There’s no doubt that the ideal home office has an office chair. But the problem is, not all of us want to invest in an expensive ergonomic chair.
Instead, we want to make use of what we already have at home. And if you’re a drummer and you have a drum throne, then it’s worth asking if you can use it as an office chair.
The answer is yes, you can use a drum throne as an office chair if and only if you’re only going to work for a short time on a desk. But if you’re planning to use it as an alternative seat to work, you should get an office chair that supports your posture.
I know, it’s not the best answer we want to hear, but after reading this post, you’ll understand why these two chairs aren’t perfect alternatives.
And if you reach the end, you might be able to find alternatives that you can use for both activities.
Table of Contents
What is a drum throne?
A drum throne is a stool that you use to play drums. It’s as simple as that.
Drum thrones are in the form of stools to allow you the most range of movement for both arms and legs. They also swivel so that you can twist and turn in any direction.
But despite allowing you to twist and turn, drum thrones don’t have wheels that allow you to roll to places. The lack of wheels is necessary to help you stay planted on the right spot at the back of the drums.
There are different types of drum thrones and they can be characterized by the mechanism for height adjustment or the seat shape.
Drum thrones will either have a spindle base or a hydraulic base for the height adjustment while a round or motorcycle (saddle) shape for the seat.
All drum thrones, regardless of design, are padded to make them more comfortable for longer use.
What is an office chair?
An office chair can be any kind of chair that is used in an office. It can be a desk chair, executive chair, or visitor’s chair that you usually find in the reception area.
We’re only talking about office chairs that you use for work at a desk. This includes your ergonomic mesh chairs, leather chairs, and any kind of swivel chair that will provide some sort of ergonomic support.
Nowadays, there are a lot of alternatives that can be considered office chairs. These alternatives will have totally different features and designs, but they are considered office chairs since they can be used while working at a desk.
An office chair will have a lot of designs and not all of them come with wheels. Contrary to popular belief, office chairs can be without wheels, armrests, and neck rests too.
Of course, the most popular type of office chairs are those with mesh backrests and basic adjustments for height and tilt tension. There’s already a growing demand for ergonomic office chairs that provide lumbar support.
Side by Side Comparisons: Breaking It Down
So drum thrones aren’t ideal alternatives to an office chair. But how different are they?
Let’s compare them side-by-side.
How to Use
There’s a proper way of sitting in a drum throne, and unfortunately, not a lot of people are aware of that. It’s not just plain sitting on the seat
If you’re using a drum throne to play drums (and not as an office chair), first start with the height of your chair. The chair height should allow you to be able to have a straight back when playing.
When you’re leaning too close or too back, then adjust the chair so that your feet can rest on the floor. And when your feet step on the pedals, your legs shouldn’t be stretched forward.
After the height adjustment, you have to make sure that the angle you’re facing allows you to reach the whole drum set without twisting your body. A trick to know if you’re facing the right direction is if your feet are slightly at a “V” when stepping on the pedals.
On the other hand, if you’re sitting on an office chair, you’re not supposed to be tilted to any side. Instead, you should be facing the desk with your back straight.
To use an office chair, you should first adjust it to fit your height. Unfortunately, it’s not all about preference here because there is a right adjustment that would help maintain proper posture.
Start with sitting on the seat with your feet planted on the ground. Your knees and hamstrings should be at a right angle (90°) or your knees slightly below hip level, and there should be a 1-2 inches distance from the back of your knees to the seat.
Ideally, this position will allow you to rest your back on the backrest while maintaining a straight back. Make sure that the lumbar support is situated in the lower back area.
If your office chair has armrests, these armrests should not be in the way of your arms resting on the desk. You can either bring the armrests near so that your elbows can rest on them or you can flip it up if you want to go near your desk.
Depending on the office chair that you have, you can either use levers or knobs to make adjustments. It’s best to check the manufacturer’s instructions.
How Do They Work
Drum thrones work like any other stool – it serves as a seat that allows you to face any direction since there’s no backrest that won’t limit your movements
But what makes a drum throne different from any other stool is that it can be folded or disassembled to fit bags or cases. In other words, drum thrones are transportable which makes them ideal for people who bring their drum set for gigs.
