Single Pedalers:

[spartacus1989]

How long have you been single pedalling for, and how have you resisted the Double Pedal that nearly everyone uses now??

Danny

[KCDrummer]

I haven't played double for almost ten years, basically since I was in high school. I got heavy into jazz and just didn't find it very useful or necessary for the stuff I was playing.

I also disagree that MOST drummers are playing double. I know many more single pedalers than double pedalers.

[ledzepjb]

I think most drummers have all started with a single pedal, seing hoe a db drum is drum gear. I DONT like db drum i DONT want to start doing it...so basicaly i hate it.

[caprisun3484]

i play both but i play way more with my single pedal. i do this because the styles i play don't really need double bass, also i use the hi-hat a pretty good amount

[harryconway]

I've been using a single pedal for around 40 years. I've been using a double pedal for about 15 years. I played double-kick for about 23 years.

[Porker69]

I got a double for christmas and used it for a few months but it wasnt very interesting and didn't add much to the music.I found I was really only using it for doubles which I can do almost as fast with a single, I took off the slave pedal and havent looked back.

[khanedeliac]

Single all the way, If it was good enough for Bonham, Fulwood, Mitchell, its gotta be do-able with practice.
Plus, using the hi-hat is such an integral part of trap kit playing that I cant see how I would play double-kick and still be able to use as many hi-hat embellishments; lastly, the music I play has no real use for double bass and AND, its seldom used tastefully.

Holla back if you only use one foot to go 'thwack'

[kingy102]

not that i have anything against people who play double bass pedals but i find that they seem to heavy metal which im not really into im mean look at how chad smith can play the single pedal in this video

go near the end or watch the whole thing
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fHYjTNi0jOM

[ermghoti]

Originally Posted by khanedeliac

Single all the way, If it was good enough for Bonham...

Bonham had a double bass kit. Plant and Page stole the other drum becuase they thought it was louder than one bass.

[spartacus1989]

Originally Posted by ermghoti

Bonham had a double bass kit. Plant and Page stole the other drum becuase they thought it was louder than one bass.

First I have heard of it! I thought Bonham had a 1 single pedal bass drum

[Class A Drummer]

Although i do use a double pedal, the reason i bought it really was just curiostity. I dont go for uber fast speed, just 16th notes really. Now recently, i have switched to my left foot leading instead of my right, so now i can use my hi hat instead of the left pedal. It sounds pretty cool.

[harryconway]

Originally Posted by spartacus1989

First I have heard of it!

Indeed, Bonham did have double Ludwig Thermo Gloss kicks. Few pictures exist, however.

[rendezvous_drummer]

I've always used single pedal and probably always will. The music I play doesn't require Double Bass.

[Doom]

I use both depending on what I am doing. I like the feeling of playing a single pedal but double bass is valid and equally enjoyable.
There is nothing wrong with double bass pedals and dual bass drums. If you dont like them, just dont listen to music with them in, theres no need to treat them as inferior to what you happen to like. Thats no better than speed lovers looking down on simple beat players.

Theres plenty of room in the world for both.

I've been playing single for pretty much my whole drumming life, about 16 years. I used a double pedal for a short while years ago, but I was really bad with it. Physically it's alot for me to do.

[drumbandit]

I use the hi-hat so much that I just don't see a double pedal fitting into my musical situations that much, although I am getting one soon to see what it's like. Not really sure to be honest, but it is something which I could easily resist buying..

Tom

[hauk]

I have a double pedal, but I mainly use it as a single. Still, it's nice to have the double option. And I don't go for straight 16th or 32nd runs, that's just boring. Check out Gavin Harrison for tasteful double bass.

[WYdrummer09]

Originally Posted by tomodrum1

I use the hi-hat so much that I just don't see a double pedal fitting into my musical situations that much, although I am getting one soon to see what it's like. Not really sure to be honest, but it is somethign which I could easily resist buying..

Tom

Thats how I am, I play a lot of Funk, Latin, and Swing music...So I only use single pedal...I just recently bought a Pearl Eliminator Belt Drive pedal. I love it. Such a smooth feel!

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

I've always had a single pedal and I have been playing for about twelve years now. I really do want a double kick pedal. All in good time. I never really spent a lot of money on my set up until the last several months. So I guess money kept me from getting a double pedal. I don't feel I really need it, but I think it would be fun and allow more creativity in my playing.

[Deathmetalconga]

I have been playing 24 years, all that time with a single pedal. I've tried a double pedal a few times but they seemed clumsy and disorienting and like they'd take a huge amount of time to play well. And there are not many places were I could play them anyway, so it would be a lot of work for little return.

