Disco beat - hihat technique

B

bangbangcrash

Junior Member
I've got to play on a song where the beat is a dumb, monotonous kick-hat-snare-hat 1 & 2 & 3 & 4... The hi hat is open on each '&' and closes to give that well-known disco beat. Simple enough, but it really hurts the ankle after a while. I play heel down for the left foot, pivoting my foot up about my heel to open the hats and down to close it. Playing heel up feels wrong (having to life my foot off the pedal basically), and I can't quite get the timing right.

What's the correct technique for this? Is it just a case of building stamina? Or do I have to rebuild my timing with heel up?
 
One or both. I don't think it matters whether you play heel up or heel down as long as the result sounds correct. Stamina, and the ability to remain focused and accurate despite your self-professed boredom, are the real issues.

Personally, I play that type of beat heel up, and using a bouncing motion on the ball of my foot. I don't actually lift my whole leg or open the hat all the way, as it's not really required to get a good bark.
 
I use this beat here and there. When I play it, I play heel up with both feet. What got me there was just practicing quarter notes unison with both feet, and filling in the rest with my hands once I was comfortable with that. It feels kind of funny at first, but it becomes a breeze once you've gotten used to it. The important thing is just to make sure that both feet are performing identical motions.
 
This will be harder to do if you habitually lean on your left side while playing, which I used to do when I was a single-kick player. Might be worth thinking about your throne height?
 
The weird thing about this beat is that, if you play heel up on both feet, you are more or less hopping on your seat. You have to get used to this feeling. A good posture and the right throne height will do wonders for you here.

So yeah, just have to practice this boring beat till you get it right. Just remember that if you play this one well, it will get everyone dancing.
 
Duracell said:
The weird thing about this beat is that, if you play heel up on both feet, you are more or less hopping on your seat. You have to get used to this feeling. A good posture and the right throne height will do wonders for you here.
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Absolutely. I used to have trouble balancing until I realized that I had my throne much too high

Duracell said:
So yeah, just have to practice this boring beat till you get it right. Just remember that if you play this one well, it will get everyone dancing.
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^THIS. It is a boring beat to play at times, but if you can get it right in the pocket, especially at higher tempos, it's impossible for people NOT to dance to.
 
if you're a gym-going person, take a light dumbell, hold it on your toes, put your heel on the edge of the bench, and basically do curls with your foot. It really helps with shin splints, and should build up the muscles you need.
 
Would it be possible for someone to include a link to someone playing this beat or name a song or two where I can listen for it?

Thanks!

MM
 
I play the hi-hat and snare with just the left hand for this beat; allowing the right hand hit a rim or flam the snare stroke just for some extra flavour.
 
Heels up on the hat slighlty worksforme.. I use both heel up and down for different situations.. But for the chirping thing heels up. Also as its such a simple beat make sure you finesse the chirp.. You don't want to fall asleep and get sloppy with the timing of hitting the open-close hats...keep it precise and clean.. But also play the h$!@# out of it!
 
Nothing dumb and monotonous about disco drumming. Some of the greats cut their teeth on disco. Youtube Earl Young, one of my favorite drummers. He'll show you what to do. The guy from Chic too was pretty good. Tony Thompson ring a bell?
 
larryz said:
Nothing dumb and monotonous about disco drumming. Some of the greats cut their teeth on disco. Youtube Earl Young, one of my favorite drummers. He'll show you what to do. The guy from Chic too was pretty good. Tony Thompson ring a bell?
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LoL.. did you ever hear the expression "Disco SUCKs!". It was very popular during the demise of disco. To be honest I got extremely sick of hearing anything with a chirping hihat for 10 or more years after that. It eventually made a retro resurgence.. and now it's okay to play again without getting booed off the stage. There's a band around town that puts on a killer disco show and the place is packed wherever they play... but would I ever put it on in the car? AH no way! .. and yes I'm familiar with all those guys you listed and have played all that stuff in show bands.
 
LoL.. that's hilarious! I don't remember that too well.. but a lot of interesting things in there I'd never heard of.. like I'd never heard disco as being a 'gay' thing.
In my day most people just got revolted by the ridiculous white suits and gold chains needed to get into a club.. basically if you didn't have the 'look' you didn't get in... that and the endless, DJ thumping, 4-on-the-floor brain numbing kick drum. But there were a lot of great tunes that came out of that period.. Gloria Gaynor, Barry White, TSOP, .. I used to play classics like I Will Survive, Hot Stuff, Saturday Night Fever etc. and yes.. even the Village People! But..if I had a choice I'd take Rock n Roll any day of the week!
 
Its most evident in cut 6 "Earth Juice" (20:55), but Lennie White has the "disco" hihat subtly scattered all over this album. Elsewhere his kick and snare can get very busy at times, so it doesn't get monotonous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnaNEG_bnfU

Its also all over their "No Mystery" album.
 
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