Unwanted Ghostnotes on Kickdrum

Chikokishi

New Member
Hi there, I have uploaded a short clip to youtube:
.
As you can see, when trying to do basic strokes, i get a bouncing sometimes after the main hit, sometimes on the upstroke. Occasionally my leg will just bounce. I dont have this problem if i am going full power and just stomping on the drum, but i want to have more control. Is this a setup problem,... an electric kit problem,... muscle problem...? What should i be focusing on to prevent this?

Thanks for any advice
 
Either hold it down on the kick stroke, or take your foot off of the pedal, or loosen the tension on the head.
 
I agree with GruntersDad. You could try looser pedal spring too. But really that bounce will be to your benefit once you can control it so you can dribble the beater on the head and control whether 4, 3, 2,1 note.
 
Had this recently when swapping to a BD batter I'd never tried before - sought advice and learnt that there is a spot in the tension differential between the batter and the reso that affects the air movement in just the right way to cause this.
Simply changed the relationship between the heads and it went away ?
 
I had this issue on my 24". I put a port in the reso to release the air faster. Worked like a charm.
 
I produce ghost notes mainly on a faster quarter note pattern 160 BPM like when playing The Twist. They're in time and I think it sounds good. I could also not play the ghost notes as well. I've always played the bass by not burying the beater to the head. I hit the bass the same as I hit the snare and toms. Perhaps burying the beater and then the leg keeping time in the interval can cause the ghost notes. I would try not burying the beater. My limited experience with e drums is that ghost notes can be augmented perhaps from the harder surface.
 
I do notice that when i attempt to hold the beater down, that my calf muscle starts twitching. This causes a lot of the bumps. Also i seem to hold just enough pressure to keep the beater just at the drumhead. Not enough to hold it down, and now light enough to let it come back. Perhaps this is just a huge muscle issue i have.
As for the accoustic suggestions, thank you but im using a mesh headed electric bass. Perhaps your comment will help others though. <3
 
A bass drum beater rebound technique would also fix this.

I don't know how guys bury the beater TBH.

Burying doesn't work for me. I can't stop the unwanted bounces. So I rebound.
 
Following that, i decided to record another clip to see what my "technique" is. I found that my ankle is reallly high. Maybe thats my problem? Ill work on lowering that.

86486
 
I had this issue on my 24". I put a port in the reso to release the air faster. Worked like a charm.
I've got a 24 in too-I've only had a ported reso on it. I want to try a non-ported one. Man have you noted the air you move through that port hole? There's a box in my basement about 6-7 foot from the kick-it has towels and an old rug hanging off it that goes flying from the sonic blast. You hit somebody in the chest it could stop their heart LOL.
 
Following that, i decided to record another clip to see what my "technique" is. I found that my ankle is reallly high. Maybe thats my problem? Ill work on lowering that.

View attachment 86486


Lower would be good - as low as possible :). Try playing heel down and let the beat come off of the head. The lower leg strength that you gain from heel-down and not burying the beater will help your heel-up playing. The goal is to be able to play heel down or up without burying the beater. This will help your balance, help your groove, and save your knees in the long run...
 
Are you trying to bury or are you trying to bounce? We look to be in a sort of middle ground limbo here.

If you're trying to bury, you basicallt just have to get on top an commit.

If you're trying to bounce there are several different ways.

Sure, head tension can make a beater bounce easier, but it's in no way impossible. I generally bounce and the bayyer is fairly tight, but I have no issue burying if I want to.
 
I'm currently playing on mesh heads and having the same problem. They seem to be notorious for their bounciness. I loosened my pedal spring almost all the way, problem mostly solved.
 
It could be the way you are positioned on the throne, as in the height.
If it's hurting your legs when you punch into the bass with your foot, you might be leveled at a 110 degree obtuse-angle. What you want is to be at, is a 90 degree straight-angle, where your knees are as leveled as the snare drum, or if you tilt the snare drum up or downward (as in a jazz setting) then try to just be leveled as much as possible. Lower the throne height. You want your knees to be as flat as possible and loose. This might takeaway the pressure you feel in your legs.

Don't stress yourself. It my be a technique problem... My tip to you: Dominate the drum kit, don't let the drum kit dominate you. You're suppose to control it, it shouldn't control you. I know this may sound Twilight Zon'ish but it's true LOL.

Here's a video explaining what I just did and it helped me alot.


 
Last edited:
Have suffered with this also for decades. Have tried everything but it is still there. Different heads, tension, beaters, pedals etc. I play slightly heel up & because we play very fast hardcore Punk the pedal is constantly on the move. I will always tell the sound man to gate the Bass Drum to stop the ghost notes from cutting through. Has always been "Interesting" when we record.........
 
Here's a video explaining what I just did and it helped me alot.
I'm calling into question the part where he says the hip should be level with the top of the snare drum (at around 3:11). This doesn't take into account the proportions of the rest of the drummer's body -- the torso length, upper arm length. Surely that matters.
 
When i was younger i remember my drumset being much more comfortable. Ive had nothing but problems with the kit i have between sticks hitting my legs, or when running the hhat my wrists are fighting for the same airspace. Im sure my setup is wayyyy screwed up... I feel stupid half the time because i swear drumming shouldnt be this complicated.
 
Back
Top