Bass Drum Doubles

Hi guys, this is my first post on here, hope you are all doing well.

For years now I've been trying to get my double pedal speed a bit faster and it isn't going anywhere and I am starting to get very frustrated with it. Anything that is 16th notes beyond 150 bpm I just cannot possibly play. As soon as I try to reach a higher tempo my legs tense up and become completely twitchy and I lose all control. Every time I sit at the kit and try to work it up gradually I hit this same wall every time at the same tempo so I must be doing something really wrong.

Has anyone else had this problem? If so what did you do to get around it? Is there a technique I need to learn?

Any advice anyone can offer would be absolutely great.

Thank you,
Mikey

Re: Double bass problem, help!

1.) There is a Technique sub-forum with excellent information on this topic. Use the Search Function.

2.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwpk_JCBQzU. There is another video (I think at Modern Drummer) about playing to the pain and staying there as long as you can, and try to play in time.

Re: Double bass problem, help!

Honestly, all it takes is time and practice.

That said, the only piece of advice I can offer is to try and relax. If you're starting to get all twitchy, sounds like you're tensing up too much. You'll flow a lot easier once you relax.

I wish there was an easier solution

Re: Double bass problem, help!

Google double bass and you'll find a million drummers who are frustrated and looking for a quick fix. I am having the same problems as you. I have yet to find a quick solution. There isn't one. It comes down to practice and patience. Look on Youtube, there are a ton of techniques and ideas from guys who have mastered this. One important aspect I discovered was that you need to "find" the muscles in your head. Just like weightlifting. I can focus on what muscle group to "hit" by thinking about it. It took years, but was able to do it. Use more ankle and less leg.
2 things I have been doing a bit more and have noticed modest results ( better than NO results, mind you), play heel down. This helps to focus on the ankle use over the entire leg. You'll need to jockey your throne back, probably. Now, you may find that playing this way is awful, as it is for me. But this exercize is supposed to develop the muscle groups for fast double bass down the road. CAUTION: This is very boring and you'll get bored after 5 minutes. trust me, keep going. And go slow, focusing on hitting the muscles in front of you shin. Try this every dau for 20 minutes. You'll see improvement and that helps with maintaining motivation....

Re: Double bass problem, help!

How fast are you trying to go? What are your goals for your feet? Are you trying to play death metal or just use double bass as another voice? If its the former, you will need to learn multiple techniques, as you can only go so fast (or slow) with certain techniques. Playing heel up is good for slow to medium speed, but once you get to where you are tensing up, its time to relax and adjust your playing. Some guys rock their heel from side to side, some guys play with their heel suspended above the foot board and use their ankles, some play heel down, and some use double strokes.

You have to approach your feet the same way you do your hands. We utilize multiple techniques for our hands, be it number of strokes or how we hold the sticks for certain situations. Your feet are no different. Play rudiments with them. Anything you do to improve your feet will make using them easier down the road.

Once you feel like you have reached your limit, don't stop. Playing through the pain will definitely help you in the long run. You can't run a marathon if you only run a mile each day.

Re: Double bass problem, help!

http://www.amazon.com/Virgil-Donati-Double-Bass-Freedom/dp/0739066528