Bass Drum Technique Demonstration - How to get into ankle motion?

[jervymahalko]

can you please apply what you've teach..

[izzytons]

How are your pedals adjusted? I have the same ones, and I was just wondering about stuff like the beater hight, how far away the beater is from the drum, pedal board angle, spring tension... Pretty much anything you can think of! Thanks!

[M3G4G0TH]

@izzytons phew, its been a long time since i did this...

i know my spring tension is at MAX and i am using the heavy iron cobra beaters to have a lot of swinging.

i cant really say a lot about the other stuff. my beater hits my 22" in the middle and the angle of the beater is "comfortable".. you know, not too close, not too far. thats something you gotta try for yourself. :) make yourself comfy. thats prety much always the "key"

ah.

and practice

hehehehe :)

wish you the best

[izzytons]

@M3G4G0TH Thanks for your help!

[andreewchica]

nice doble bass pedal but your bass drum sounds pretty awful...!"""

[M3G4G0TH]

@andreewchica thanks.

i dont think so. keep in mind we are recording with a small tourist-camera in video mode here. the microphone is crap and it's nowhere near where the mic would be if I was about to record this drum.

its punchy, has a very short but present low end - pretty much what a rock/metal bass drum usually sounds like.

[Villex93]

I can do 220bpm with one foot, 180bpm with both. You can try to play like this but the only way you will play double bass is the natural way.

[M3G4G0TH]

@Villex93 or practice till it BECOMES natural :)

[Villex93]

@M3G4G0TH Yep that's how it must be done, unfortunately. Btw I'm going to change my really old Iron cobras to the same pedals as you have and with even the same beaters. Do you recommend them or do you think something else could be better?

[M3G4G0TH]

@Villex93 hey man i am not sure what to say here. try it yourself. get the pedals first but only if you feel that the cobras are now allowing you to go any further. then try the demons in short board, then long board then short board again. then see if you like their beaters. if not, get IC or some else. man this is eally up to you :)

[Villex93]

@M3G4G0TH I guess that's the best way, thanks!

[HarnessDavid]

That's the flat foot technique.

[mentalwhiplash83]

proper technique is heal to toe ... thats when your down stroke with your toe and then heel on the back stroke ... but what the hell you have a pearl demon pedal what you trying to double with one foot anyway js

[M3G4G0TH]

@mentalwhiplash83 question is - proper technique for what? this video is about "ankle motion", the motion that george kollias always talks about. heel toe is another thing but i never really tried it.

double strokes, hehe. sorry man i was really just out of bed with a cup of coffee on my table and i saw my practice set up and did a quick video, hehe. :)

i like the non-heel toe doubles. i dont know why. seems more natural to me. although heel toe is really good for punk etc.

[jackalackboom]

@mentalwhiplash83 most fast drummers ive ever seen don't really use heel toe all that much for sustained speed. shannon lucas, jon rice, george kollias...

[lumyingluo]

cool...thanks!!

[IronreaverVII]

Your foot should not be coming off of the pedal. That's how you lose momentum.

[confederateman]

helpful video. thanks man.

[devilzreality93]

hmmm the angle youre playing at seems really uncomfortable and tiring :/ i kinda use heel toe on my double peds with both my feet :)

[M3G4G0TH]

@devilzreality93 nah its relaxed once you get the hang of it.

[devilzreality93]

@M3G4G0TH hmmm i just tried it out its actually kinda easier :) but im not quite used to it :)

[M3G4G0TH]

@devilzreality93 heehehe, you see? :)

keep practicing and you will get better.

fun fact: since I didnt practice double bass for a long time... I can barely play steadily 16th notes at 140+ bpm... LOL i SUCK at it now hahahaha gotta train some mpre again

[devilzreality93]

@M3G4G0TH thanks alot bro :)

[dave8594]

I didn't know Arnold Swartzeneggar played the drums.

