drummingman
Gold Member
Is there really an advantage of one over the other (meaning when you can get the same model pedal in either style, like with Trick or Axis)?
Longboard vs Shortboard
- Thread starter drummingman
- Start date
Arky
Platinum Member
I've never played longboards so far but...
** Long vs. short is preference, and
** You can get top results with any board length and any pedal - if your feet are up to it. (With more and more practice I tend to forget that I have a cheapo/short board under my feet.)
As with anything (pedals included): You have to check for yourself to find what feels best for your feet. Nice to know that there's many pedals nowadays which allow for conversion so you can't go wrong with those. But ultimately - don't overthink. Practice makes far more difference than which pedal you're using.
I guess that one of the main differences between long vs. short board is long footplates create more leverage and might feel a bit easier at higher speed if you hold those speeds for a while, you can place your feet further down the pedalboard and the pedals will still produce useable power. Short boards should give slightly better response but take a tiny bit more energy to maintain higher speeds due to the reduced leverage effect.
Last but not least... The search function will reveal tons of threads on this very topic.
** Long vs. short is preference, and
** You can get top results with any board length and any pedal - if your feet are up to it. (With more and more practice I tend to forget that I have a cheapo/short board under my feet.)
As with anything (pedals included): You have to check for yourself to find what feels best for your feet. Nice to know that there's many pedals nowadays which allow for conversion so you can't go wrong with those. But ultimately - don't overthink. Practice makes far more difference than which pedal you're using.
I guess that one of the main differences between long vs. short board is long footplates create more leverage and might feel a bit easier at higher speed if you hold those speeds for a while, you can place your feet further down the pedalboard and the pedals will still produce useable power. Short boards should give slightly better response but take a tiny bit more energy to maintain higher speeds due to the reduced leverage effect.
Last but not least... The search function will reveal tons of threads on this very topic.
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Duck Tape
Platinum Member
You get more leverage with short boards... I find this is better for patterns where you have to stop and start/alternate leading feet. Personally I prefer playing with a bit more ankle, feeling some resistance and I find I have less control with long boards as the sweet spot is somewhat lost, or not as easy to exploit or something. Pretty hard to describe but I think of longboards to be like walking in skis, or stepping on two big wooden planks that remain somewhat flat, and so you end up having to 'stomp' your whole leg whereas with short boards you can use the pedal more dynamically.
BigDinSD
Gold Member
Good explanation. I've found that I too have more control with a shortboard - especially when pausing between fills with both feet. After being on the shortboard, it took about 4-5 months to transition to a longboard. Actually 6 months since my longboard is a direct drive.
the default answer would be: Preference. I stay sharp on both in case I use someone else's kit with different pedals.
Longboards work great for heel-toe. But I can still do those on shortboards.
Preference...
scorch whammin
Gold Member
For me it's the opposite.. I have more control with the longboards...played short boards for a long time and just recently switched to longboards...for me I just prefer the longboard and find the sweet spot to be bigger on them..so I definitely agree the answer would be preference...
BigDinSD
Gold Member
That's just what I want to hear after being on my longboards for about a year now.
Like anything - just time and practice.
wildbill
Platinum Member
I thought the only, or at least the main, benefit of a longer board is like you say - easier to strike with your heel while keeping your whole foot on the board.
My experience, you can do everything with both, each will make particular things easier, and there's a bit of transition time getting used to one from the other (full time, not a one off, trading from long to short or vice versa)
I like my longs way better than my shorts but there are too many variables to say it's because they are longs. I got axis AL2's and swapped for my tama doubles, the el cheapo ones. All the other short board singles I've played have been the church kit ones, you know, the ones from the eighties that are soo light they're almost two dimentional...? So I haven't really got a nice short board comparison.
Personally though, I'm thrashing out epic funk double and triple single foot licks on my long boards, so I haven't found that they make non double stuff harder. That's all I know.
I like my longs way better than my shorts but there are too many variables to say it's because they are longs. I got axis AL2's and swapped for my tama doubles, the el cheapo ones. All the other short board singles I've played have been the church kit ones, you know, the ones from the eighties that are soo light they're almost two dimentional...? So I haven't really got a nice short board comparison.
Personally though, I'm thrashing out epic funk double and triple single foot licks on my long boards, so I haven't found that they make non double stuff harder. That's all I know.
That was the best description I could ever read on this matter.
beyondbetrayal
Platinum Member
I have 2 long board pedals and just sold my last set of short boards (im a bit of a pedal whore)
but i find its less effort to play a long board....... i get more power from a short board. but every pedal has a ton of adjustments.... i can get power from a long board. i can also get speed and effortless playing from a short.
I prefer a longboard for heel toe but it can be done on shorts too.
i get tired less on a long board playing fast too.. but i'm used to longboards now.
try them both. or get the demons.. they can be both
but i find its less effort to play a long board....... i get more power from a short board. but every pedal has a ton of adjustments.... i can get power from a long board. i can also get speed and effortless playing from a short.
I prefer a longboard for heel toe but it can be done on shorts too.
i get tired less on a long board playing fast too.. but i'm used to longboards now.
try them both. or get the demons.. they can be both
wildbill
Platinum Member
The quoted first part of Dre's post is wrong in a strictly technical sense, but the rest of it makes sense.
Torque is greater on a longer length level when equal pressure is applied.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/torque-info.htm
Torque = Force x Length
Drumsinhisheart
Silver Member
If torque is associated with twisting or turning force, how is that applied to a footboard? Pedals are made with various bearing points, which rotate.
I haven't owned a longboard pedal, but leverage point from the heels would seem to make a longboard easier to move, with a larger sweet spot to do it, player to player, who play heels up.
I haven't owned a longboard pedal, but leverage point from the heels would seem to make a longboard easier to move, with a larger sweet spot to do it, player to player, who play heels up.
brady
Platinum Member
I don't think there is any cut and dry advantage. It's simply what your foot prefers.
I recently switched from a short board (Iron Cobra) to the longboard (Speed Cobra).
I found that I don't have to work nearly as hard for quick doubles, like on a Latin pattern, with the Speed Cobra. I play mostly heel-down too. Overall, it seems much more effrotless with the longboard.
I occasionally switch back to the IC but I much prefer the SC.
I recently switched from a short board (Iron Cobra) to the longboard (Speed Cobra).
I found that I don't have to work nearly as hard for quick doubles, like on a Latin pattern, with the Speed Cobra. I play mostly heel-down too. Overall, it seems much more effrotless with the longboard.
I occasionally switch back to the IC but I much prefer the SC.
bud7h4
Silver Member
I switch back and forth between my IC and SC every few weeks of practice. Each time I do I'm much better on the pedal I've just gone back to. And although the SC allows me to do bursts and fast patterns with less effort, each time I go back to the IC the overall feel is sooooo good.
The best I can describe the difference in feel is with the longboard I mostly feel the pendulum motion of the beaters (I don't like this), and on the shorter IC board the mechanical feel is more of the pedal itself going up/down. This feels better to me and I can control the pedals much better and play a lot more evenly.
On a side note: for those of you with IC pedals, try using the heavier "super spring" that comes with the speed cobra. Absolutely perfect! Tama part # HP910-7S
CreeplyTuna
Silver Member
I've never played a longboard for more than a few minutes, so I can't really compare, but there are plenty of pedals out there that let you adjust the footboard length. I'd go for one next time I need an upgrade, just to check out all the different features.