i dont play metal, but should i play a double pedal anyway?

Ainulindale

Gold Member
i desperately need to upgrade my bass pedal, the stocker that came with the stage customs is just terrible (the one real sore spot on an otherwise great kit), now i dont play metal, dont have the inclination to learn either, but could i still use a double pedal? i do enjoy playing around with ostinatos and i like getting a busy and funky beat going, but im not entirely sure that i would get a lot out of a double pedal - so for all of you out there that use a double pedal, but dont play metal, should i or shouldnt i?... thanks!
 
The way I look at it is this: You can play any of your other sounds (except hi hat pedal?) with both hands. I.E. be able to play 32nds, or make that sound with either hand for syncopation reasons. Why limit your bass drum that way, knowing how central the bass drum is to most music?

Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to use it all the time. I don't particularly use a ton of double bass, but when I need to I can.

Flams, etc. to accent an otherwise really simple beat can be a nice touch too.

But there's no reason you should just stay with a single bass pedal....unless you just want that. Nothing wrong with that either.
 
I mainly play jazz and swing and I bought one about a year ago. Still haven't learned to use it well let alone take it to a gig.
 
Hey! Louis Bellson pioneered the whole double kick concept and he certainly didn't play metal so I'd say go for it :)

Kindest regards,

Kev

Good point, Kev. Louis is a really awesome drummer, too.
 
I don't play much metal, plenty of hard rock, but no metal. It's a great tool to have though, I do find it useful for flams, quads, rolls, etc. that add a little sumthin-sumthin to fills and the ends of songs. I don't use it all the time or in every song, and there's a few gigs I leave the slave pedal home. But as we used to say in the Army: "Better to have and not need, than need and not have."
 
There are plenty of things that I've found a double bass pedal to be useful for outside of genres that typically use it in beats. Namely, this is in a descending paradiddlediddle fill I'm a fan of that requires two consecutive strikes on the bass drum. There are times where that requirement will pop up and you might want to have a certain dynamic level, in which case a double pedal would be the ideal piece of gear.

It's a slim chance, I suppose, but it's better than being caught off-guard when you need something you could've been practicing with for a long time.

And if you do decide to buy one: Do not skimp on buying it. Crummy pedals makes for a crummy experience playing them.
 
thank you everbody for the comments and the great links - Peart is just amazing! youve convinced me to take the plunge, but as mentioned i shouldnt cheap out with a double pedal, right? so i might have to wait, because this would be after new cymbals and a snare...

thanks again guys and keep the videos coming!
 
you shouldnt be asking such things really
its like, i dont need to breathe, should i?
all upgrades are good for your kit and you
 
you shouldnt be asking such things really
its like, i dont need to breathe, should i?
all upgrades are good for your kit and you

it really does seem like a dumb question after the fact :)

(and a side note, DrumEatDrum has a great related thread going in "General"...)
 
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