Bass pedal control

I started drumming 11 months ago, but I never got to work on my foot technique... until today. I tried hitting single, doubles and triples, but sometimes my foot creates this... bass drum "ghost notes" after the final strokes. That, and my foot will sometimes freeze up during random moments. So obviously it's a foot control problem. Any exercises you lads can recommend to me?

Please don't laugh. I know these problems don't usually happen, even to beginners...

If you do a search you'll find tons of informative threads on bass pedal/foot control.

I won't go into too much detail now but - nobody will laugh at you because ANYTHING related to drumming isn't easy. Anything takes time learning it properly, and then, once you're 'there' it takes more effort to keep one's skills up. So don't get frustrated, this is completely normal. Your muscles aren't programmed yet. Then, your bass pedal/drum head settings might need to be checked/readjusted. But it's rather foot control being the problem at the moment. (I'm struggling with my footwork every single day...)

Take it easy, take a breath, start from scratch. Repeat. Practice slowly.

Search youtube for 'derek roddy lessons', check out lessons #2 and #3. Adjust the speed to your situation.

Arky said:

If you do a search you'll find tons of informative threads on bass pedal/foot control.

I won't go into too much detail now but - nobody will laugh at you because ANYTHING related to drumming isn't easy. Anything takes time learning it properly, and then, once you're 'there' it takes more effort to keep one's skills up. So don't get frustrated, this is completely normal. Your muscles aren't programmed yet. Then, your bass pedal/drum head settings might need to be checked/readjusted. But it's rather foot control being the problem at the moment. (I'm struggling with my footwork every single day...)

Take it easy, take a breath, start from scratch. Repeat. Practice slowly.

Search youtube for 'derek roddy lessons', check out lessons #2 and #3. Adjust the speed to your situation.

Click to expand...

Any tips on how to "unlock" my right foot?

XG65 said:

Any tips on how to "unlock" my right foot?

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, not really. Nothing like "do this, and you'll be there in 2 weeks".

Time. (Quality) Practice. Staying focused/disciplined. That will do.

There's a handful of really good DVDs on foot technique. I'd recommend 2:

- Tim Waterson: "Techniques, Motions and Applications for Bass Drum Playing"
http://www.twothreeonetwomusic.com/

- Matt Ritter: "Unburying The Beater"
http://www.unburyingthebeater.com/

Even then there's another major thing that gets mentioned a lot but there's no way to 'learn' it off a DVD, you have to do the work yourself: balance on your throne. Sounds easy but makes a huge difference. This is another thing that doesn't come overnight. All I can say is try 'feeling' what difference it makes whether you're playing your right and/or left foot, watch out for tiny imbalances and experiment with your throne position.

But those 2 DVDs will greatly help to sort the technical aspects.

XG65 said:

I started drumming 11 months ago, but I never got to work on my foot technique... until today. I tried hitting single, doubles and triples, but sometimes my foot creates this... bass drum "ghost notes" after the final strokes. That, and my foot will sometimes freeze up during random moments. So obviously it's a foot control problem. Any exercises you lads can recommend to me?

Please don't laugh. I know these problems don't usually happen, even to beginners...

Click to expand...

That's cool that you want to work on your feet. My approach is to practice heel down and let the beater come off of the head. This will strengthen your ankles, and increase control. The cool thing about learning heel down is it helps you with other techniques (heel-up, etc.).

These problems happen to just about everybody.

Use the heel of your kick foot for a while. Wedge your toes on the kick drum hoop and push the pedal down with your heel.

Why? So you can get to playing and develop those grooves.

What happens? Your muscle memory and strength develops and you can gradually bring your foot over and be playing correctly with your pedal.

In a few months you'll be playing heel up or heel down or both.

A few folks won't agree. It worked for me and many other students of the late great Tony Kaarlson. Heel down time keeping is almost innate, the shift comes after your muscles in your calf come into alignment and gain strength.

Why won't others agree? Because they have forgotten how hard it was to get it together at the beginning level of studenthood.

I also play guitar and electric bass and was up on YouTube watching a bassist named Bailey at a seminar for bass instructors. He said the same thing. "You all have forgotten how hard it is to first start out."

And he demonstrated with a simple example. Take the bass and flip it over. If you are playing right handed flip it over and play left handed. Within seconds everyone in the room understood what they were dealing with in the new student. A complete lack of skill. Raw and undeveloped.

Give it a shot.

Give this a try, it is a heel up method.

Start the first stroke by dropping your whole foot, so the bottom of your foot is about parallel to the ground when the beater hits the head.

The second stroke is made by using your ankle and leg. You raise your ankle which in turn raises your leg back up, and also pushes the pedal back down. This will get you your second hit.

The third stroke is the same as the first, just drop your foot again.

Essentially it is just like sitting in a chair and moving your leg up and down with your toes planted on the ground, allowing you to get a hit on both the up and down motions. With enough time and practice, this motion can be simplified down to just the ankle.

I had this problem until I set my pedals properly (thanks to the folks on this forum). make sure the beaters are extended enough (above the center of the kick drum) and start with the spring tension at medium.

Repetition leads to muscle memory, leads to better control. It could take months to get it, but be persistant, and...........http://youtu.be/Wqj3p8rF4ew

Oh yes, is your bass drum flat on the floor? If so, extend the legs a little to get the front of the drum up a little....usually between 1.5 or 2" depending on depth, this will angle the drum towards you, which will assist in shortening the beater stroke.

If you think that's frustrating, wait until you think you've finally got it and are playing smoother and faster, and out of nowhere, in the blink of an eye, one foot simply goes all Simple Jack on you, and you cannot figure out what has changed.

I've determined that these are the death throws of beginnerdome. Your leg muscles are about to truely attain muscle memory, and the shedding of any remaining incorrect technique can feel awkward as your muscles struggle one final time with letting go of those once ever so reliable bad habbits.


And then . . . . . . . . . . . bliss.

I remember jumping on an electric kit years ago and I was playing all these extra bass drum notes because it picked up little accidental taps I was making. I wasn't aware of them but that fixed me.

The idea is to hit the drum with the beater then let it return to its neutral position, or somewhere close. Don't mash the pedal and don't be surprised if doubles take you a while, let alone triples - not many guys bother with them.