[sniegaviirs24]

@dave8594 loooool xDDDDD

[Xyzified]

this might be a strange question.. but do you feel the impact with your foot when the beater hits the batter ? my "motion" usually stops cause the beater hits the batter..

aaaah... i don't know how to explain.. nice video anyway :)

[M3G4G0TH]

@Xyzified the question is not strange at all. i had it as well months ago.

well yes, you get a feel when the beater hits the batter. after a while. ;) so practice mate. you will then get a feel for how much energy you need to put into the strikes in order to get the beater to hit. its really easy.

[Xyzified]

@M3G4G0TH hmm ok :) i'll start practicing on this ASAP! Thanks for the video and very fast response! :D

[M3G4G0TH]

@Xyzified sure man. note, this is only about getting into the motion. the swinging.

[Tehfirter]

0:48 NICE CUM

[lucci97]

i can do it with my left leg but not my right leg haha, i keep pulling my calf or something, then i can't do anything at all :P after you get this then you just add liike some leg motion and stuff?

[M3G4G0TH]

@lucci97 as you proceed with practice you will feel how to play the bass right. feel comfy, thats it really...

[lucci97]

@M3G4G0TH actually i just gave this a shot and it felt pretty good haha, thanks for the help :)

[AdAyToReMeMbErReR]

thanks for the great vid! i was wondering how drummers like kollias drummed so fast but no other video explained it properly. cheers ^_^

[methane]

that technique hurts

[JosiahSCooper]

there is a lot less power and control doing it your 'proper' way

heel up works great, always

[M3G4G0TH]

@JosiahSCooper you misunderstand. i am showing a way to GET INTO ankle motion because it seems to be a myth out there. most people try to play faster with their whole legs but they never use the ankles. so the heel down practice makes you realize "oh shit, i can move that without having to pull and push my whole damn leg, this is awesome!" and then they start playing and playing and then its basically heel up but with the heel very low. :) gives more control, same power. :)

[JosiahSCooper]

@M3G4G0TH

alright, well, I guess that works too!

[M3G4G0TH]

@JosiahSCooper yeah!

but in end - as long as we play and enjoy we are gonna learn automatically without the need for "fancy techniques that make you go 300BMP in 2 weeks" ;D

wish you the best, bye! :)

[nonhasthisusername]

@M3G4G0TH how do you get your pedals to be so responsive, i have the same pedals(not the same beater) and mines as sluggish as he iron cobra, got both power settings and max springs.

[M3G4G0TH]

@nonhasthisusername i dont know mate, mhh... longboard, spring to the max, the beater holder is connected so it is further away -> more responsive, less swing. the only thing i can think about is beater height. the higher the beater the more swing, the lower the beater the more responsivness. i have my beater so it strikes the middle of the bass drum. a light beater will be faster, a heavy beater (like my iron cobra rubber one) will give mor swing but be a bit slower, needs more power.dunno mate

[sovereignsjust]

How should I adjust my pedal/kit/throne to practice?

I use the Axis Longboards.

[M3G4G0TH]

@sovereignsjust youtube is the wrong place to ask, google for a musicians and/or drummer forum and ask there.

for throne i'd say keep about 90°-100° angle and all the other stuff - make yourself feel comfy. thats how you do it. feel comfy. :)

and seriosly? i've got to rant. why the fuck do you use axis pedals if you dont even got a glimpse how to actually practice? great equipment does not make you a great drummer and doublebass only is boring after a while. trust me.

[drummerboii15]

@M3G4G0TH He probably had the money?

[sovereignsjust]

@M3G4G0TH

Yeah, getting those were a mistake, You think this technique would work with the iron cobras?

[M3G4G0TH]

@sovereignsjust getting what was a mistake?

dude the technique works with every bass drum pedal. :) chill

[sovereignsjust]

I can do that just fine, but when I try to add my left kick, I can't get them synced up.

It keeps on flamming.

