Hansen Futz Pedals

LukeSnyder

Gold Member
Anyone who has experience with these, the construction looks like it is made entirely out of plastic, how does it hold up under duress? Do these things actually last? Also, being so light, wouldn't they flop around all over the place? If I had them, I would use them primarily to work on my death metal chops, and I hit with a lot of power, using swivel. It seems to me that they would scoot and bounce like crazy unless you bolted them down or something.
 
Anyone who has experience with these, the construction looks like it is made entirely out of plastic, how does it hold up under duress? Do these things actually last? Also, being so light, wouldn't they flop around all over the place? If I had them, I would use them primarily to work on my death metal chops, and I hit with a lot of power, using swivel. It seems to me that they would scoot and bounce like crazy unless you bolted them down or something.

I've had one of these things under my desk at work for about 3 yrs. now. It's durable and holds up, though I found it less useful for practice after about 6 mo. Now it's just a foot rest for me. :)
 
That device only makes sense for strengthening for double bass. There are better and free ways to exercise for double bass playing that are quiet too.

Try this instead. With heels up, tap your right toe to the floor then as your are pulling up your toe tap the floor with your heel. This creates a rocking motion, heel to toe to heel to toe, with only one making contact with the floor at a time. Do this slowly at first until you you play it smoothly then build up speed. Repeat with the left foot.

Then, when you get comfortable with the motion, play right toe then right heel then left toe then left heel. This will make rrllrrllrrllrrll on your feet, but metered in a much easier to handle way similar to Moeller motion.

It is important to be sure your toe is not in contact with the ground while your heel is.

ANywhoo, hope this helps. If anything, it is the first start to tap dancing!
 
I knew the guy who invented these things. He frequented an open mic jam I used to attend in Doylestown, PA. He approached me, talked it up, and gave me one to evaluate before it went to market. I thought it would be more marketable as an exerciser, something that would provide real resistance so you could strengthen those heel down muscles.

But it has about as much resistance as your pedal, and I really didn't see the point. I could do the same thing with my foot on the floor. I relayed my thoughts to him. Then, a few years later, I saw it advertised in Modern Drummer. It's essentially the same prototype as I tested, with the addition of a holder to attach a beater rod. I thought if he could design it with adjustable resistance, he might have something.
IMO, to properly practice the heel down technique, you really need a rebounding surface like a drumhead or rubber pad so you can let the beater rebound fully after every hit. This just doesn't simulate that at all.
 
That device only makes sense for strengthening for double bass. There are better and free ways to exercise for double bass playing that are quiet too.

Try this instead. With heels up, tap your right toe to the floor then as your are pulling up your toe tap the floor with your heel. This creates a rocking motion, heel to toe to heel to toe, with only one making contact with the floor at a time. Do this slowly at first until you you play it smoothly then build up speed. Repeat with the left foot.

Then, when you get comfortable with the motion, play right toe then right heel then left toe then left heel. This will make rrllrrllrrllrrll on your feet, but metered in a much easier to handle way similar to Moeller motion.

It is important to be sure your toe is not in contact with the ground while your heel is.

ANywhoo, hope this helps. If anything, it is the first start to tap dancing!

Trust me, I work with my feet on the floor CONSTANTLY, I was bowling today, and the bowling shoes made a nice clicking sound, I was working on my flam rudiments :D

I knew the guy who invented these things. He frequented an open mic jam I used to attend in Doylestown, PA. He approached me, talked it up, and gave me one to evaluate before it went to market. I thought it would be more marketable as an exerciser, something that would provide real resistance so you could strengthen those heel down muscles.

But it has about as much resistance as your pedal, and I really didn't see the point. I could do the same thing with my foot on the floor. I relayed my thoughts to him. Then, a few years later, I saw it advertised in Modern Drummer. It's essentially the same prototype as I tested, with the addition of a holder to attach a beater rod. I thought if he could design it with adjustable resistance, he might have something.
IMO, to properly practice the heel down technique, you really need a rebounding surface like a drumhead or rubber pad so you can let the beater rebound fully after every hit. This just doesn't simulate that at all.

Thats the other thing, if it doesn't feel like a real pedal... I guess there's really no substitute for practice on a real drum with real pedals. There are so many fine motions that you have to make, especially when you're playing stuff super fast, like at 240. The "feel" is too important.
 
I thought if he could design it with adjustable resistance, he might have something.
IMO, to properly practice the heel down technique, you really need a rebounding surface like a drumhead or rubber pad so you can let the beater rebound fully after every hit. This just doesn't simulate that at all.

I own a pair and use them at my desk at work. Like a previous poster said they mostly get used as a foot holder, and they're good for that! But every day I do work on heal down and heal up-ankle exercises a little, not as much as I should. They are definitly better than practicing without anything. I wouldn't recommend buying them unless you have a desk job and can put them under your desk, because otherwise you're probably not going to practice on them much anywhere else. And they're a little pricey.

FYI, the tension is adjustable. The product is strong and stays in place very nicely on a carpet floor.
 
I own a pair and use them at my desk at work. Like a previous poster said they mostly get used as a foot holder, and they're good for that! But every day I do work on heal down and heal up-ankle exercises a little, not as much as I should. They are definitly better than practicing without anything. I wouldn't recommend buying them unless you have a desk job and can put them under your desk, because otherwise you're probably not going to practice on them much anywhere else. And they're a little pricey.

FYI, the tension is adjustable. The product is strong and stays in place very nicely on a carpet floor.

Yeah, the idea was to stick a pair under my desk and work on stuff with my feet while I'm working on the computer. I think for now, I'm better off just tapping on the floor, because I get enough time on the drumset.
 
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