Transition to 20" Kick Drum Query

[BigFatDrummer]

I have just moved from a kit with a 22" kick to a kit with a 20" kick. I'm loving the sound of my new drum but I found that having adjusted the beater of my pedal to hit the centre of the 20" drum it's caused the feel to change and I wasn't able to use the kick how I've become accustomed.

I have fixed this by using a lifter which means I can have the pedal set up in exactly the same way as I had it on my 22" kick. However, one of the things I really liked about the 20" kick (other than the sound which is most important) was that it meant I was able to have my rack tom positioned lower and more comfortable for my preferences.

Have any of you found any solutions to this? Is there a way I can adjust my pedal to hit the centre of the kick drum head without sacrificing the feel I need or by using a lifter. Or, am I just being a little too OCD wanting to hit the centre of the drum.

Just in case it might be helpful, I use a Tama Iron Cobra pedal purchased new around 2001.

Many thanks for your help in advance.

[Olimpass]

I have a lift on my Ludwig Breakbeats kit and have the beater up higher so it's comfortable. I don't think it's absolutely imperative to hit the center of the bass drum head. Try it and see if you still like it?

[crispycritters]

I had the same problem when I put together a bop kit with an 18" Bass and spare toms, I was used to playing a kit with a 22" kick. I used a Gibralter riser to raise the bass by 2" (I'm the same about feeling I must strike the centre of the BD head!) which meant the beater stayed at the same height, but because I have to attach the pedal (an older Iron Cobra HP900?) about half an inch further back to stop the footboard and chain catching on the bass hoop it changed the feel and rebound. I adjusted the beater forward about half an inch and adjusted the angle of the beater so it strikes the drum square. It took me a while to get used to the different feel of the pedal but after a short adjustment period I can go from the 22 to the 18 with no problems. For some reason I increase the tension of the chain by a couple of turns on the 18 and loosen it off for the 22. Its weird at first but I'm sure you will quickly adjust to the different feel. The batter on my 22 is an Emad and the 18 has the stock (weedy) Ddrum batter with less rebound - that's probably why the pedal needs a bit more tension to get a similar amount of rebound from my 18 bass drum. Is your new bass drum fitted with the original factory head?

[slinglander]

Can you adjust the length of the beater rod, slide the beater down an inch or so, cut/trim it off if necessary?

[porkpieguy]

I'd put the kick back down on the ground and just hit it an inch or so from off center. It'll probably still sound pretty good.

Another idea is that I think that some folks sell counterweights for the shaft of the beater. This may help.

[BigFatDrummer]

I had the same problem when I put together a bop kit with an 18" Bass and spare toms, I was used to playing a kit with a 22" kick. I used a Gibralter riser to raise the bass by 2" (I'm the same about feeling I must strike the centre of the BD head!) which meant the beater stayed at the same height, but because I have to attach the pedal (an older Iron Cobra HP900?) about half an inch further back to stop the footboard and chain catching on the bass hoop it changed the feel and rebound. I adjusted the beater forward about half an inch and adjusted the angle of the beater so it strikes the drum square. It took me a while to get used to the different feel of the pedal but after a short adjustment period I can go from the 22 to the 18 with no problems. For some reason I increase the tension of the chain by a couple of turns on the 18 and loosen it off for the 22. Its weird at first but I'm sure you will quickly adjust to the different feel. The batter on my 22 is an Emad and the 18 has the stock (weedy) Ddrum batter with less rebound - that's probably why the pedal needs a bit more tension to get a similar amount of rebound from my 18 bass drum. Is your new bass drum fitted with the original factory head?

Thanks for this. I could look a the tension settings of my pedal to compensate. I'm currently using the factory head. I have an EMAD ready to go on it when I get enough time replace all the heads.

Can you adjust the length of the beater rod, slide the beater down an inch or so, cut/trim it off if necessary?

The issue is that because I have adjusted the beater length so that it hits the centre of the 20" kick which is the reason why the feel changes. Using the riser means I can leave the beater length as it is but, like crisycritters noted, the riser causes the pedal to be mounted further back causing the need for other adjustments to be made and a resulting change in feel too.

