Confused about proper kick drum spring tensioning

_brian_

_brian_

Member
Hi everyone, I have been drumming for a while now - off and on but am wanting to learn correct technique for once.

I've searched all over the net looking for an answer to my question but have failed.

All i ever hear about is - tension the pedal to personal preference and that you shouldn't have the beater close for good attack, power and rebound.

What I'm wanting to know, is, do you adjust the spring tension high enough, so that when your relaxed foot is resting on the pedal (pedal down) the beater is not in contact with the head?

Otherwise, I find it hard to believe your anterior tibialis & peroneal muscles need to be tensioned for the majority of the play - holding your foot up and keeping the beater off the head. Perhaps that is correct technique?

I don't know, maybe someone can enlighten me. :confused:
 
Tension the springs tight enough for the speed, rebound and feel that suits your playing. However, not so tight that you have to use much effort to move the footboard...
I never let the beaters rest against the head, and I do indeed play heel up. It doesn't require my muscles to be tightened up. You should be relaxed when playing.
 
Thanks for that crankz1, i'm mainly a foot down player and don't use the foot up method a lot. What i noticed is I would have to loosen the tension when playing foot up as the beater would rebound when i put my foot down at rest - when playing half notes on the kick for example. Is this a technique problem, or is the beater too springy? I also have big feet which may not be helping, I just have a small jazz kit with a generic kick pedal.

Thanks :)
 
It's likely a combination of technique and pedal adjustment.
The pedal tension shouldn't be supporting the weight of your foot. Support the weight with your heal, and pivot your ankle to play.
You should have it adjusted in a manner in which it acts as an extension of your foot, with a balance of tension in that the beater rebounds quick enough, but not so tight that it requires much effort to push.
Spend some time dedicated solely to the bass drum and development of your foot. It's really the only way you'll get it down.
Spend time with dynamics too. Don't just stomp away, work on some nice quiet booms...
Notice the thud you get when you bury the beater, as opposed to the nice resonant boom when the beater is allowed to rebound. Much the same as you'd allow your sticks to rebound off the snare.
You don't leave your sticks resting on the drum heads between beats, do ya?
Main thing is, practice...
Hit up some drum stores, and try some other pedals too. Some pedals just plain suck!
 
thanks for all your help crankz, i've properly tensioned my pedal and i'm going back to basic kick rudiments

have no prob with foot down, but heel up is definately rusty, and i think it's important to be able to do both.

Cheers :)
 
When just sitting anywhere.... lift your heel and tap your toes on the ground with rhythm.
Do that enough throughout each day, you'll find it gets easier playing heel up on the pedal.
Personally, I'm a rock/metal player and I couldn't get the power or speed I would need by playing heel down.
That's not to say it can't be done, just not by me... lol
 
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