pedal - how do you do it?

**fcphantom** · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 875 Location: Menasha, WI

I'm trying to decide between a few different techniques to use the bass drum pedal. I kind of switch between them randomly now. I have no idea how a real drummer does this.

1. I keep the pedal completely up some of the time, and some of the time I leave it down and lift-and-drop to play a note. Then on occasion I find that I leave it half-way down.

2. Sometimes I lift up my whole leg (not THAT way!), and sometimes I only move my foot.

3. Should the leg be straight up and down? Sometimes it seems easier kind of off at an angle.

Any other ideas? I'm starting to think this could be different for every song, or even sections of songs.
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**NoPance** · Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 215 Location: Raleigh, NC

Really the major accepted schools of thought on pedal technique are heel up or heel down.

Heel up gives you a lot of punch on the bass drum, and typically a better quality of sound since your beater doesn't spend a lot of time on the bass head (which can be done with heel down just fine, but it takes some good touch). The downside is that it's a gross motor motion (involves most of the leg) so it's not very precise or fast.

In contrast, heel down allows you to be very precise with the placement of strokes and because you are using smaller muscles you can be faster. The repetition of those smaller muscles can induce fatigue quicker than heel up, especially in the presence of undue tension in the leg due to anxiety with the part or general overplaying. Also you just can't produce the level of sound you can with heel up, which is often a nonissue if you're micced or triggered.

Really whatever feels best to you should be what you do. FWIW I'm playing primarily heel down in RB, even though when I play set I almost exclusively play heel up. It just feels better for me with the pedal on the set and the parts in the game. I do make sure that I keep my heel pressure and overall tension in my legs loose as possible though, to keep from getting overly tired.

Likely you'll get some fatigue in your legs regardless of what technique you do. It's the type of muscle interaction you don't often get to do, rarely as isolated in this application, so you'll just have to build it up like you did your finger strength in GH.

In general stay relaxed, try to be efficient with your motion, and don't be afraid to do whatever feels most comfortable for you. As to your leg position, the ideal position is thigh roughly parallel to the ground, and your ankle as a natural extension of your shin. A lot of drumsets have the pedal completely perpendicular to your hip alignment, which causes your ankle to turn out to the right a bit, which is a pretty bad ergonomic position because of the torque it puts on your knees. Rock band is forced into this position too, so you might find it more comfortable to induce a slight angle in the pads or your position in relation to them.

**Gadman** · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 47 Location: AZ

Basically what he said, But I'll post a vid tomorrow explaining that with visuals.

**PriestMLH** · Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1958 Location: Evansville, IN

I play in the Heel Up position, during rests I usually have the bass pedal pressed in already.
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**valioso** · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 944

**Draftcard** · Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 51

i find it easier if i "choke up" my foot closer to the drums
and bend my knee to 90 degree angle

also leave your foot down when your not hitting anything

**m4tth4x** · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 203 Location: Ann Arbor, MI

**lordryan29** · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:14 pm Post subject:

Since this is just a video game and you don't need to hit the pedal that hard, keep your heel down, so you can hit the note at the right time. Also, to keep your leg from getting tired quicky, you can realx it with pressure on the pedal, and you won't hit a not, so don't strain your leg by trying to hold off the pedal, just relax you leg and pick up the front of your foot while keeping your heel on the ground, to hit a note.
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**coastercrazy10** · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 8:36 pm Post subject:

I keep my foot down the entire time and, with my heel still on the back of the pedal, lift up the front part of my foot and put it back down. I guess i lift in anticipation around an 8th to a 16th note before i have to hit it.

-CC10
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**KrookedT** · Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 154 Location: H-Tizzy, Ohio

I have been playing heel down non-stop through the easy and medium tours and today I woke up and couldn't walk.
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**ghozt360** · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 248

**Leafhead** · Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 12

haha sorry this may be a bit off topic, but kingda ka is an awesome ride lol. as for the bass pedal, i've been keeping my heel down..it works well, but it really does put a lot of stress on your leg..i can't play too many songs without taking a break.

**coastercrazy10** · Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 5:36 pm Post subject:

@^ & ^^: No, i'm from Ohio, but i went on vacation to Jersey and went to Gadv.

Back on topic: I just went into practice for run to the hills on expert just for kicks and i basically would have failed within the first 30 seconds.

I'm scared...

-CC10
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**phoenix4417** · Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 121

I've actually found a way to play really fast. If you move your foot down to the bottom of the pedal and just kinda bounce it up and down really fast then it works nice since it counts the hit when it moves down like one inch so if you can get it to do that alot by bouncing your foot you can get the really fast beats.
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**TheGlow** · Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 2748 Location: J Train Brooklyn!

Im still trying to find the optimal method for me.
My main dilemma I find is im on a damn wooden kitchen chair and I think im too low.
Id have to kiss my knee to keep my heel off the floor.
So far I have my heel down on the base of the pedal and my toes just clear the yellow line on the pedal.
Then in between songs I keep breaking my groove.
Im either keeping the pedal pressed down between beats. sometimes my foot hovering a bit up but pedal still pressed in a little.
but then I think my timings off since i keep breaking combo and I end up having my foot all the way up, heel still down so the pedal is in its full neutral state.

I think it depends on the songs too. Some I saw the bass had a steady beat so i just kept my foot down, then bring uip, then bring down, etc. I dont know 16th notes or anything , I think im going to have to learn some terminology now.
But kinda like the rhythym in Enter Sandman on medium.
I finally found my "groove" and wasnt just reacting to notes, but more like seeing them, programming my foot and/or right hand and just reactin with my left.
I think I did ok, I manned up and tried some on hard, and did 90-95% then tried roxanne on expert, felt manly. And went for Dani California on Expert. Passed it. w/ wife on expert vocals and got 4*. I think thats ok for now.
my shins BURN for the first 3-5 mins, then Im fine.
But I DESPISE the pedal being so close to the drums
I end up sitting 2-3 ft from the pads, at an angle so any Blue+Green i have to twist my whole body to hit it.
I tried removing the pedal and put it off to the side, like 45º from me and that worked real nice, till my daughter moved her chair that was stoppin it from moving and within 1-2 mins i slid it away from me and had to pause and pull it back (playing on a carpet floor)

I think If I just find something else to brace the pedal and let it float off to the side I can do better.

From having been interested in drums and playing ONCE about 7 years ago, to beatin med, playing on hard, and gettin some expert done, i think im doing pretty good.