thats real high..i konw it lets it swing more mometum which you need when kicking the pedal..but there is no ideal level? it is all prefrence?
The best way to really know is to have someone strike the batter head with a beater while you're out front listening. You'll know were it sounds its best. All you have to do then is to adjust your pedal for the feel you want. I have the center of this particular beater just a bit higher than the center of my batter head.
Dennis
You will notice that 2 inch risers are usually used on 18 inch bass drums.
That is to allow the beater shaft to be set at a longer length.
If you want to screw-up your bass drum technique and give yourself a hard time playing just lower your beater.
So in that respect, a riser allows the beater to remain in its normal playing position and raises the bass drum itself so beater hits closer to center.
The nature of standard pedal design means 99.99% of pedal beaters are going to hit above center on the BD head.
From floor to standard pedal shaft center is between 7 to 7.25 inches, add another 5 to 7 inches of beater (4.5 and lower makes it pretty un useable) and you're already above center of the average bass drum.
So 7 inches from the pedal and 7 inches from the beater, that's 14... which is half of 28. How many are playing a 28" bass drum?
On a 22" kick you'd need your beater 3.5" high to strike center.
I used 18" 20" (currently) and a 22' and always center the beater to the batter. Never above an inch over center using the 18" I don't want my bass drums off the ground in a cradle or use a riser. I have taylored beaters for different size heads. I also use a smaller beater on my 18" than I use on a 22". For years I used a maple mallet with a Remo Yellow Flam, it worked nicely with a Power Stroke. Now I use a Pearl Eliminator beater hitting dead center on a Aq. Super Kick 1, it works well with my new DW 5000. Doc
Ditto, just above or below the center. Above if you need more power without monkeying with a lot of adjustments, but dead center is just that, Dead..
ixnay... wouldn't want one.
All you have to do to change the sound of your kick is reach down with a drum key, or just turn a few key rods.
The idea/concept was to have different sound sources and feel while playing, not just adjusting or changing the beater or re-tuning the bass drum.