Pro's and Con's, Double Pedal VS Two Bass Drums

Snowflake

Junior Member
There are probably others out there that want to know the differences between a double pedal and two kick drum set up. What are the pro's and con's to each?
 
If you go with a double pedal, there are pro's and con's.
Pro: your kit won't look like a double kick setup.
Con: your kit won't look like a double kick setup.

However, if you do go with two kicks, then they become:
Pro: your kit will look like a double kick setup.
Con: your kit will look like a double kick setup.

Other than that, double pedals are easier to lug around and you don't have to worry about your kicks sounding different from each other, unless that's something you want (some do).

I've done both, but for the last 20 years have done neither. Not my cup of tea.

However, if it was practical and aesthetically pleasing to me (it isn't), I'd opt for the two bass drums. Reason for that is I like the sound of two separate resonating chambers. Flams sound amazing on two bass drums (don't know why more double kick drummers don't take advantage of this), but it doesn't work as well with a double pedal because the second hit tends to kill the resonance of the first.
 
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Pro of a double pedal:

Not having to carry two bass drums. Especially important if you gig a lot, given not every club's stage is big enough to a double bass kit. And saves the time and effort of loading a 2nd bass drum in and out.

Easier to get a consistent sound, since you don't have to try to get two drums to sound alike.

Only needs one mic in a recording/live set up.

Pro of two bass drum set up:
Each drum is separate. The bounce of the head, or where the other beater is in relation to the beater of the stroke you are using is not a concern.

Bigger sound (since two drums are moving air).

Have options of two different bass drum sounds if you so wish.

Can pan each bass drum separately in recording.

...........................

When I was younger, I dreamed of a big double bass kit. When I was 23 or 24, I bought a big double bass kit. Then reality set in, and in most cases, a double pedal is far more practical.
 
it really depends on what you consider a pro and con. me playing metal i like the flash of the double bass kit, but tuning wise and sound wise it can be a real hassle. a lot of times what i do especially in recording situations i use a double pedal on 1 bass to keep it sounding the same. live wise i sometimes actually use both drums and hope they sound close enough nobody will notice. upon occasion i've tuned each one slightly seperate and use them at the same time for the effect but stop playing double bass patterns on them. and if tuning has been a real b*tch that night i've been known to keep the double set up for cosmetic reasons then still use a double pedal behind the kit. micing is sometimes more complicated, expense in 2 heads instead of one, size of course



either way, you can do cool stuff with 2 bass drums but it's all in what you want. pro to some may be cons to others.
 
If your pounding super fast double-kick chops on a single bass drum the sound can get all cluttered because of the hurricane of air inside the one bass drum.

With two, the sound tends to be clear in recording.

...and depending on who you ask, with double pedals there is always the lag on the slave pedal, metal heads with two kick drums have two single pedals which can be adjusted more easily and while each feel responsive.

If your for sound: Two Kick Drums

If your for tight spaces and logistical ease: One Kick Drum

But to tell you the truth, two kick drums don't take very much space on the stage (if the space is too small, why would you be there in the first place?), it is how you transport the kit that matters.
 
If you can why not do both?

why not buy two bass drums, two single pedals and a conversion kit for the pedals and have all basses (heh, see what I did there?) covered.

I would of done that my self had I not bought my current kit. oh well no regrets. besides with my new Sonor kit, i can buy another matching bass drum and make up for lost time ;)


-Jonathan
 
I have 2 kick drums and a double pedal. I rarely use both BD live though. They sound good for recording and look cool but too much work too lug around.
 
My dream would be to have 2 different sized bass drums. A 24" amd a 20". I would use a lefty double pedal on the 24 and a single pedal on the 20. So the set up would look like there are 2 pedals on the right bass drum and 2 on the left (can't forget the hi hat). That way I could play 2 different sounding bass drums, 2 similar sounding bass drums, or go single on both the 24 or 20 depending on the sound situation. But that's just a dream...
 
If your pounding super fast double-kick chops on a single bass drum the sound can get all cluttered because of the hurricane of air inside the one bass drum.

With two, the sound tends to be clear in recording.

...and depending on who you ask, with double pedals there is always the lag on the slave pedal, metal heads with two kick drums have two single pedals which can be adjusted more easily and while each feel responsive.

If your for sound: Two Kick Drums

If your for tight spaces and logistical ease: One Kick Drum

But to tell you the truth, two kick drums don't take very much space on the stage (if the space is too small, why would you be there in the first place?), it is how you transport the kit that matters.

I don't entirely agree. I can imagine the sound of your BD to get cluttered up at very high speeds, with low tunings. Tightening your heads a little more is going to take care of most of it (I hear no-one complaining about how you can't play fast on toms because the sound gets distorted, and they are also generally tuned a little low).
I myself prefer to make the bass drum a little tight, even when I still playeds in a metalcore band. The kick sound just really opens up. I want a "boom", not a "thud".

