A few questions

[FreeIpod]

Hey everyone,

I've been playing drums for around 5 or so years now, but only recently have I really been concentrating on becoming a much better musician. There's a ton of useful information on these forums, but while sifting through the pages I haven't been able to find any definite answers to a couple of questions I have. If anyone has the time to help me out I'd be super appreciative.

First off, I have a question about heel down versus heel up technique.

I've been cracking the whip on myself to get my hand technique down proper, but I still haven't decided which direction to take my feet technique. I have no immediate interest in becoming a double kick speed demon because that particular skill doesn't lend itself well to the styles of music that I play (Though in the future I may start picking it up), what I'm looking for is an improvement on my single kick technique. So far what I've found out is that there are two ways I can practice: Heel down and heel up. Currently I play heel up, but as I read more, heel down seems to be the "proper" way to do it. I also realize that heel down is more for jazz drumming than anything. The problem is that I want the power of playing heel up, but the control and dynamics of playing heel down. Will I be able to have the same power with heel down as heel up? And Ultimately, is it worth switching to heel down this far in the game if I'm already pretty comfortable with heel up?

Second question:

Regardless of which decision I make regarding heel up/down, I don't have a clue as to what sort of exercises I can do to improve my feet playing. I've diddled around with using stick control with my feet, but it almost seems like that sort of practice would be more valuable to a double kick player. I'm more looking for a way to tighten up my right foot with my hands, and also gain more control of my right foot and play more consistently with it.

Again, I'm sorry if these topics have been covered already, but all I can seem to find is information on double kick technique.


Thanks!

Arthur Doyle

[Boomka]

Hey everyone,



The problem is that I want the power of playing heel up, but the control and dynamics of playing heel down.

Then learn both and use them as you need them as I, and many other players do. We don't only use one grip/stroke height/motion with our hands, why limit our feet to one technique?

Regardless of which decision I make regarding heel up/down, I don't have a clue as to what sort of exercises I can do to improve my feet playing. I've diddled around with using stick control with my feet, but it almost seems like that sort of practice would be more valuable to a double kick player. I'm more looking for a way to tighten up my right foot with my hands, and also gain more control of my right foot and play more consistently with it.

There are lots of books and exercises dedicated to developing bass drum control. For instance, Bass Drum Control by Colin Bailey, or the "Fatback Exercises" from Gary Chaffee's series, Chester's New Breed and myriad other choices. However, good ol' Stick Control gives you lots of options. For instance, you can use pg. 5 and 6 to develop all kinds of three- and four-way coordination.

For example,

1. Play an 1/8th note ostinato on the HH and assume all Rs are your bass drum and all Ls are your left hand.

2. Continue with the same ostinato, but consider the exercises to be 16ths rather than 8ths.

3. Change up the ostinato to 1/4s, one-handed 16ths, or mixtures of 8ths and 16ths.

Four four-way coordination, try:

1. Play an ostinato of eighths with one hand and a backbeat with the other. Try using both the HH and RC. Play the exercises using your feet.

[FreeIpod]

Hey Boomka, thanks so much for replying so quickly!

I'm going to try those exercises with Stick Control right away!

[dairyairman]

i always used to play heel down until a few years ago i set out to learn heel up playing. now i use the heel up technique always, unless i'm playing very quietly, like with soft jazz. at first i found i could play a little faster heel up, and i could get more power with less effort, but i didn't have the control i had with heel down. now that i've been at it for a while i have just as much control with heel up as with heel down. so i guess you could say i'm sold on the heel up technique, but heel down is still useful at times.

[GrooveSlave]

I've got to put in a plug for the Matt Ritter DVD "Unburying the Beater". He goes into fine detail about this question and I would highly recommend his approach. I've been working it for a while now and though I'm not where I want to be, I have made good progress and I can see what I'll be able to accomplish in the future by sticking with this. Well worth it. You might also do a search of these forums for Matt. He's on here a lot.

[chuckew@yahoo.com]

that is cool if you want to do it that way. What my primary interest in is the style. I started out with syncopated drum techniques but did not stick to it because someone told me I needed to get on to useing a trap set. I wish I will keep it simple and just use a drum pad.

[davidr]

For power use heel up. You can learn the control of heel down with your heel up but I don't know if heel down will allow you to rock out as much. I know someone will disagree, but I mean it as a general thing not that no one can play powerful heel down, it's just my two cents.

As for exercises, try playing 8th notes on the bass drum quietly then begin to accent different beats. Mix up the accents then try 16ths doing the same thing. Do this to a metronome you'll be there in no time.

[sauceisback]

Hey everyone,

I've been playing drums for around 5 or so years now, but only recently have I really been concentrating on becoming a much better musician. There's a ton of useful information on these forums, but while sifting through the pages I haven't been able to find any definite answers to a couple of questions I have. If anyone has the time to help me out I'd be super appreciative.

First off, I have a question about heel down versus heel up technique.

I've been cracking the whip on myself to get my hand technique down proper, but I still haven't decided which direction to take my feet technique. I have no immediate interest in becoming a double kick speed demon because that particular skill doesn't lend itself well to the styles of music that I play (Though in the future I may start picking it up), what I'm looking for is an improvement on my single kick technique. So far what I've found out is that there are two ways I can practice: Heel down and heel up. Currently I play heel up, but as I read more, heel down seems to be the "proper" way to do it. I also realize that heel down is more for jazz drumming than anything. The problem is that I want the power of playing heel up, but the control and dynamics of playing heel down. Will I be able to have the same power with heel down as heel up? And Ultimately, is it worth switching to heel down this far in the game if I'm already pretty comfortable with heel up?

Second question:

Regardless of which decision I make regarding heel up/down, I don't have a clue as to what sort of exercises I can do to improve my feet playing. I've diddled around with using stick control with my feet, but it almost seems like that sort of practice would be more valuable to a double kick player. I'm more looking for a way to tighten up my right foot with my hands, and also gain more control of my right foot and play more consistently with it.

Again, I'm sorry if these topics have been covered already, but all I can seem to find is information on double kick technique.


Thanks!


Arthur Doyle

dear brother,

actually when it comes to the foot, it doesnt mean when you play heel up you cant play heel down anymore, you can and you may play both whenever needed. like when you play a rock song and you start playing the first stanza, you can use heel down for a low dynamic music and then use heel up for the chorus to bring the dynamics up. use booth heel up and heel down when needed. either one of the technique when you use them doesnt mean you cant use the other.

[grannydrums]

I play a single bass drum with heel up. I was taught however to first do every excercise heel down, it excercises all the ankle muscles and so makes heel up easier. I get complaints about playing too quietly even with my heel up(i am a little old lady), so lately I have been exercising with ankle weights to try and get a bit more power--only been doing it a week but it seems to be working. My problem is that even after watching the "burying the beater" several times i cannot play without digging the beater right into the head and leaving it there(actually i prefer the sound that way)