I play rock, heel up, on a 22" with a 4" port hole and evan emads (without the muffling pads as of now)
There's the feel and then there's the sound. I like the sound of an unported head best. On my 18" that I use for small-group jazz, that's what I use, and it's mostly heel-down technique on a relatively highly-pitched, unmuffled drum.
But the best feel? Depends on the drummer. For me, that would be a bass drum with a huge port. Or, better yet, no reso head at all. That's just what I like. I don't really play that way, because the bass drum sounds terrible with no reso head; but that's my preferred feel.
.... I only had a couple opportunities to play a 20" bass drum and i found it easier to play. Is this in my head or is it possibly true? I also like how the toms are lower, makes it easier to play them too.
A bit off topic, but I've noticed that sometimes a drummer will have a big, low bass drum that sounds great, but it gets lost when amplified with a small P.A. Somebody else plays a smaller, higher pitched, more resonant bass drum, and it sounds huge in the same P.A.
Has anyone else seen this?
Thanks for the help. I have a 22". I find that depending on the week im either flowing on the bass pedal, and then other weeks im in a "slump." When my bass drum playing is lagging my whole drumming is lagging as a result.I thought maybe by switching to a 20" it can solve this problem. My foot speed on the bass is average i would say. Not a beginner, but no pro either. For a long time i wondered why some weeks im good and some weeks not. I thought maybe i needed a long board pedal and that will compensate for my lagging. now im thinking bass drum size.
Were the two bass drums you tried (20" and 22") the same depth? I think that is more of an issue than diameter. I had a 20 x 18 and never liked it. Now have a 22 x 14 and couldn't be happier with not only the sound but especially the feel. Only thing I miss is the slightly lower tom height. Can't have everything!