Double bass help

[DRUMZS]

I have been playing for MANY years and got out of it for a while, got a new kit and double pedals which I have always wanted to do...here are my questions...
placement of the pedals, should the be straight across? angled?
I have really been struggling with the placement.
my second question is this...adjusting the left pedal..I am getting alot of bounce when trying to do just PLAY slow 1/8 or 1/4 beats...these are proberbly easy question for you that have been doing this for a while..I appreciate all the help I can get.
I have TAMA IRON COBRA/COBRA COIL 900 DBL PEDALS

[Bish]

Welcome to Drum Chat, Drumzs.

I am not sure I understand your dilemma.

What I've recommended before is to set the master pedal up and have the two beaters attached. Bring the bass drum up to the clamping system and clamp it down making sure the pedal doesn't twist or the drum rim distort. It should clamp on nice and smooth.

Then bring your beaters up to where they strike the head and be sure they are just a little bit off center. You can control this to some extent by how much beater shaft is above or below the clamping point.

For the left pedal, you might want to adjust the spring tension either direction to find what is comfortable for your leg. I'm thinking if you have a lot of bounce back, loosen the tension on the spring some.

I hope this helps.

[Jamesie]

wel drumzs They should be kind of straight and fix the spring in my double bass i have to turn a screw to change the effect of the peddle to make it less of a bounce hope this helps

[Riverr1]

I think I understand your problem. I went through the same thing when I started seriously using double bass. I would get nice solid hits with my right foot, but limpy, bouncey hits with my left. It was just a matter of building up my control with my left foot. This also meant building up my left calf and shin musles. Odd thing about all this was that my left foot was actually faster then my right. It came with almost non-exisistent control, but it was quick.

[cm44]

I know I'm a newbie to this forum and I've only been playing for a year and a half, so correct me if I'm wrong, but i had this same problem, and i would adjust the spring on your left pedal,just mess around with it until you like it, then just practice, when you first get a double bass pedal your left leg is weaker, give it awhile and you will get used to it

[mind_drummer]

I have been playing for MANY years and got out of it for a while, got a new kit and double pedals which I have always wanted to do...here are my questions...
placement of the pedals, should the be straight across? angled?
I have really been struggling with the placement.

The best advice I can give is take your drum throne away from the kit, for example place it in front of TV, then sit on your throne and position your feet the way you feel comfy, watch TV for couple of minutes and notice if your feet position are still comfy, if the answer is yes then your double pedal should be positioned exactly the same angle and distance as your feet are when they are at rest.


Hope it helps good luck...

[Drumbledore]

The best advice I can give is take your drum throne away from the kit, for example place it in front of TV, then sit on your throne and position your feet the way you feel comfy, watch TV for couple of minutes and notice if your feet position are still comfy, if the answer is yes then your double pedal should be positioned exactly the same angle and distance as your feet are when they are at rest.


Hope it helps good luck...

Pretty much agree with that.

Have a look at how I place my axle and pedals. Make the universal joint from the left slave pedal straight so that the axle runs straight from the left pedal to the main right one. Meanwhile angle the universal joint that joins the left beater axle stub. Here's what I mean, have a look at the picture below.



Also, you will need to do a lot of exercises to get your left foot up to speed with your right, both physically and musically, as you would agree. Some things that I practice only with the feet to warm up with (and with the help of a metronome) are singles - both right foot lead and left foot lead, at 8th note rate (1+2+3+4+) then slowly at 16th note rate (1e+a,2e+a), then 8th note triplets, first with RLR LRL, then RLL RLL. Then back to straight 8th's, this time doing RLLL RLLL and permutations such as LRLL LRLL (paradiddle) or LLRL LLRL (reversed paradiddle). Bear in mind these are just exercises at first.....don't try to be fancy with them. Next, I'd work on simple "numbered stroke" rolls such as 5's (RLRL R = 1e+a 2) and 7's (RLRL RLR = 1e+a 2e+) underneath a simple backbeat with the hands.....just 8th notes with the ride or hi-hat. There are a few books on double bass that are out there, but definitely one book I'd thoroughly recommend is "The Encyclopedia Of Double Bass Drumming" by Bobby Rondinelli and Michael Lauren, I get a lot of mileage out of it. Oh, and don't forget, practice both heels up and flat footed, as this will keep your muscles and Achilles tendons nice and stretched as well as forcing you to sometimes slow down so that you work on your patterns properly. Hope this helps!