have i got it all wrong??

R

RecordingIdiot

New member
i have been playin drums now for about 10 or 11 years. seriously for about 4. i have always played rock/hard rock/ metal. but here recently we have been exploring more into extreme death/black metal. im decent with my doubles but it seems since im almost constantly using them i cant keep em going. im getting tired and hurting in my shins really badly. is it just my technique? or endurance? or maybe a little of both?
 
dont use em so much! and yeah like willis says, you gotta toughen up hehe, your body should adjust to it. but seriously you dont need to constantly double, it sounds lame, mix it up with some creatively placed singles.
 
A good way to aproach 16th notes with your feet (if that's what you're talking about) is to start slow and low (volume-wise). You don't have to play all-out to be heard. Practice conrol first. With control comes speed. Play slow 16th notes for as long as you can every day and don't go for volume. Let your muscles get used to the long term at slower speeds.

It'll come after time.
 
stretch your shins out. Lay down, prop your leg up, and write the abcs with your toes. This should cause a dramatic range of motion of your ankles.
 
There is a technique that John Bonham used that might help you out, It's a bit tricky to explain, but I'll try. What you do is you hit the pedal twice with one foot. Hit it with your heel, and then with your toe. Try it with just your right foot (assuming you lead with your right foot)I'm not very good at it yet, but my friend is amazing at it. You can do a lot of double beats with just one foot. Its tricky, but once you get the idea it is so much easier. If you ever get to see a Led Zeppelin video, watch Bonham's knees; he does two hits, but it looks like one. It is tons easier on your legs.

I probably didn't explain it as well as I could have, so feel free to ask any questions and I'll help you out. I may even try to make make some diagrams and maybe that will help you out. If anyone else knows what I'm talking about, feel free to chime in.


Hope I helped.
 
I agree with Zed-don't use them so much! :) There's nothing worse than hearing a song with CONSTANT 16th note bass drum hits. Being a drummer myself, that type of playing just never impressed me. I could listen to all of Metallica's or Mötley Crüe's albums and be completely unimpressed with Lars Ulrich's and Tommey Lee's playing (I only bring them up because they are touted for having great drumming prowess). In fact this reminds me of a post in the Guitar and Basses forum about having a huge amp stack versus something smaller that works better; and the answer is simple, it's mostly for show. You gotta have that huge Marshall stack to impress the audience and it seems like drummers think they need to have hefty double bass chops to impress people. Something people tend to forget is that part of music is silence. So my advice is to go out there and reinvent metal-leave out the constant 16ths.

I made some T-Shirts a while back that said "D.A.R.E. - Double bass drum Abuse Resistance Education". Those were fun to wear into the Guitar Center drum room. :) I swear the clerks heads wanted to explode; the expressions on their faces said something like "What do you mean? You gotta have a double bass drum pedal!"
 
the doubles are essential! i dont use them all of the time though. when i do, its super fast and for long spurts. i was just hopin you guys might tell me some exercises that worked for you. has anyone had any experience with the pearl eliminator doubles?? i've had em since they came out and im havin problems with adjusting them. the feel way too tight and i think that may be my problem.



thanx in advance fellow drum brothers!!
 
If your shins are hurting, you most likely need to not only build endurance, but also get your technique corrected. You should be seated so that your thighs are straight out (parallel to the floor), your knees at a 90 degree angle with your shins and feet directly below. Anything less is more stress.

I've played Eliminators for three years now. Mind you, I don't play a lot of double bass in any of the music I perform, but I do practice it to have the chops. I found that these pedals are extraordinarily adjustable from too loose to too tight. Take a few hours to just experiment with them; try all possible combinations of adjustments.

All in all, good practice and time will make you a better double-bass drummer. Go through "Stick Control" with your feet at all tempos and volumes, with a metronome. Maybe take a lesson or two to get your technique checked out and corrected. Have fun and good luck.
 
:cool:


Ok first of all well done for making the move to ask for help.............You have bit the Bullet, of proving in your mind and in your soul of being a great drummer................Like me.........tehe.............Wow Since you was 4 you must be good.......Ok i am a drum teacher and you are my first reply to this great way of us drummers to speak are stix out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Ok thats that said . Please relpy back for some feedback.

Doubles My fav :) :rolleyes: , not many drummers like em cause they can be a bit lame, like somone has said already, but try to put a accent in them, start with right accents first do RRLL accenting the rights only, then try Left, its real funny, as i am right handed, i find doing the accents Lefts are easyer, good luck, ..............Trevbeats Kent UK Please reply tell me how you have got on , i am here to help................Chu
 
I prefer 2 bass drums over a double pedal. In addition, what helps is to take it slowly. STart with 8th notes. Then slowly move up. ANother thing that helps is to play snare rudiments with ur feet. I like doing paradiddles on the bass drum. But please... dont overdue the bass drum. I hear a lot of shit these days of drummers spending 3/4 of the song doing double bass, and the rest doing simple bass durm rhythms. A better Idea is to use doubel bass in short bursts... like a 4 stroke roll.
 
well i have found out tonight my pedals were part of the problem. problem solved. i still have some pain in my shins after about an hour. but i think thats nothing some exercises wont take care of.
 
tourettes5139 said:
There is a technique that John Bonham used that might help you out, It's a bit tricky to explain, but I'll try. What you do is you hit the pedal twice with one foot. Hit it with your heel, and then with your toe. Try it with just your right foot (assuming you lead with your right foot)I'm not very good at it yet, but my friend is amazing at it. You can do a lot of double beats with just one foot. Its tricky, but once you get the idea it is so much easier. If you ever get to see a Led Zeppelin video, watch Bonham's knees; he does two hits, but it looks like one. It is tons easier on your legs.

I probably didn't explain it as well as I could have, so feel free to ask any questions and I'll help you out. I may even try to make make some diagrams and maybe that will help you out. If anyone else knows what I'm talking about, feel free to chime in.


Hope I helped.
Click to expand...

http://www.netflix.com/MovieDisplay?movieid=70022168&trkid=181026

Steve smith gives step by step instruction on this technique in this video.

Daav
 
I always suggest for any double bass work, that you learn to play heel down.

Tighten your pedal's springs as tight as they will go, and learn to play heel down like that for a while, it will build your feet up BIG TIME.

Then learn the heel-toe stroke.


Tim
 
RecordingIdiot said:
i have been playin drums now for about 10 or 11 years. seriously for about 4. i have always played rock/hard rock/ metal. but here recently we have been exploring more into extreme death/black metal. im decent with my doubles but it seems since im almost constantly using them i cant keep em going. im getting tired and hurting in my shins really badly. is it just my technique? or endurance? or maybe a little of both?
Click to expand...

He did mention "extreme metal" so dbl kicks all the time is mandatory, its part of that style. So if your not familer with bands like Origin, deeds of flesh, decrept birth, maybe that would help some understand better.

Anyways I have found that stretching out my calves and legs have helped me alot before I start. I would check out the Derek Rody forum (hate eternal) alot of great extreme metal drummers post there and its a great forum. Lately I have been working on using my left leg for single kick blasts.
 
Bad Technique.

Learn how to play heel up AND heel down. That way you can accent your patterns.

The heel toe pattern is easy, i'd imagine you use it already without realising you are doing it. I'm always throwing them in without realising it.
 
i used to do this for fun and to strengthen the muscles



when ever your just sitting there doing nothing or ... sitting in school (my situation)


just continuisly tap your feet back in forth just like you would on a bass drum

you don't even have to go fast just keep a steady pace

and after you do it for a while you'll get that same feeling (that feeling of pain)



and just always do it .... its an easy way to exercise
 
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