A little advice maybe.

[vicfirth_forever]

My friends and I have decided to start a band, 3 boys and one girl (me) on drums. It's pretty much just us messing around but the song we're doing for Battle of the Bands in 2 weeks has a lot of 16ths on the bass. It's not too fast, but I'm going from playing simple things to punkrock/metal type songs. I've managed to break my ankles A LOT and it's tough to get my right ankle to go that fast. Is there any advice, maybe excercises I can do to improve my speed or something like that? Hope someone can help me. Thanks.

[vinnysimmo]

What you need to try and do is to get this difficult higher tempo ingrained in you muscle memory. So play the bass pattern at the fastest tempo you are comfortable with and slowly, day by day, try to push the tempo up by a few bpm.

Another tip is to make the head on you bass drum loose and floppy. That will make it harder to play the bass drum so when you take it back to usual it will feel much easyer.

Hope that helps!

[saturn]

Vinnysimmo is right
You can also play that song the way you can and make it sound well

[13drummer]

What I've done is find my max bpm. Then go about 10-15 bpms below that and work my way up.

[vinnysimmo]

Vinnysimmo is right

I love hearing that!

[Andreeew]

vinny is right. there vinny lol

[Church Drummer]

Do you play heel up or heel down? If you play heel up it doesn't involve as much ankle movement since you are using more of the upper leg muscles. If you can't play the song in 16ths on the bass, try playing it in 8ths. It may sound OK (obviously won't sound the same, but it may work).

[vinnysimmo]

vinny is right.

I LOVE hearing that!

[backtodrum]

You better wood shed then, two weeks is not a very ling time to significanly increase your speed. But you can do it if you follow the advice given. If you can 't do the 16ths try eighths every other beat and you may get by with no one really noticing. It is worth a try!

[bongobro]

VFF (vicfirth_forever)...it's awesome to hear from a new girl drummer--and especially that you're willing to take on a challenge like this!

I echo what everyone else has told you thus far...good luck!

[Drumslave]

I use 16th notes to exercise my hands for drum fills. One measure 20-40 times as one of my warm ups. I also use it for the base and hi hat. In essence, practice.

I used to put more tension on my pedal and just bounce it successively, but occasionally I'll lose control. No substitute for practice and good control where every beat is intended and deliberate.

[ratmycue]

great tips peeps, also if you have had a foot injury you may want to build up your strength in your ankle while you are [not] sat at a drum set. Put your foot flat on the floor then raise your foot while keeping the ball of your foot seated on the ground. As with all practise start slow , always move the full range then build up your speed, do it while watching tv or even when you are eating your dinner [heck even throw in a flam with your knife and fork once in a while for effect]. Sounds wierd but its all repetative strength building and that is a lot of what drumming is all about, memory and strength building.
Q, do you have a silent practise kit?

[vicfirth_forever]

Thanks everyone. Tips were great. I've been working on it constantly and can go for almost the whole song missing about an average of a beat every measure, which is great considering the song.
To ratmycue: One, I like your screen name. Two, I don't necesarily have a practice kit. I have a Gretsch Nighthawk but I have Vic Firth mutes to put on my toms and cymbals to practice. Great advice by the way. I'll definitely try it.

[ratmycue]

Thanks everyone. Tips were great. I've been working on it constantly and can go for almost the whole song missing about an average of a beat every measure, which is great considering the song.
To ratmycue: One, I like your screen name. Two, I don't necesarily have a practice kit. I have a Gretsch Nighthawk but I have Vic Firth mutes to put on my toms and cymbals to practice. Great advice by the way. I'll definitely try it.

nice set of drums....keep at it. any thoughts on a double bass drum pedal?
you may want to check out tony royster junior's bass pedal work on you tube.
dont let him scare ya though. wait he really scares me!!

[circask8r689]

ok i notice u seid you use your ankles

if u practice on your toes it will help u alot in the long run with bass speed

also if you want i could try to show u a tab for a fast kinda double bass sound

i dont know how to make tabs on the computer so ill have to make a video...

[Ethel_The_Frog]

I have a Gretsch Nighthawk but I have Vic Firth mutes to put on my toms and cymbals to practice. Great advice by the way. I'll definitely try it.

You don't need to practice a song at your kit. Sit down with your CD/MP3/form of audio thing that goes into your ear and destroys your hearing, and a practice pad (or if you don't have a practice pad/are insane, like me, use your legs) and just learn the groove; learn how the time is kept on what instrument, learn any snare grooves, learn the bass drum work. For fills, learn the sticking first and then go and apply it to the kit; get the movement nice and fluid first, then speed it up. Then slam it all together, and voila! You're done.
Oh, and make sure to get your arrangement done as well. In fact, you should probably understand the arrangement before you start learning the song; some parts of the song are hugely different to others in places where they may be the same.
Best of luck at your battle of the bands, reckon you could get it taped?

[bongobro]

ETF--while she doesn't have to practice at her kit all the time, I would recommend she and her band mates rehearse together at least a few times before the big day, so they'll all be comfortable together...

...especially if there are breaks and change-ups in the arrangement they'll use...