RE: Hi hat keeping time

[JCM]

I've been searching for a thread on this but can't seem to find one. How does the tapping of the left heel on the hi hat relate to time keeping. And I don't mean getting a 'chick' sound, I mean when your playing the hi hat closed but your left heel/leg/foot is tapping to keep time. How does one achieve this? Does it take a certain degree of independence, or like all things must be practiced slowly? Hope that made sense.

[AlexM]

I usually tap my heel when playing the hi-hat closed and tap the hi-hat pedal when plying the ride. I learned about this after watching Neil Peart's first DVD and practiced using it. I usually tap the main beats of a tempo, like 1 and 3 when playing 4/4 and sometimes even the 2 and 4 depending on the song. It takes a little while to get used to it, but its second nature after a while. Hopefully what i said makes sense...

[GRUNTERSDAD]

I would agree with Alex...I tap my heel when its closed and find myself heel-tapping when I should be opening and closing the hats. I'm working on that part.

[joeybeats]

I usually go 1 & 3 on the heel, 2 & 4 on the regular downward motion to make the standard jazz 2 & 4 chick ... a typical rocking motion.

When I don't want a chick, I count 1 2 3 4 with a side to side motion of the heel, 1 &3 to the right, 2 &4 to the left, leaving the HH closed with the ball of my foot. Joey

[JCM]

So are you saying that I should practice this at home before incorporating it into live playing? Would tapping my heel on the one of every bar be a good way to begin?

[joeybeats]

Probably a good idea to always practice something beforehand, at least if you want no surprises. Tap on one, if it works, stay with it ... why not. Try a couple different ways and see which one works best for you. Joey

[samthebeat]

work on your four way independence a bunch, keeping the hi hat going and stuff, it comes second nature that your left foot wants a peice of the action all the time. whether its playing anything or not.

My left heel does what ever it would normally do when I would be playing the hi hat with my foot. You should be using some sort of dual motion when you chickin away anyway, so mine does the heel part of whatever that would be for the particalar groove im playing.

But i can do whetever with it really it just depends what I need from it, like if im playing something like linear 16th with the rest of my limbs it will allaways help out with th eights, dead usefull for that kinda of playing i think.

so to conclude work on your hi hat playing and your left in general. it will just come as a result.

[JCM]

Well, I play heel down with my right foot so won't playing heel up with my left foot upset my balance?

[That Guy]

Does it take a certain degree of independence, or like all things must be practiced slowly? Hope that made sense.

Yes, it must be practiced slowly! Start off with your basic 4/4 and keep a 1/4 note tap with your left foot. *Chick* the hat and play the ride together, both keeping the 1/4. Then, move a little forward and play a 8th on the ride, but keep a 1/4 *chick* on the hat. Then speed your hat *chick* to a 8th along with the 8th on the ride, keeping the 4/4. Then slowly advance to 16th notes with the same building pattern, but take it slow... really slow. The snare and bass are on the usual 2 and 4.

Start with the basics buddy. In time you will find yourself being able to go to the hat with your sticks and add more sound to the simple patterns.

[JCM]

I'm able to *chick* the hi hat while playing most beats. I just wanted to incorporate the tapping of my left heel to help me with my time-keeping. Thanks for the advice.

[da cheese walks]

ive been doing this all the time since i started playing crazy stuff on my right foot...dunno it just came to me one day and sort of stuck....ive been working some crazy syncopated stufff with it....

practicing it is really good...helps strengthen the left leg.....woo!

i used to do the heel tapping...now have moved onto doing that a lot when im not playn the hi-hat...


its really great for solos too to keep you in check!

[Deathmetalconga]

Well, I play heel down with my right foot so won't playing heel up with my left foot upset my balance?

I don't think that makes much difference one way or the other and I ALWAYS have my left foot going. When I'm playing hats, I play left foot heel-up half, quarter or eighth notes to vary the amount of pressure between the hats, adding texture to the hat patterns. When I play ride, I play left foot heel up and bounce my foot, adding a good background chick that's there if needed for a bark or sssip accent.

I am also learning clave beats with the left foot, played on a foot-mounted plastic block or tambourine. Sometimes my left foot keeps a pulse between the hats, block and tambourine in a three pattern, while the rest of me is playing in four. See my setup for details.

[dea]

I have a left side fx pedal butted up right against my hat ( to the left ). I have the fx pedal rotated a little leftward so I can get my middle of the foot and heel on the fx pedal as the balls of my feet and toes work the hat. The two in combination add more color than I have time to experiment with. One thing is for sure, my kit never leaves home without this combo.

My fx pedal is setup to trigger a layered scheme defined by a velocity curve.

* A light tap and you'll hear tambos only.
* A little harder and you will get another addition layer added the sound.
* Stomp on that baby, and you get the finger snap and woodblock, plus the two tambos.

This velocity definition really provides me the ability to color the lead ins to guitar and keyboard solos, as well as drive the groove hard when I quiet down for the guitarist, or keyboardist when its their time to take the stage. Its also killer for bridges, or time stretching ( 6 over 4 with the fx pedal, hat, and ride are just killer ).