hello all,
What are some patterns I can practice for doubles and triples on the pedal and do I practice them heel up or down? For those of you that read music, please put it in layman's terms, I can't read drum music...yet. Also, what are your reactions on bass drum practice pads? I'm in a dorm room so all I can practice on is a bass and drum pad. I bought the Gibraltar one w/ the 'air system' technology, if u guys kno what that is, and I just dont feel like it's giving me an adequate foot workout. (and i always practice heel down).
Thanks and God bless
Sim
Bass drum practice pads are cool. I friend of mine in his fifties taught himself to not only play double pedal but to play double-strokes on double pedals using a Gibralter practice. He work from two videos I recommended fro this Kenny Arnoffs : Power Workout 1 & @ for Double Bass Drum (VHS) and Thomas Lang's DVD: Creative Control.
As far as patterns... Basically all you need to do are the excersise from the book Stick Control with your feet. If you are not using a doublee pedal then use the hihat. Also work on the patterns between the hands and feet.
Use both heel down and heel up. multiple hits with the beater tend to be mor easily accomplished with heel up. You should however be able to play the same things both heel up and heel down. The only difference will tend to be the volume (more power comes with heel up) and sometimes speed.
Your throne height is the biggest thing to deal with as far as efficiency of technique. Your foot/feet should dance on the pedal. You should be putting the pressure to the pedal through the ball of your foot whether using heel up or heel down. The pressure still goes to the same part of the foot. Sit at a height where you have leverage with forcing it.
Eighth note triplets =1 trip let, 2 triplet, 3 trip let, 4 trip let (or you can say tee taa in stead of trip let example... 1 tee taa, 2 tee taa etc). When you builld them up to spend sound like a roll. Practice these to a metronome. Make sure all the strokes sound even, NO ACCENTS... same volume same speed and gradually bump the speed of the metronome as you get better. These should always be done in a totally relaxed state, no muscles strain. You should be using a rocking motion from heel to toe
Then do "fours", groups of four 16th notes = 1e&a, 2e&a, 3e&a, 4e&a... Again do these to the metronome. You should be using a rocking motion from heel to toe.
The do "roughs" which are bassically 2 16th notes and a eigth note... 1e&, 2e&, 3e&, 4e& sound like duh-duh dut, duh-duh dut, duh-duh dut, duh-duh dut. Again use the metronome....
Let the beater rebound off the head and catch/met the rebound for the stroke. You should be using a rocking motion from heel to toe. You should be using a rocking motion from heel to toe.
Refer to the Jojo Mayer clips on bass drum on drummerworld.com for the foot motion. He is a single-pedal user. The same principles for working with the hands work on the feet. Relaxing. Let the pedal/beater do the work. The ball of your foot is the fulcrum (balance point for the stroke) and the ankle is like the wrist (a hinge) the energy/power come from the calf muscles (with the hands the energy comes from the fore muscles which are actually the finger muscles... note guys whom have developed that "drummer" muscle in their forearms use there fingers (stick control) to control the stick ).
Work slowly through the full movement and you will develop the control and the techniqu. Let the metronome be your guide and speed will come as you gain better control.