[porkpieguy]

Another idea is that I think that some folks sell counterweights for the shaft of the beater. This may help.

I thought I'd just beat everybody to the punch...

[Ricardo]

Have any of you found any solutions to this? Is there a way I can adjust my pedal to hit the centre of the kick drum head without sacrificing the feel I need or by using a lifter. Or, am I just being a little too OCD wanting to hit the centre of the drum.

IMO, yes.
Get the feel you want out of your pedal and let it hit the head wherever it hits it. I've played 22s, 24s & 26 inch basses.............they all sound a bit different but still great, irrespective of where the same pedal would strike.
I've noticed that most pedals actually hit the center of 24 inch basses more than 22s...............I have played a 24 most of my drumming life.

[marko138]

I use a 20" and the same pedal, from roughly the same year. I didn't notice a terribly different feel to the pedal. I did notice a different feel and sound from the head. Where I used to let the slave beater rest against the head when I wasn't playing it I no longer do, as it really muffled the head more than I noticed it did on the 22".

[BigFatDrummer]

I use a 20" and the same pedal, from roughly the same year. I didn't notice a terribly different feel to the pedal. I did notice a different feel and sound from the head. Where I used to let the slave beater rest against the head when I wasn't playing it I no longer do, as it really muffled the head more than I noticed it did on the 22".

Hi Marko, did you adjust the beater length to get the beater to hit the centre of the drum on each of the 22" and 20" kicks or did you just keep it the same? This is where the feel changes. Inevitebly, there will be a slight difference in pedal feel between the drums anyway because of the difference in size.

[MDK]

I just did same thing not too long ago and I just ended up cutting an inch or 2 off the beater, I am surprised no one has marketed special length beaters for different size kicks. Just make sure the bottom of the beater does not contact the head when the beater is pulled away from head otherwise it will cut into eventually. Trust me on that one

[marko138]

Yes, I slid the beater down to hit center on the 20".

[kickinit]

I often went back and forth between a 22 and 20 using the same pedal... made no adjustments... I just let the beater hit the 20 off center... worked fine, sounded great.

[Bish]

I often went back and forth between a 22 and 20 using the same pedal... made no adjustments... I just let the beater hit the 20 off center... worked fine, sounded great.

This.

[BigFatDrummer]

I often went back and forth between a 22 and 20 using the same pedal... made no adjustments... I just let the beater hit the 20 off center... worked fine, sounded great.

I'll give this a go I think. I have a rehearsal on Friday and will report back.

Thanks for all the responses everyone!

[Drumbledore]

I often went back and forth between a 22 and 20 using the same pedal... made no adjustments... I just let the beater hit the 20 off center... worked fine, sounded great.

This.

And this +1. Have you got a bit of muffling in your kick? If so, unless you're that OCD and picky, you won't find much of a difference hitting slightly off centre on a 20" that's dampened a bit.

[quikstang2]

There's absolutely no need to hit the exact center of the bass head. It's actually better to hit just off center, kinda like you don't play timpani anywhere near the center.

As others have mentioned, I didn't change my pedals when going from 22" to 20" then back to 22".

[CB700]

I have been using a 20" kick for 30+ years my beater is on the center no riser.

[SunDog]

I have a lift on my Ludwig Breakbeats kit and have the beater up higher so it's comfortable. I don't think it's absolutely imperative to hit the center of the bass drum head. Try it and see if you still like it?

I just place the beater where I need it. It ends up being slightly high of center. I imagine you'd run into the same thing, only low of center, with a 24 or 26" drum. I would probably only use a lift if the BD was 18".

[BigFatDrummer]

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I had a rehearsal last night and set the kick and pedal up normally without the lift and it worked and, more importantly, sounded great.

[Lefty]

Glad it worked out for you. I've got a 20 and 22. I do move the beater slightly from one to the other. I usually set my beater for feel 1st. then I may move the beater for sound, as long as I can still play the pedal good. You'll learn to adjust to the feel after you've played on it a while. If you need to make any adjustments. I've always heard that it's best not to put the beater exactly in the center. On both of my kicks it's a little higher than center. Happy drumming.