Extreme left foot difficulties

[T-1000]

Hi people,

I've got major problems with my left foot - when I try to practice with Hansen Futz pedals (if you haven't heard of them they're like plastic foot practice pedals) with high spring tension - and I've found that when I try and play heel up at ANY tempo (including very slow tempos) with the left foot - it just wants to 'flutter' crazily at about 180BPM.

I can hold this 'flutter' for about 10 minutes, but I can't change the tempo of it at all, or play any actual beats. It feels very weird, like there is no nervous input on my behalf - the foot just has a life of its' own and will keep playing at that speed until I take it off the pedal.

I should point out that for about the first minute of playing heel up with the left foot, I can play at a tempo I choose, but, after that, the flutter just takes over and I have no control over the speed of the left foot. Also, it is much more obvious on the Hansen Futz practice pedals compared to normal bass drum pedals, probably because of the high spring tension they have. But I want to practice at high spring tension because it apparently helps to develop the control of the feet that my left foot so evidently lacks.

What should I do to control this? How can I make my left foot actually respond to what I want it to do!? (My right foot has no flutter effect, by the way!) Please tell me how and what I should practice!?

Thanks in advance for your time

[FunkyJazzer]

I THINK I know what you mean. It's like a spasm sort of thing that's not REAL playing, much like blast beats and rebound.

The best way to get over this I think is firstly, don't let your foot go on autopilot. And the next thing to do is work on foot control with any number of books and exercises until you can play "flutter" speed without actually "fluttering". May I suggest The Weaker Side by Dom Famularo, or just simple rudiments between feet?

Good luck,
Lloyd.

[zambizzi]

You'll probably get 150 or so more answers like this...but I'll say it anyhow; practice very slowly.

I have a Futz under my desk at work and I work my right foot all day on-and-off. I spend a lot of time doing very, VERY slow movements while keeping my foot as relaxed as possible.

It has helped me enormously and I'm now doing smooth, fast, and controlled doubles (and even triplets) with my kick drum.

Also check out Matt Ritter's video on foot technique, it's the best.

[Boomka]

Number 2 of 150 here.

As said above, start slow.

No....slower.

You need to build up neuropathways to control the muscles in your left leg. Slow, definite, intentional movements are the way to do this.

Get out a metronome and try for accuracy on quarter notes at 40BPM. That will give you enough time between notes to really pay attention and feel each stroke. Focus so that your left leg is the only thing in the world. Stay relaxed through the entire motion. When you feel like you're ready to speed up, DON'T. Keep it there for at least 5 minutes. One stroke at a time.

[frank0072]

Number 2 of 150 here.

As said above, start slow.

No....slower.

You need to build up neuropathways to control the muscles in your left leg. Slow, definite, intentional movements are the way to do this.

Get out a metronome and try for accuracy on quarter notes at 40BPM. That will give you enough time between notes to really pay attention and feel each stroke. Focus so that your left leg is the only thing in the world. Stay relaxed through the entire motion. When you feel like you're ready to speed up, DON'T. Keep it there for at least 5 minutes. One stroke at a time.

I'll be the 3rd. Ehh.. Exactly what he said.

[stasz]

Me four! We drummers will never hear the end of it. Although it sounds like you're definitely working up the speed, only go at the tempo where you can control what you're doing and just keep hammering away at it. Speed up only when you're as comfortable as you need to be.

[Ian Ballard]

I've never found any real benefit to high-spring tension pedals, used to *somehow* improve normal looser tension playing.

The reason for this is different than my advocacy for practicing on pillows or heavy sticks. You are not directly contacting the bass head with your foot, but are using a machine to transfer your foot energy into impact energy. When you "program" your foot to play a certain way at a high-tension, it then has to re-program itself to deal with the new machine with lower tension. It just doesn't help control, in my opinion.

If you want to work your ankles and calves, there are innumerable exercises you can do. Jogging, standing calf-raises, etc.

Playing the bass drum pedal requires you to keep your machine static, and adjust YOUR technique to the machine... not visa-versa.

Of course, as usual, to each their own.

Good luck!

[Deathmetalconga]

Hi people,

I've got major problems with my left foot - when I try to practice with Hansen Futz pedals (if you haven't heard of them they're like plastic foot practice pedals) with high spring tension - and I've found that when I try and play heel up at ANY tempo (including very slow tempos) with the left foot - it just wants to 'flutter' crazily at about 180BPM.

I can hold this 'flutter' for about 10 minutes, but I can't change the tempo of it at all, or play any actual beats. It feels very weird, like there is no nervous input on my behalf - the foot just has a life of its' own and will keep playing at that speed until I take it off the pedal.

I should point out that for about the first minute of playing heel up with the left foot, I can play at a tempo I choose, but, after that, the flutter just takes over and I have no control over the speed of the left foot. Also, it is much more obvious on the Hansen Futz practice pedals compared to normal bass drum pedals, probably because of the high spring tension they have. But I want to practice at high spring tension because it apparently helps to develop the control of the feet that my left foot so evidently lacks.

What should I do to control this? How can I make my left foot actually respond to what I want it to do!? (My right foot has no flutter effect, by the way!) Please tell me how and what I should practice!?

Thanks in advance for your time

It sounds like you are talking about this in the context of double-bass playing, correct? Do you have this problem with you pump the hihat with your left foot? Do you even use your left foot on the hihat much?

If you don't use the hihat with your left foot, that could be part of your problem. Maybe you really haven't developed your left foot as a separate limb. If you are only counting on it for double bass, it's being used mainly as a complement to your right foot. I would advise fully integrating the left foot into your playing with the hihat before even touching a double pedal. When you have your left foot to where it is just as important to your playing as any other limb, you will then be ready to devote the serious study necessary for double bass playing.

[Ian Ballard]

Heck, if you have time, do what I did when I was able to woodshed;

I just set up my kit backwards (left-handed) and went through the Carmine Appice Realistic Rock book completely backwards. It helped not only ambidexterity but my left foot was really close to my right.

Sadly, after I shattered my left foot in 2005, it's not the same. I sort of reinvented myself and no longer play double-bass.

But, I still work on left foot stuff as much as I can.

[Casper "DrPowerStroke" Paludan]

If you want control, play at a tempo where you have control, and increase speed gradually. Shocking, I know, but it works...

I recommend getting Dom's "The Weaker Side" and doing what it says. It is verychallenging doing the drills everyday, but if you have the commitment, you will see incredible improvement, as I did.

Casper