For the past year I've been playing with a Duallist - single pedal, two beaters. It allowed me to immediately put my right foot skills to work, maintain full use of the hihat/foot percussion, and play fast 16ths or tricky shuffles whenever needed, which is about 5 percent of the time.

[beefythedrummer]

I have double pedals, play them regularly, and really enjoy them, but it's all about what you want to play. I had to use them because the band I was in was a heavy, metal-ish kinda band lol. Lately, however, I've been wanting to incorporate the hi-hat more so I've kinda laid off the double as much, but they are still a blast to play haha. The only downfall I see in doubles is more in the players themselves, because they can easily be overplayed. Yeah, it's cool hearing double bass, and it can really add to the music; but when they start sounding less like drums and more like machine gun fire, thats when it starts sounding ridiculous to me lol.

[drumminjohn]

Originally Posted by ermghoti

Bonham had a double bass kit. Plant and Page stole the other drum becuase they thought it was louder than one bass.

Ahhhhh Bonham never recorded anything in the studio with his double bass kit, he just used them for some live shows in 1969. The whole band made him get rid of it because he was drowning out the whole band onstage.

I use a single pedal because the music I play has never called for a double pedal, and I've never particularly wanted one.

[DrumsAreMyLife]

I used to be obsessed with always having a double pedal..I think until you are really good at it, you shouldn't use it in a show or with your band...wait til you can actually make it sound good with both feet. Most drummers who try it to soon are just weak with there left foot.

[drumtechdad]

Originally Posted by hauk

I have a double pedal, but I mainly use it as a single. Still, it's nice to have the double option. And I don't go for straight 16th or 32nd runs, that's just boring. Check out Gavin Harrison for tasteful double bass.

+1. Also Dennis Chambers. I like drummers who can do something other than wacka-wacka-wacka-wacka with it.

[stasz]

Originally Posted by harryconway

Indeed, Bonham did have double Ludwig Thermo Gloss kicks. Few pictures exist, however.

True... I googled "John Bonham" and after a while I couldn't find a picture of them. But I did find this...



Oh, also I have a double kick pedal but use it sparingly... often the single pedal will suffice but I believe the good drummer should have double kick ability because it does have its proper place and time.

No offense to anyone.... Live and let live etc.... Everyone's opinion is equally valid.... here's mine.

A drum kit should only have one kick drum with one kick pedal. Period! and while we're at it...
Also, it is important to remember that basses have 4 strings. Not 5 (that would be a banjo), not 6 (that's a guitar), 4 strings... and the bigger and fatter you can get them, the better the tone you'll achieve. No, I'm not joking.

Bless all those who feel differently.... it just means traffic is lighter over here in the "cool" lane. ;) wink, wink, nudge, nudge.....

[jayp]

When I got my first set, All I cared for was double bass, rock and metal. Then I actually studied my drumming and am now strictly a single pedal, bop, funk, jazz, rock player. High hats are one of the most important parts of the kit how could you leave them out!

The moment I realised how pathetic it is to play double bass all the time was when I went to guitar center, and 90% of the kits where setup single pedal and I couldn't even go in their and play one lick that sounded alright because I was so stuck on 16th note duga duga duga double bass!

Now I wouldn't say that its a bad thing to have a double pedal because like most players I feel there is an appropriate time for them the be applied but you should always be able to shred on a single you don't want to be the loser to sit down in guitar center or wherever you go and be the guy who can't use the kit because "it doesnt have a double!"

[DestinationDrumming]

When I can play my single pedal to a great standard I might try a double but not before. I want to master one before I move over to another and end up not really good at either.

Personal choice really!

[JoeyWaters]

I have been playing for 13 years, and received a double pedal 6 months after I started playing. I loved it for over ten years....because I played metal. I changed styles and quit playing double kick because the music didn't call for it anymore. If I still played metal, I would still play double kick. Certain styles call for double bass, thats just how it goes. Anyone who hates double bass for the sake of hating double bass is being rather closed-minded. Drums weren't meant for one bass drum only, they were meant to fit the drummer and style of music played.

Oh, and I feel that drum were only made for one rack tom, I hate any other tom configuration....

[stasz]

Originally Posted by FullerBrushMan

No offense to anyone.... Live and let live etc.... Everyone's opinion is equally valid.... here's mine.