And unfortunately, I have been on stages where an electric kit was almost too much (some churches), let alone a double bass set.
 
the best reason to have 2 kicks to me would simply be having 2 identical feeling single pedals. This is why all the crazy double bass playing metal drummers use 2 kicks. You can't play the stuff they're playing for as long or as smooth on a double pedal. However, if your just playing occasional double bass, I don't think it's worth the hassle of hauling around the second kick.
 
I'm not much of a double kicker, so although I enjoy the imposing look of a double bass kit, I would never own one (unless I had a drum tech and roadies). For me, the cons far outweigh the pros.

Pros of two kicks:
- Looks cool, if you enjoy the imposing double kick look
- Your left foot will get to play a better feeling kick pedal
...and that's about it.

Cons:
- Takes up space on stage
- Takes up space in your car
- More expensive, both for the extra drum and for having to buy heads for two kicks
- An extra kick drum to haul in and out of gigs, rehearsal spaces and your car
- Difficult to tune two kicks to sound identical (which is what 98% of double kick players want)
- Many venues don't have two kick mics
- Limits positioning, especially when it comes to the hihat stand

There are so many doulbe kick monster players that manage just fine with a double pedal, so the handicap can't be that bad. For example: Virgil Donati, Derek Roddy, Jason Rullo, Ray Luzier and Thomas Lang
 
Dave Lombardo said that when you play fast with double pedals, the air inside is still moving before the next stroke so there is not much 'boom'. Something along those lines, the interview is on youtube.

IMO, double pedals are convenient. 2 bass drums look cool and all, but they are more troublesome. Pretty much what the rest have said.
 
Dave Lombardo said that when you play fast with double pedals, the air inside is still moving before the next stroke so there is not much 'boom'. Something along those lines, the interview is on youtube.

While that's probably technically true, I doubt that anyone will be able to pick up the added boom in a loud rock setting, where the kick is not only only one of many instruments, but also run through microphones, EQ, gates, compression and so on. If he can hear it, good for him, but I'm definitely not able to hear whether or not a drummer uses one or two kick drums (unless he uses two kick drums with different sounds, obviously)
 
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- Limits positioning, especially when it comes to the hihat stand

I'm not sure why this wasn't brought up before. That big thing on the floor really forces a lot of other things to work around it. Unless you have some gigantic rack set up. Cymbal stands on that side, smaller toms, forcing the hat further around limiting a side snare or extra floor tom on that side.

As someone who also does live sound, if you have the gear most sound folks will pretty tightly gate a kick drum. It cleans things up and prevents feedback from the drum monitor. So, all that's coming though is the initial transient. The sustain is basically overhang in the sub cabinets and the hall. So the perceived advantage of the double drum setup is often lost in any venue large enough to accomodate them.
 
I guess it depends on preference.

I have heard some people who play really fast and you can still hear each stroke on one bass drum. I'm sure dampening is involved heavily though.

On double pedal you can do cool things like dampen the head with one pedal while playing with the other.
 
Could you repeat the question?

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I may be biased..
 
I have a kit with 2 kick drums and am thinking about purchasing 2 duallist pedals. (one for each kick drum). Does anyone think this would be an unwise decision? I also prefer a double bass kit with a single pedal on each kick. Lars Ulrich from Metallica uses a single pedal on both of his kicks. The duallist pedals I think would be faster than single and more suitable for death metal.
 
My experience is 2 pedals give you a more even feel when playing fast sustained 16th's.
Double pedals are OK for bursting between hands and feet when doing triplets or 16th's.
No matter how good the double pedal,there is a mechanical link that feels off when compared to two pedals.
Cons
More expense and equipment when using two pedals.

In a perfect world ,two pedals is a no brainer.
 
Here's what I can give you.

Pros of Double Pedal
1. Costs less money
2. Saves up more room/takes up less room
3. Requires no movement of toms or snare drum.
4. Don't have to reposition hi-hat and make it in an awkward position

Pros of Two Bass Drums
1. Makes your setup look very impressive
2. Helps with wanting to make your kit look massive
3. No lag on single pedals

You also can use a double pedal on a double bass drum setup if you care more about visual effects

Cons of Double Pedal
1. Unable to tell difference of a double bass or double pedal on a recording
2. Lag on left pedal at times
3. Somewhat harder to record

Cons of a Double Bass
1. Takes up more room (24 x 2 or 22 x 2 is very large in width so be careful about where the drums are placed)
2. Have to move cymbals into awkward places at times
3. Somewhat harder to record

I know I said "Somewhat harder to record" because sometimes, each can be pain in the you know where to record, place mic's at, and to catch all the hits on each. By the way for double bass, keep them at the SAME tuning since if you want them to be different, they will be awkward when playing doubles.
 
My experience is 2 pedals give you a more even feel when playing fast sustained 16th's.
Double pedals are OK for bursting between hands and feet when doing triplets or 16th's.
No matter how good the double pedal,there is a mechanical link that feels off when compared to two pedals.
Cons
More expense and equipment when using two pedals.

In a perfect world ,two pedals is a no brainer.

Make sure you let Thomas Lang know that his double pedal feels off because of the mechanical linkage... LMAO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tia3nieOu0o
 
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