[M3G4G0TH]

@sovereignsjust chill out and practice. :) dude i remember how much i hated my legs when i could not get it to sync. try to play slow but clean, speed up. try to play slow but add a quick double time burst in every 2nd or 4th bar. like 1 1 1 1 11111111 1 1 1 1 11111111 try this at 180bpm to start off, then try 200, then 220. etc. :) you will learn how to play clean and even. and then its just a matter of days. good luck!

[lazuli73]

how tight is your pedal spring? tight, loose, medium?

[M3G4G0TH]

@lazuli73 3/4th tightness

[RocknRollAddict666]

yeah demon drive

[94FF]

ugly shoes

[raylovesrock182]

@M3G4G0TH yeah i know man i want them soo bad but there an arm and a leg

but not a very hard technique u got it down alot better and faster then me of course but i like those sneakers btw ahaha

[M3G4G0TH]

@raylovesrock182 the technique is not really a technique, its just about finding a way to move your feet/train them to move so you feel comfy doing it...

i mean, look at these movements. when ever in everyday's life do we need such movements? thats why we have to teach our feet/hands to move like this. :)

we just had christmas bro, you could have asked for some money, and then save up a bit and buy the pedals?

if you are from USA youre lucky, theyre cheaper than in europ ...:)

good luck bro!

[raylovesrock182]

its because u have those awesome ass no spring action peddles from pearl anyone can play fast on those went to guitar center and played them a little and freaked myself out all it is is that is has more bounce action and yeah there adjustable for any comfort

[M3G4G0TH]

@raylovesrock182 ok i dont really get your comment, try using punctuation marks. ^^

yeah the pedals are really adjustable. you have to get used to the "flow" but once you found your way to play on them its really nice. :)

[juanchodelasriveras]

dude a much better and easier technique for a fast sigle pedal bass is the heel-toe technique

you just don´t stop with the heel toe and you got a amazing doble bass with some practice and resistance

i´m going close to st anger doble pedal section with one foot

[juanchodelasriveras]

@juanchodelasriveras lol in the other video i wrote i can´t play even one- metallica doble pedal section but i can play it with one foot :)

[howycwap]

your bass drum sounds like doodie. please tell me the pillows are in there for practicing reasons.

[M3G4G0TH]

@howycwap LOL :D

no the pillows are there for dampening.

it sounds great if heard with normal ears etc. a nice thumpy sound with a good kick to it,i dont like long bass drum sounds, not good for my style of music.

also the cam recorded had to compress in order to make the sound not clip too much, dont rely on the sound in the video.

btw: what bass drum sound do you prefer? :)

[howycwap]

@M3G4G0TH

well my bass drum is fairly short but its very deep and quite loud, theres a pillow leaning on the bass drum about 2/5ths of the way up and a bunch of shirts on the resonant, so theres bassically no resonance but it till makes sound. and i taped on a kleenex to both heads, it makes the head semi more muffle but it still rings for a bit.

i dunno i play metal with it and it sounds good not all blended together

[Kingfartbomb]

:48 you just cummed.... XD thumbs up if you agree!

[M3G4G0TH]

@Kingfartbomb :D hehe

[Kingfartbomb]

@M3G4G0TH It was a little disturbing LOL

[allmetaliswelcome]

so what you're saying is, that it's just play heel down and lift the heel?

[M3G4G0TH]

@allmetaliswelcome kinda, yeah. :) use heel down until you get the feel for a swing, until you get a feel for when to strike the pedal back, using it's natural movement and putting a bit more energy to it so it actually reaches the drum head again.

rather easy if you practice it a couple of weeks. :) dont forget the left foot!

[allmetaliswelcome]

@M3G4G0TH ok man i'll practice is cause my ankle motion sucks very badly

[lucci97]

i can get it with ly left foot but not my right foot lol, btw i love ur pedal i want it so bad hha

[MetalBlasting1]

I have generally the same problem as stover, do you have any exercises above and beyond practicing to isolate and improve individual leg motions?