I mentioned earlier that there are two types of adjustment mechanisms – spindle base or hydraulic base. A spindle base lets you spin the seat to adjust the height while a hydraulic base has a lever that you pull.
As for office chairs, mesh office chairs are usually designed to be ergonomic so they automatically follow a curved backrest. Some models will have adjustable lumbar support to fit your back.
For executive leather chairs, these chairs often have a straight backrest, but if you want to have lumbar support, you can purchase a lumbar pillow separately.
The most popular office chairs will have wheels and these wheels come in sets of 5. These wheels increase mobility and productivity in the workplace.
Affordability
Drum thrones can range in price depending on the size of the seat. There are drum thrones that are made for children which are relatively cheaper than those made for adults.
Some drum sets are already included in the whole drum set, so the throne can even be more affordable. However, not all sets will include the drum throne, so it’s best to check the included accessories before purchasing.
In general, drum thrones that have a backrest will cost more because they use more materials.
The big price difference is mainly about two things – materials and features.
There are more materials used in an office chair than with the backrest and armrests that most chairs have. And when it comes to features, an office chair has more ergonomic and adjustable capabilities than a drum throne.
Safety
Drum thrones aren’t wheeled because having wheels will only increase the chances of you hitting one of the drums in the set. The wheels can also get caught up with the wires of the set which might make the chair fall.
Nonetheless, drum thrones have padded legs that will increase the friction created with the floor. In turn, the chair is more difficult to move.
However, if you tilt the drum throne, you’re most likely to fall over. This is because drum thrones aren’t built with an axle that allows you to tilt the seat.
On the other hand, office chairs have this capability thanks to the axle and the 4-5 legs that give more balance to the chair.
Moreover, there’s a backrest that will support your back and if the tilt feature allows it, you can easily tilt to 135 degrees.
Alternatives
We already know by now that drum thrones aren’t long-term alternatives to an office chair and vice versa.
So if there’s an alternative to a drum throne, it’s going to be a DIY office chair without the backrest. If you have old task chairs at home, you can remove the backrest and shape the seat to a saddle or keep it as it is.
For office chairs, though, you don’t need to reach a DIY point because there are already a lot of alternatives to use. Some of these alternatives are exercise balls, standing desks, a saddle chair, or a kneeling chair.
Comparison Table
Here’s a comparison table to help you compare the two chairs a lot easier:
| Drum Throne | Office Chair | |
| How to Use | Adjust the height so that you are in an upright position |
|
| How They Work |
|
Wheeled office chairs increase mobility while adjustable features can be fitted to someone’s height and sitting posture |
| Affordability | Affordable – Mid-Range | Mid-Range – Expensive |
| Safety |
|
|
Can I use a drum throne as an office chair?
If you’re only using your drum throne to work at a desk for a few hours, then it’s okay to use it as a temporary alternative. However, if you plan on using it for more than 5 hours, then it’s best to buy an office chair.
The problem with drum thrones is that they don’t give the ideal sitting posture fit for working. It doesn’t have a backrest for support, it doesn’t have armrests that let your elbows rest, and they don’t tilt back.
Can I replace a drum throne with an office chair?
No, you can’t, unless you’re only practicing your pedals. The reason office chairs are a bad choice for drum thrones is that the armrests limit your reach.
Instead of having free space where your hands can stretch, the armrests will be just another obstacle to your performance.
The same can be said for the size of the chair. Most office chair seats are too wide and they take up a lot of space behind the drum set.
When this happens, there’s not a lot of space to move whether it be for moving your arms or your legs.
Conclusion
In theory, you can use a drum throne for work and an office chair to play the drums, but they pose a lot of limitations and problems with the right posture for these activities.
Drum thrones aren’t designed for long hours working on a desk since they don’t have features that will support your back, neg, and arms.
Meanwhile, office chairs aren’t fitted behind a drum set and they impede your movement because of the armrests.
My name is Vance, and I am the owner of To Ergonomics. Our mission is to improve your workflow by helping you create a supportive and welcoming environment. We hope that you’ll find what you’re looking for while you’re here.