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renier8

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The second cut is the deepest...

Please advise me

« on: December 11, 2006, 06:34 AM »

Hello everyone

I am still teaching myself with some lessons from the internet. I still haven't found a nice teacher yet. But then again, considering why I am learning drums (for fun), I don't really miss one. Plus I have all of you Grin

I have questions regarding 2 aspects of the drums today:

1. Single Bass kick

I only have a single bass drum, with one beater. I am training my right leg to be able to play 16th notes (or any note for that matter, but at a good solid tempo). It's not there yet, but I am working on it. My questions are these:
*If I ever do get a 2nd bass drum/beater, how will that affect how I play consecutive beats on the bass ?
*Do you automatically split up the work load between the 2 legs, or is the right leg still used more ?
*If so, is there any reason to be able to play fast notes with just the one leg ?

2. High-hat

My high-hat is closed by default. Some of my lessons (webthumber) have been teaching me to play some open-hat notes etc. But that would be just a single note or 2, where the hat is hit with the tip of the stick, and then opened sort of thing. What I don't know, is how to play the high-hat in open position for normal time keeping. If I just hit it like normal, with the tip of the stick, the two cymbals clang awkwardly against each other. Am I supposed to hit it more with the side of the stick ?

Your valued thoughts will be appreciated as always.

Renier


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Bongobob

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Re: Please advise me

« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2006, 10:00 AM »

For the kick drum check out Derrick's Heel Toe video, check out the others also, at...
http://www.drummerworld.com/watchlistdrummers/Derrick_Pope.html

Most open HH riding is down with the hats just slightly open. This gives you a very loose and louder sound.

Here is a good source for using just your left foot HH techniques....
http://www.anisman.com/steve/samd03.htm


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smoggrocks

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Re: Please advise me

« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2006, 11:31 AM »

renier-

my replies are in bold, and are just one answer. there are lots of approaches to this.

Quote from: renier8 on December 11, 2006, 06:34 AM

*If I ever do get a 2nd bass drum/beater, how will that affect how I play consecutive beats on the bass ?

if you were using 2 bass drums, you often play alternating strokes, one per leg. actually not sure how it's handled on a double beater. i believe the second beater hits the bass drum in succession after you hit the bass drum once. this can be controlled by use of a remote pedal

*Do you automatically split up the work load between the 2 legs, or is the right leg still used more ?

as above. there are many instances where one or the other leg could play successive notes [ie; if you were to play a triplet, one leg might choose to hit twice, and the second leg could come in on the 3rd hit].

*If so, is there any reason to be able to play fast notes with just the one leg ?
it's good to know how to do so you have more options available to you. pulling off fast doubles on the bass is very commonly done in rock music, whether you use one pedal or two. personally, i think it's better to get fast with one foot before using a double kick/pedal. john bonham was famous for his one-footed triplets on the bass drum.

2. High-hat

My high-hat is closed by default. Some of my lessons (webthumber) have been teaching me to play some open-hat notes etc. But that would be just a single note or 2, where the hat is hit with the tip of the stick, and then opened sort of thing. What I don't know, is how to play the high-hat in open position for normal time keeping. If I just hit it like normal, with the tip of the stick, the two cymbals clang awkwardly against each other. Am I supposed to hit it more with the side of the stick ?

You can and should be able to play the hats in a variety of ways, and that means playing them open position [ie; the hats are slightly open -- maybe 2 inches or so, depending on the sound you want] or closed [which you'd probably use your sticks for]. it's very common and often desireable to always leave the hats a bit open so you can determine the distance btw'n them, and whether you'll play them open or shut. hitting them with different parts of the stick is one approach; you should learn to play them with all the parts of the stick.
you also have to learn to open and close the hats with your foot while you are playing the rest of the kit. a standard approach is to play the hats [close them by depressing the foot pedal] on 2 & 4. this is not a rule, just something very commonly done, and often one of the first things a teacher will show you. also, you can change how much your cymbals 'wobble' by adjusting the nut beneath them. if you are hitting them with your stick and they are too loud for your liking, close the distance btw'n them a bit so they're not so loud

that's a really fast and basic response. a good teacher will make this much easier to get.


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Danno

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Re: Please advise me

« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2006, 09:57 PM »

Quote from: renier8 on December 11, 2006, 06:34 AM

2. High-hat

What I don't know, is how to play the high-hat in open position for normal time keeping. If I just hit it like normal, with the tip of the stick, the two cymbals clang awkwardly against each other. Am I supposed to hit it more with the side of the stick ?

Very simply (echoing BongoBob here), "open" hats usually means just barely open, not fully open. That's how you get the sizzle sound instead of having the hats clang against one another. And in my experience, yes, most drummers use the side of the stick when hitting the hats.


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renier8

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The second cut is the deepest...

Re: Please advise me

« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2006, 12:18 PM »

Thanks for the help everyone.
Renier


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felix

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Re: Please advise me

« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2006, 04:55 PM »

If I was your teacher I would keep you away from double bass drum for at least 3 to 4 years or until I was satisfied with your idependence, rudiments and basic commands of different grooves/ styles.

You can get many dbl bass drum effects with one pedal and combinations with it and a left or right hand on the floor tom.

I am of the opinion one does not need to learn heel toe technique just pull off a few quick doubles or triplets with one foot. I played 25 years before learning proper heel toe technique. I think you should learn it, but you should also learn good heel up and heel down as well as rocking technique (which I'm sorry I forget what it's called).

France has such a rich jazz culture, well- I would take advantage of it then concentrate more on rock later.

Hindsight being 20/20 that is.


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renier8

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The second cut is the deepest...

Re: Please advise me

« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2006, 07:37 AM »

Ah - you must have read my mind. After seeing the heel-toe-technique in that one video, I was about to ask about that. Thanks for that advice Felix. I am going to concentrate on the one leg until I am much more comfortable with it, before I try anything else.

Renier