[M3G4G0TH]

@MetalBlasting1 put on a record of a rock or punk bad, like the offspring, rise against, maybe even system of a down, anything that is not hardcore fast double bass metal.

play with the left foot instead of the right one. you will notice how much you fuck up with the left foot.

after a couple of sessions you will get a better feel though.

derek roddy says - if you wanna be better at X... play X... :)

best wishes

[oBIGxREDo]

@M3G4G0TH Rise Against drummer plays a single pedal just saying nice video btw sir!

lol!

[M3G4G0TH]

@oBIGxREDo yep, he does. :) you can hear the dynamics between the two strokes soo good on the old records!

[oBIGxREDo]

@M3G4G0TH Yep!!

He's a damn good drummer haha!

[eirik22]

okey, mby a stupid question but are you supposed to use the kick drum with your toes or like your whole foot/ankle/heel?

[M3G4G0TH]

@eirik22 this is something you have to figure out yourself. there is no good or bad technique. as long as it is loud and you feel comfy using the pedal, it is right.

[korniah]

I prefer heel toe

[M3G4G0TH]

@korniah heel toe needs a hell lot of control, keep going! :)

[stover81291]

i use this same technique with my right foot but my left foot is just awful. whenever i try to use this technique with both feet i just cant get it to work. right now im just trying isolate my left foot as much as possible hoping that eventually it will become natural so i can use this for double bass.

[M3G4G0TH]

@stover81291 just more practice, play songs and beats with the left foot until you get a feel for it, takes 4-8 weeks.

[jennafan14]

bring your beaters closer to head a tad

[M3G4G0TH]

@jennafan14 nah, i love the swing i get from it. :)

[uditphobiamahar]

Nice vid. Mind telling me the tension? And what all parts of your leg feel the pressure? Thanks!

[M3G4G0TH]

@uditphobiamahar

tension: from a scale from 1-10 its a 9.

pressure... mhh, there is no real pressure in any part of the leg. if it rolls, it rolls and all you do is SLAM that pedal down with your ankle and release it again so the pedal can bring up your foot.

[cat101ism]

is this faster or swivle

[M3G4G0TH]

@cat101ism swiveling the foot is not really a technique. by playing real fast double bass your feet will start to go left and right because it is the only way they can keep up the speed.

ofc you can MAKE swivel a technique. just sit down and play, you will figure you what you like more. a technique does not make you play fast overnight. you need a lot of practice. so sit down and play. :) us my tutorial to understand how the feel has to be and practice, practice, practice.

[zachtshort]

how high do you sit at? ive read that its best to sit so your legs are at a 90 degree angle and im trying that now but it slowed me down. but i guess i just have to get used to it more

[kirkvq]

Hey man.. how's it goin. You still practicing? I've been using your technique for a little while now as you suggested lowering my feet as low as I can go.

I noticed huge improvement with control and power. I'll record a video in a few weeks once I get my new vid camera

[M3G4G0TH]

nah mate i'm lazy as hell, school gets me workin hard as well... i try to practice a few times a week but nothing serious...

im glad to hear you are doing progress, it has to be an amazing feeling. :)

keep going mate!

[Nijnvenijn]

Thanks alot!! It really helps to see what exactly goes on. Im going to try your tip for practising.

[M3G4G0TH]

just try to play and be sure that you are aware of the time u will need to practice this.

[dismine29]

what type of beater u use? by the way, Demon Drive rocks..!!!

[M3G4G0TH]

those are the iron cobra beaters, avaible at music stores. they are heavier then the pearl demon drive beaters, i use them since my first double pedal, the very cheap powershifter pearl double pedal thingy...

i love the beaters, cuz they allow me a big motion , nice and heavy... also the rubber version, because i like the "click" it does on the falam slam on my head. i probably will try out the wood version as well, but for now i'm stuck with rubber. :) have a nice day

[sacatreez]

good vid , this hlps, thnx

[M3G4G0TH]

thx mate, keep going! :)

[kirkvq]

Excellent demonstration, thank you very much..

I'm going to work on it and then i'll record a video in future for you

Kirk