Best Drum Thrones for Support and Stability

If you’re new to drumming, you may have never heard the term drum throne before. This is your seat at the kit when you play drums. Characteristics of drum stools include metal hardware with rubber feet, some sort of adjustment mechanism for height, and a foam, padded seat in the shape of a circle.

The throne is the central base for our movements, technique, leverage, and even footwork. Skimping out on a drum throne can cost you big time when playing gigs and practicing at home.

A quality drum throne will extend your endurance at the kit. You’ll be much more comfortable and be able to play for much more extended periods. You’ll see a difference in your ability, both in technique and precision.

Unfortunately, many drummers opt to buy the most budget options and end up with very mediocre products. It could be possible that they never have had the opportunity to sit on a professional throne before.

Importance of a Good Drum Seat

Just like an office worker needs a reliable and solid chair to work in, a drummer needs a comfortable and practical throne to rehearse and perform on. Having a good drum throne can make the world of difference when it comes to your playing and enjoyment of it.

This is where you’re going to be sitting for many hours on end, so remember not to be frugal when choosing a drum throne. Some drum stools can even be helpful for those with back issues who want to play the drums.

Hydraulic vs Manual Spindle Drum Thrones

There are three types of thrones you can buy today: hydraulic, manual spindle, and height adjustable drum thrones. A hydraulic drum stool is going to make adjusting heights very simple, just like an office chair with an adjustable handle.

A drum throne with a manual spindle has a seat that rotates to adjust the height. The last of the three operates like a cymbal stand does; manually tightening or loosening a wingnut to get the desired height.

I’m going to make my case against hydraulic thrones. If you like yours, that’s fine. I have no axe to grind here. Do you remember playing on those types of hydraulic chairs when you were a kid? Hydraulic drum thrones operate in a very similar fashion.

These types of drum stools tend to be bouncier and move up and down while you play. I found this to be infuriating and obnoxious. If that’s not a problem for you, go for a hydraulic drum throne.

When I sat down at a Roc n Soc Nitro after buying it, I immediately felt uncomfortable and know that it would become an issue. I returned it and opted for the standard spindle version. A lot of players do like the hydraulic feel of these seats, so it’s a subjective opinion.

Some drummers love using hydraulic drum stools. When they play, they can actually “bounce” to the music. This is one characteristic of these types of seats that turns me off. You can feel yourself sinking down when you sit on one. A lot of drummers find these to be better and more comfortable: I do not.

Longevity of Hydraulic Thrones

I can’t say for sure that every drum stool with a hydraulic lift will fail, but I have seen many old thrones in schools and venues. After many years of use and abuse, these stools ultimately have a problem of keeping their height.

I’ve used many of these stools that literally will sink when you sit down. Could it just be the result of young high school students abusing these thrones? Potentially. I still believe these types of stools are just not reliable in the long run.

Drum Stools With a Back Rest

One option to consider when purchasing a throne is getting one with a backrest. A backrest can provide many significant benefits, including back support, easing back pain, providing balance for double bass patterns, and much more.

If you already own your own stool and love it, don’t worry, there are universal throne backrests you can purchase that will fit your current seat.

Drum Thrones for Back Problems

I am in no way a medical professional — the information below is just my opinion and hopefully is a source of help. If you suffer from issues of back pain while playing drums, there are a couple of things you can do to play longer and lessen pain.

Make sure you are playing with a quality drum stool. Specific thrones at the lower end of the market are very firm, small, and provide no support.

Get a Backrest for Your Throne

If you don’t already have one, be sure to purchase a throne with a backrest. While this won’t completely alleviate the issue, having a throne with a backrest will force you to play with better posture, gradually improving over time, and leading to you playing and performing longer without suffering.

Don’t Sit Too High Up

Make sure you aren’t sitting too high on your throne. Something that often occurs with drummers sitting too high is they will often compensate for this height level in their mid-section, resulting in terrible back posture, tension, and will lead to horrible back pain.

One tip I read in Modern Drummer is to keep your legs at right angles in the heel-up position so that the top of your leg is parallel to the ground to determine your height.

Drum Thrones Made for Back Problems

If none of these solutions have worked for you, there is one more option. Carmichael makes a throne that is made explicitly for drummers with back pain. I don’t know if they make them anymore or if they went out of business, so you’re best bet is to try the used market.

I, myself, cannot say that this throne will help you if you have back problems, but it may be worth a shot if you’re struggling. These drum thrones have been scientifically designed to relieve and prevent back pain as well as other discomforts associated with sitting for long periods.

The drum throne seat has a unique design in that there is a large gap in the center of the stool. This is what Carmichael calls the “free floating spine.”

It allows the tailbone to “float” reducing pressure on the lower spinal discs. Carmine Appice and Todd Sucherman both swear by these thrones. Carmichael sells both a standard drum stool as well as one with a throne with a backrest.

Always Keep Track of Your Throne

I recently played a messy gig at a festival near our hometown. Besides the show being extremely awkward, the production company running the event didn’t have their act together.

Loading on and off the stage was a total mess and gear easily was mixed up between bands. During our loadout, my drum stool was mistakenly put back on stage for the next band. Wouldn’t you know it, it began to rain.

With everyone panicking to get gear to the trailer and out of the rain, I managed to lose my drum throne. For the upcoming tour we had, I borrowed the opening band’s throne for the whole tour.

Even though the production company did eventually find it, I opted to have it shipped home because we were already so far into the tour. I was embarrassed and grateful. Moral of the story: make sure to keep track of all your gear when playing gigs and touring.