Double Bass Tips

1. If you want to play double bass drums... ALWAYS play heel up it will save you so much aggravation. Heel down is
much harder to co-ordinate and gain speed with - Scott
2. THE SWEET SPOT! For all you metal heads out there who play double bass, the sweet spot is the key to finding your
maximum speed. Find the center of your pedal and place the groove between your toes and your foot. You're on your way!
- Daniel Mifsud - drummer of Argento
3. Explore different muscle group combinations when playing usual double bass licks. You'll find that you can pull out
the same patterns for longer with less fatigue and/or cramping. - Jim ".50 Cal" Deabenderfer
4. Double Bass Technique: It's important to sit up straight when you play double kick. Then lean into the drums slightly
when playing your exercises. This will help you keep your balance. - Mike S.
5. If your not a Double Bass player you should play a Double Pedal. Playing differant stickings over different foot
patterns helps cordination. Think about it, would you learn one hand at a time, NO. By playing Both hands as a unit, each
hand gets strong and the same is true with your feet, So don't learn one foot at a time. By playing them together your feet
get better, even if you NEVER intend on playing double bass songs. I found myself liking the Double pedal for fills &
Cashendo's (excuse my spelling lol). These Tips Work don't over look them. - Bill Dolan
6. Ordinary calf raises help strengthen your calf muscles. Many famous drummers swear by this exercise to improve on
your double bass drumming. - God
7. For double bass, don't over use. Play your normal beat and when the audience never expects it play the double.
Then you leave them wondering how the heck you did that. - Zach
8. If you dont have a double bass pedal and you play a lot like me just hit bass and then the floor tom or other toms right
after as fast as possible and it will sound like a double pedal!! SO GO ROCK OUT!! - Kevin Maslan
9. Double bass drum beginners: Start out with straight sixteenth notes and get those down real good first. Then move
on to triplets, doubles, etc. Get the basics down first. - Lee Alten
10. Since your left foot is already playing quarters much of the time on the hi hat, it tends to be easier to start many of
your double bass drum beats or fills with your left foot. Of course you can always learn some fills starting with your right
foot too. Ultimately, go with what's comfortable and what feels natural to you. - Tom
11. Learning to play double bass drums can be like starting over and can be "very" frustrating. In the beginning it feels
like the progress is sooooooo slow! But hang in there because, if you stay with it and practice hard, you will see a
difference. - Jonathan Mire
12. Do you play double bass? Do you want to get your speed up? I found a secret to double bass playing that will triple
your speed! If you just play a samba at a fast tempo for long periods of time with both feet, you will see amazing results in
your drumming. Sambas are fun to play and practice. My double bass playing is twice the speed it was before. - Rocco
13. Play relaxed! Most guys try too hard to force their licks out and they get all tense. When approaching the double kick,
you've got to be centered and totally relaxed. Being well-rehearsed ahead of time is key. Don't practice your double bass
chops on the gig. - Lailo
14. Doubles on the bass drum. Spend as much time on the double strokes as you do the single strokes. And make sure
you're left foot is just as fast as your right foot. You can work out paradiddles on the double kick too. - X4 Zero
15. Double Bass Pedals. Take your time picking out the right pedals. Do your research and figure out what the top
drummers are playing. You don't always have to go with brand names like Pearl, Axis, Yamaha, Drum Workshop (DW) or
Tama, you just need to make sure that your pedals are good quality. Also check out newer drum pedals on the market like
the Trick Double Bass Pedals or the new Sleishman Twin Bass Drum Pedal. - The drum dog
16. For more bass drum secrets, drummitg tips, drum lessons, and technique dvds, click on the links below. Don't

1.

Practice slow untill you feel comfortable with what you're playing. Once you start getting
better, play faster. Try different techniques- heel up, heel down, or heel-toe.

2.

Tension your kick pedals so that they give lots of response and spring, but not too tight that
you can't push them down.

3.

Try playing with both your heels up (ie. using the ball of your foot to kick down on the pedal,
and using your calf muscles).

4.

Try playing with your heels down (ie. using your ankle to kick down on the pedal, and using
your hamstring).

5.

Find the best or easiest and most effective method of these for you.

6.

Lay your right foot flat on the floor.

7.

Raise the front of your foot off of the ground.

8.

Raise your foot in that position off of the ground and back down.

9.

When your heel hits the floor roll the front half of your foot down until its flat on the ground
also.

10.

Continue rolling your foot until the heel of your foot is off of the ground.

11.

Lift the front part of your foot off of the ground and back down.

12.

When your toes hit the floor roll back until your foot is flat on the floor and repeat from number
7.

13.

You are basically rolling your foot from front to back and lifting it up when you get to either
side.

1.

Keep your heel up.

2.

Let your heel hit the back part of the pedal first.

3.

When your heel hits bring your toe down while the pedal is bouncing back.

4.

Repeat.

1.

Play heel up.

2.

Play your toe down on the back of the pedal.

3.

Slide your heel towards the front getting a second contact.

1.

Just like normal, but practice lots.

Tips

Listen to death metal music, it is full of double kicking.

Listen to grindcore music, also full of very fast double bass.

Listen to Raymond Herrera (Fear Factory) Andrew "Brick" Brown (Blood Duster) Gene Hoglan
(Strapping Young Lad, Dethklok), Nick Barker (Dimmu Borgir, Cradle Of Filth), Thomas Lang,
Jordan Mancino (As I Lay Dying), Neil Peart (Rush), Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), Danny Carey
(Tool), George Kollias (Nile), Inferno (Behemoth), Christian Ovalle (Break The Stronghold), Dave
Mackintosh (Dragonforce), Dave Lombardo (Slayer), James Wilson (Destructive Taste), Vinnie
Paul (Pantera), Keith Moon (The Who), Jason Costa (All That Remains), Joey Jordison (Slipknot),
Matt Sanders (Damaged, Blood Duster) Index... The fastest drummer from Australia have a listen
to any songs from Damaged the drumming is awesome to the max best song from Damaged to
listen to with exteme double kicking is Extra Mild), Chris Adler (Lamb of God). Tomas Haake
(Meshuggah) and other professional drummers with good double kick technique.

Try to find a tension in your bass pedals that gives the most response without being too hard
to push down.

Practice, practice, practice! There's no other way to get better. Pete "the Feet" Sandoval of
Morbid Angel would practice so much that his fellow bandmates would find him in a pool of sweat,
and upon waking up he would say "Time to practice!" There's simply no way around it.

Start slowly, about 60-80 bpm (beats per minute) playing 16th notes, and gradually build up.
Play single strokes, double strokes and paradiddles to develop both the twitch and the regular
motion of your foot.

Ben Gillies from Silverchair use's double kick on the song Nobody Came on the album
Freakshow, the song is a heavy rock song but the ending goes for about 2 minuets with non stop
double kick.

Warnings

Always stretch your hamstrings, calves, quads, groin and rotate your ankles before playing
double kicks on drums. This will prevent pulling muscles, cramping or tearing ligaments.

.Drink plenty of water this also helps to reduce cramps in legs.