A drum kit should only have one kick drum with one kick pedal. Period! and while we're at it...
Also, it is important to remember that basses have 4 strings. Not 5 (that would be a banjo), not 6 (that's a guitar), 4 strings... and the bigger and fatter you can get them, the better the tone you'll achieve. No, I'm not joking.

Bless all those who feel differently.... it just means traffic is lighter over here in the "cool" lane. ;) wink, wink, nudge, nudge.....

Hate to beat a dead horse since you don't care but some basses can have more than 4 strings in order for the bassist to be able to play a wider range of notes, but the number of strings is of course up to the player and different bassists will use a different amount of drum pedals-- er, bass strings. Almost lost the metaphor there.

[MoeDrummer]

I would consider myself a single pedal player... even though I own a double pedal. Allow me to explain.

I've never been that much of a fan of the whole "look how fast I can play my bass" thing. I probably wouldn't have a double pedal right now, but... I came across a good deal on Pearl's Powershifter Eliminator double, which had been used as a floor model at some Guitar Center I went to (the shaft was marked up from rubbing against a stand or something, simply cosmetic). My bassist was also with me at the time and helped to peer pressure me into purchasing it. So, after some bargaining, I managed to get a nice double pedal for under the price of a new single of the same model :D.

I like to practice some double pedal footwork on it every once in a while, or throw in fill accents or whatever, but I pretty much use it as a single. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Moe

[BellsOfRhymney]

There's no resisting double pedal as it is a trendy joke. The gizmo looks ortho too.

[ahum]

I've always been playing single. I've never really cared for or needed double, and 90% of the time I hear double I don't really like it anyway. I'd rather just get as good as I can with a single and not use double as a crutch.

There's nothing wrong with double pedal, although nothing irritates me more than the "hey let's bang away as fast as we can" metal camp.

[k3ng]

you mean there are actually people with TWO pedals for bass!?!?! O_O

just messing with ya.

The vast majority of drummers I listen to never don't use the double pedal. So I ain't using one either. I'm just gonna keep practicing until I reach Jojo supremacy.

[darknessdude16]

Also have both, rarely use the second pedal but its there if i need that option. I do prefer single though x

[rockinrider]

Originally Posted by JoeyWaters

Drums weren't meant for one bass drum only, they were meant to fit the drummer and style of music played.

I feel that this is a true statement.

I've only ever played with a single pedal. The double bass drum/pedal was a novelty in my early days and little of the music that was played used one. I became interested in the double in the late '80s, mainly because of what Neil Peart was doing at the time. Neil, Gavin, and a host of modern drummers are now using the double in very artistic ways, not the constant rapid fire metal style. These guys play Rock, Funk, Jazz, and Fusion.

I'm considering getting a double now, because of what I here these guys doing. Some of what they do is pretty cool.

[spartacus1989]

I think double pedals are great for the odd 4/16th note blast to accent certain parts of the songs or to a triplet role oround the kit between toms and the bass drum, apart from that, I feel they sound to messy.

Originally Posted by youenjoy00myself

Hate to beat a dead horse since you don't care but some basses can have more than 4 strings in order for the bassist to be able to play a wider range of notes, but the number of strings is of course up to the player and different bassists will use a different amount of drum pedals-- er, bass strings. Almost lost the metaphor there.

Wrong, a bass was made with four strings, it comes from the acoustic bass many jazz musicians use as well as ofcourse Orchestra musicians. You don't see companies making an acoustic bass with five or six strings.I'm by no means a bass expert, but there must be a reason for this. I've known bass players who have had five stringers and they seemed to always make a big deal about having this extra string that just sounded like the biggest guitar string, I never understood the facination with it. As far as double kick, I can take it or leave it, I always found whenever I had one I tried to use it when it wasn't needed, plus it made playing certain patterns easier and took away from me developing my right foot. I do admire drummers who can play very fast double patterns, but in most cases it's purely a physical and not a musical admiration.

[drumtechdad]

Originally Posted by Jusstickinaround

Wrong, a bass was made with four strings, it comes from the acoustic bass many jazz musicians use as well as ofcourse Orchestra musicians. You don't see companies making an acoustic bass with five or six strings.

Actually, you do. Just played an orchestral rehearsal. Two of the basses had four strings, one had five, and two had four with the C extension.

Practically anything you can think of with regard to instrument design has already been done. ;-)

[d.c.drummer]

I got to the point where i realized that not only was i not using it (because my muusic doesnt demand it), i didnt need it because i could keep a really fast pattern on one foot.

I do alot of work on my hi-hat as well so i usually need my left foot as welll. I think playing single pedal keeps your playing classy and skillful. Less is more, right?