What the hell is up with these double hits????

piperdoog

Silver Member
Ok guys I have been drumming awhile now and recently got into a new kit and am having some very frustrating issues with the bounce back double hit thing going on on the bass drum. I have read some advice but cannot figure this out. Here are the details, I'm running a PS3 batter (not sure the age) but seems to be in great condition, I have a ported reso, and the tension on the bass drum pedals does not seem to make a difference. I have the batter head fairly tight, and the reso running pretty tight as well not over the top by any means just tighter, so should I really loosen them off?
I hve never had this problem before so I wouldn't say it's technique, but am finding it quite frustrating.
Should I buy a new head?
Anyways any advice would be really appreciated.

Cheers
 
What kind of beater are you using? I find that I sometimes get double hits with plastic beaters (or beaters made of other hard materials). Felt beaters have much less bounce, so they completely eliminate the problem for me.
 
I remember that double thing when trying someone else's kit many years ago. It freaked me out. His pedal was much more tightly sprung than my one at the time and, as Naigewron said, I had a felt beater on mine and they guy's pedal had a hard beater (forgot exactly what it was - it was about 25 years ago). My foot technique was not up to handling such a fast pedal. One option would be to use the pedal on a drum practice pad till you adjust.
 
Do you bury the pedal? If you do this will happen because you said you have the batter head fairly tight. Loosen the batter or learn to not bury the pedal. I have the same issue and have to tune accordingly.
 
Thanks gang I'll give it all a shot!
I have never had this problem before although I'm playing a 24 inch kick now. I will loosen up everything from the batter head to the pedal spring tension and see how it goes.
I guess the reso head can stay a bit tight to get that air flow quicken. I'll felt it up as well.
Hey Naigewron nice single there buddy took a quick listen, good recording your a good recording drummer, I like the fills etc it works with the song, nothing worse than a drummer doing to much and take away from the tune. Solid job man
 
Joeysnare asked the right question.

If you have always played with a ported reso and switch to one that is non ported you will get a completely different feel from the pedal. Assuming you bury the beater, as I do, playing with a non ported reso will give you trouble, mostly along the lines of "double hits"
 
I say it's your batter head tension. Bass drum heads are more to be tuned just above wrinkle stage lowest possible pitch. And this will vary on the type of music you play as well. I personally don't tighten my bass drum heads down all that much. My reso head I leave loose as well. Your just going to have to try different things. You also might just have to adjust to your new kit.
 
I recently switched from ported 22"s to a non-ported 26". I was having the same problems. I keep the batter medium and the reso high. For some reason the problem was worse with my Iron Cobra. When I tried my Eliminator, it improved. I've still had to change my technique.

How big is your port? A larger port might help.
 
Well, he said he has a ported front head, right? So he's not dealing with going from a thuddy blanket filled bass drum to a ringy open one. Usually everyone tunes just above the wrinkles on the batter head, eliminating the head from bouncing back at you, so that might help. Or maybe the new pedal is not tight enough and the spring doesn't throw the beater back far enough away. All kinds of variables here to see that we can't see. The last time I saw this phenomenon the drummer-in-questions' technique was just bad. He liked to bury the beater, which in effect made his 24" bass drum sound smaller than it was. Once we worked on getting the beater off of the head, regardless of how it was tuned or if it was single-headed or not, then he started getting into the John Bonham realm.
 
One reason for double hits is if you aren't getting your foot out of the way quick enough on the rebound, but since this has only been an issue with the new drums, everybody elses suggestions should improve things. The beater strikes the head at a different spot on a 24 as a 22 and it sounds like you just have to get used the feel of the 24. Man I haven't even played a 24 since the 80's. I had a 1976 Ludwig Blue Oyster Pearl set w/ a 24" kick..... Man, what a sound.
 
Hey lads here is the upgrade, I do have a ported reso as well. So I loosened up the batter head quite a bit and took the reso head down a bit as well, then i loosened the tension spring and it has improved. Thanks
 
I was going to recommend making one change at a time and give it a few practices before making other changes. So you get a better idea of what changes are having a particular effect.
 
Stop burying the beater and the problem will be solved.
That all that there is to it.
Heel up or down, If you bury, you will get multiple hits on the bass.
 
I used to have that problem when i started not burying the beater. It took a while but it's just a matter of practice. You just have to learn to control the pedal enough with your foot to prevent the beater moving back and forth after a hit.

I wouldn't suggest constantly changing spring tension and stuff like that, you just need to get used to it and eventually it will stop.
 
Is the ps3 a double layered head? I experienced some double hits when using a coated ps4. but I switched back to a single layered head and it went away.

Is your beater set far back? How high/low is the footboard? I found it very easy to do heel toe with the footboard set fairly low, but that increased the double hits. Now I have the footboard a little lower than medium I guess, works fine.
 
Is the ps3 a double layered head? I experienced some double hits when using a coated ps4. but I switched back to a single layered head and it went away.

Is your beater set far back? How high/low is the footboard? I found it very easy to do heel toe with the footboard set fairly low, but that increased the double hits. Now I have the footboard a little lower than medium I guess, works fine.

PS3 is a single ply version of the PS4
 
Loosen the batter head tension and the pedal tension, that worked for me.

Also consider moving your foot up farther on the pedal, it will give you more control.
 
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