The Double Bass Barrier

A thunder of Coxy

Senior Member
Hey friends,

Over the past few months I've put back my slave pedal on to my double kick after years of just building my single kick playing and the bands I was in didn't really need it. Although I have fast feet playing singles, when playing the double kick I feel completely unbalanced and rushing. From years way back in metal bands I could play fast singles on my double (not completely accurate and perfect time albeit) but now that I'm looking to increase my skill on the double kick, not just for speed and metal but for other applications I wanted to ask what is the best way to practice and progress to gain steadiness and balance and not feeling tightened up or rushing when playing.

Over the past year I've really really heavily gotten into Motorhead. With the current drummer Mickey Dee who I'm sure your aware is a great double kick player, very controlled yet powerful. I've been learning the tracks 'Over Kill', 'Burner' and 'See Me Burning' to name a few to practice and get down my double bass. Just sat on a chair I can get the rhythm going and the steadiness between my left and right foot. When sat on the throne though and on my pedals the difficulty obviously is increased tenfold. I feel completely off balance and rushing at the end of bars. On good days however I can play them but then slip off.

My bass drum I suppose isn't so friendly for this music, it's a coated Emperor with no port on the resonant side and felt strips on the skins as the only muffling on the drum (I love the boomy old school sound). I would play along to such songs just on my right foot and imagine the left filling and acting as the opposite 8th's making the full 16th''s but when I put both feet on the pedals..........you get the idea.

So any advice, books, vid's....women....you will offer to me for getting better? Thanks

p.s a vid here of Mickey and the boys in action, his power and accuracy is inspirational.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOYVpHMtkD8

Coxy
 
Ankle weights. I forget, but Gene Hoglan said somewhere that after a certain weight, the added weight become useless. I think he uses either 1lb or 3lb, and says anything higher than that won't give a benefit. Wearing the weights while you practice will increase power and speed.

Basically, just really emphasize singles on your weak foot until you reach the point where you feel like you can start to carry some rolls. I wouldn't even practice singles on my strong foot, save for a little bit to keep from atrophy. After that, metronome and really put effort into creating solid, even rolls. Your 'strong' limbs will always be stronger, but you can even it out for the most part.

If you have an electronic drum set laying around, you could trigger your bass drum and it would be a lot more useful in evening out your hits. You could also just practice on an electric kit instead of your real kit. If you can't do this, you should try to tune your bass drum to quicken the sound so you can really hear where your hits are.

Also, you could invest in a bass drum practice pad and attach a kick pedal to it. I love the one I have because it's rubber and you can really hear how you're hitting.
 
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