How to Set Up & Play Bass Drum Pedal

Video Transcript

So playing the pedals down here, setting up the pedals that’s up to you. What I prefer on a single pedal of course is that natural setup—the bass drum is right in front you, the hi-hat is to your left, right in front of you, it’s very convenient, this is how it would normally sit if I was in class, if I was in work, whatever …and that’s where I put the pedals. There are two ways to play these pedals, simply: heel up and heel down, heel up and heel down. You’ll notice that I have an extra pedal to this side, it’s a slave pedal, or a remote piece that controls a beater over on the bass drum, and many players put that extra pedal that remote pedal on the inside of their hi-hat pedal. I prefer it on the outside, everybody has their right, you find out what works for you. So the heel up is right here, we’re pushing down the foot pedal and making the beater hit the head. What we’re trying not to do is just a sound, but what I’m trying not to do is allow the beater to go into the head, which means I keep pushing down on the pedal. It’s a different sound altogether vs. letting it ring by removing that beater from the bass drum. It takes a little control, heel down does similar things…it’s just not as much power, though I would encourage you to practice both ways, because just like the grips of the hand, these techniques of the feet can be used for all sorts of different sounds. Playing into the head, getting that muffled sound isn’t a bad thing, it just depends on what the music calls for, so find out what works for you and practice all of it so that you cannot be limited with the music you play.

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