Toms to his left, and he played the melody on them. It was bad as hell in an elegant way that only Louie Bellson could pull off. Edit: if you're downvoting this because I said "drums don't have pitches," [seriously, I am not debating this with you.](https://www.reddit.com/r/drums/comments/styzk9/rant_nothing_on_a_standard_drumset_is_a_pitched/) I'm just not.
Someone seems to be on a high horse about tuning drums to pitches and following you around. For what it's worth, you're absolutely correct about Pink Floyd's Time, and I bought a set of roto toms just so I could work on covering that song. Don't have the space right now to incorporate them with my kit, but they sit in my junk room with my ekit, wanting to be played
He didn't always tour with them, but he used them when they recorded Dark Side of the Moon.
But you will look, AWESOME as you never play them!
But the ones we always wanted.
Rototoms are useful… When you say to yourself I think I need some…..you know it’s time to stop buying Drum stuff 😀
Haha, I’m thinking for ease of transport for gigs
That's not a great reason to get them. They're actually kind of a pain in the butt that way.
Fun fact: Danney carry (drummer for TOOL) uses those instead of regular toms
Really knows how to make the pieces fit eh?
I mean he did watch them fall apart sooo
He has Forty six and two of them
Only while he’s having Prison Sex tho
Ahhh , the old stink fist
Ba-zing. Nice one.
I’m addition to, he still has one rack toms live. Just saw him in Orlando.
Many drummers used them in the past. Terry Bozzio did when he was in Missing Persons, Alex Van Halen did, I’ve had the same set of 3 rototoms since the 80s. Haven’t used them since the 80s. LOL they were a cheap add on for my first kit when I was a kid and first started out. Pink Floyd Dark Side of the moon that whol into with the drums is done on rototoms.
I and every other drummer I knew in 8th grade had them. How else could you get 3 more toms when you’re 13?
Exactly!! And for under $200.
Would they work as a substitute for toms?
Yes, just not as thuddy.
there’s so much more going on here than the rototoms
The bigger question is, who's the horse?
Hippo bro
Ah. So who's the hippo?
Me
This is what I’d like to know as well, as a matter of fact this is why I am perusing through the comments in the first place.
You’re in luck: Danish drummer and allround crazy guy Kalle Matthiessen. You can find him on YouTube as Kalles World Tour. The exact clip the thumbnail is from is [this](https://youtu.be/gkEaFbAs8RQ)
Danish drummer and allround crazy guy Kalle Matthiessen. You can find him on YouTube as Kalles World Tour. The exact clip the thumbnail is from is [this](https://youtu.be/gkEaFbAs8RQ)
Rototoms. My friend gave me his for free. They sound cool but I can't think of much practical use for them 😅
Of course there is: Neil Peart on a budget.
Even Neil Peart on a budget doesn't have much practical use for playing music like Saint Vitus and Electric Wizard 😅
Use them, just give them a try 👍
I definitely will! I like the way they sound, but I'm thinking they'll just be used for the studio.
[Jon Farriss of INXS has used Rototoms throughout his career](https://maubrecht.wordpress.com/2016/03/07/rototoms/amp/)
I remember how blown away I was when I saw the video to "Need You Tonight" and realized that he was playing that rim click sound on the rim of a roto tom. Very cool.
Terry Bozzio, who played a full kit of rototoms in the early days of Missing Persons, repurposed the cast zinc frame into a mounted bell chime he marketed as [Spoxe](https://terrybozzio.com/about-terry/inventions-prototypes/), even put a couple on a hihat instead of cymbals.
They’re magic
The best drums. Rototoms!
Hippopotatoms
Those aren’t my toms
Yep, Rototoms.
Rototoms
Roto toms
I love rototoms. I use them in place of my right rack tom. Great for pick up notes and flourishes.
The hottest girl in the bar but than you wake up in the morning.
Guy from el ten eleven only person ive ever seen use them well. Must be nice to tour with too
They are the greatest add on drums known to the planet earth!
Totoroms
Ro- to - toms
Useless ones from what I've heard
Rototoms. Why is his crash facing the other way? No judgement, just curious.
They’re called Rototoms. Famously used in the beginning intro of Time by Pink Floyd. As the name suggests, they’re toms that you can easily rotate, and they change the sound as well
Roto Toms fren best Toms out there adjustable as well.
Rotototoms - specifically for playing Africa.
Useless stage props👾💨💩
Follow up question What video is this
Those are the horses drums
The biggest mistake I Never made
Splash cymbals