Smooth Double Bass Pedal

08180021

Junior Member
Alright, so I have two speeds on a double bass pedal: Really slow, and a choppy super speed kinda flow.

So, how do I get it even? It's really starting to piss me off that I cant do it.
 
Alright, so I have two speeds on a double bass pedal: Really slow, and a choppy super speed kinda flow.

So, how do I get it even? It's really starting to piss me off that I cant do it.

Practice really slow is the Correct Way to get it down right!
I know it's Boring & may not sound cool now, but be patient
keep on practing & before you know it the Speed will come!
 
Practice really slow is the Correct Way to get it down right!
I know it's Boring & may not sound cool now, but be patient
keep on practing & before you know it the Speed will come!

Did you build it up that way??
 
ask all the fast metal double pedal players; it takes years and years of practice to get it down perfectly at high speeds.
 
It's true! Practice is the way...

I have only been playing double pedal 'seriously' (after a few false starts) for a year or so and up until recently I have only been using it in fills, but I just started working on playing 16ths with feet as part of the beat.

Mr metronome is my friend here, he keeps me honest.

What worked for me (so far) is:
Choose a tempo that you can play 16ths comfortably at, then play 16ths at that speed for a few minutes, concentrating on even strokes. If you get bored easily just doing this (which I do), you can add a basic beat (Ride/Snare or HH/Snare) with your hands so it feels more 'real', but maintain your focus on evenness between the feet.

If you get cramp in your shins, or if you can't keep it even, or if you can't keep going for a few minutes, then slow the tempo down a little until you can. For me the speed where that worked for 16ths was 110bpm. Not very fast, but a starting point. If it's working you may feel just a little bit of fatigue in your shins after a minute or two. That's your muscles starting to develop :) .

After a couple of weeks of doing that for a few minutes each practice (and I don't practice EVERY day), I can sustain it at 130 bpm. Again, not fast by the standards of some on this forum, but it is genuine progress, and the best part is that ALL my double pedal playing is better as a result!

Anyway, this worked for me. Maybe it'll work for you too.

Cheers!
 
Yeah it took about 5 years for me to get really good at double bass. I got some good advice from a metal drummer. Utilize the time you spend sitting in a chair to practice your 16th notes. Sitting in a chair at home, on the bus, in the car, on the drum set, the list goes on. The reason its good is because you'll hear the moment the beats start to waiver. Even though I don't have trouble with double kick, I actually do this more than ever now mostly playing death metal.
 
Definitely do the metronome and incrementally ramp up the tempo. Remember, if you start "cramping up" thats the blood vessels in your shins starting to load themselves up and also lactic acid starting to build. That's called "warmup", you're just getting started, just relax and take it a little slower so that you're smooth again, stay there for a few minutes and then go back up in tempo when the stiffnes and cramping start going down. Once you're warmed up, that's when you can add to your speed. It doesn't come over night either. I play 200bpm+ now but it took me daily practice, 2-4 hours a day, 5-6 days a week for a year and a half to build up to 188bpm sixteenths. It was really important to me and i wanted it really badly. How bad do you want it and are you willing to do what it takes?

Don't believe any of those "programs" that offer results in less than a year. Don't get obsessed with double bass, either. I see a lot of guys who obviously never took lessons but they can do a wicked fast double bass roll. It's only one of several techniques that make you a well rounded drummer.
 
"Stick Control" for feet. Take your time

I totally agree with this.
I set up my bass practice pad with my regular stick pad. Fire up the metronome, and alternate betweeen my hands and feet. Start slow, and increase the speed. When you've mastered one execise, then move on to the next.
It will take what seems like forever to get through all of them. But when you do, look out!

Mike
 
Alright, so I have two speeds on a double bass pedal: Really slow, and a choppy super speed kinda flow.

So, how do I get it even? It's really starting to piss me off that I cant do it.

concentrate on the space between the beat, start slow and count , 1&2&3&4& and so on, the & should be as distinct in your mind as the beat, it takes time but is all about the space for an even stroke rate..in time you will speed up and it will become more a feel than a thought process. Have fun doing it tho--its a challenge more then something you cant do!
 
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