DRUMMERS: Heel Up or Heel Down?

Heel up or Down on the Bass Drum?

Heel Up for the Down Stroke
6
43%
Heel Down befo' You Kneel Down, Sucka!
2
14%
The Heel Bounces Many Merry Ways, Grasshopper!
3
21%
That's Why I Play Percussion. No Heels Allowed.
1
7%
Go HEELS!!!!! FINAL FOUR!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!!
2
14%
 
Total votes : 14

Postby Spec A! on 05 Apr 2009 02:18

It may take me a while, but I'll give it a shot for ya.

Laz's floor tom head looks like there's a freaking hole in the middle! Dang! I love how it's worn 10X more than the rest. And yeah that's totally a foot pedal cowbell. Sweet, reminds me of El Negro!
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Postby Laz on 05 Apr 2009 05:51

Good eye guys!

For some reason, my toms/heads sound in such a way that I can get a really nice tone if I hit them dead-center, whereas they tend to sound ploppy and crappy if I hit them towards the rim... could be the coated heads... so I guess I've sorta almost had to develop some degree of accuracy around the drums out of necessity.

...yup that's correct... my version of left-foot clave is this cheap LP generic cowbell that came with my timbales when I bought them... couldn't find anywhere else to put it, so I clamped it to said kick pedal off the hihat... I can get a nice, dead "poppy" sound by dead-hitting the cowbell with my left foot (burying the beater into the cowbell - see my previous post)... I can also stuff a rolled-up sock into it for a really "poppy", appropriate clave-type sound for left-foot rumba clave stuff (which I've really started to devote some serious time to lately) as well as left-foot 12/8 Bembe cowbell grooves... I can also let the beater fully rebound off the cowbell on quarter notes (or technically half notes in cut-time) for a more authentic ringy Salsa Bongo bell-type sound...

Laz
:wink:
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Postby Chatchka on 07 Apr 2009 03:18

Bumpin for more please.
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Postby Chatchka on 08 Apr 2009 16:17

You can see a lot of right heel action in this vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBnVXmPZ ... re=related
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Postby plutonic on 08 Apr 2009 17:12

That thar is some magical shit. I need some live Oysterhead.
At least live, you can count on the vocals being mixed down a bit.

*ducks*

He really seems to smash his whole foot down.
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Re: DRUMMERS: Heel Up or Heel Down?

Postby plutonic on 29 Aug 2009 16:19

YO,

Guitarist back seeking more drum advice. Something from this summer reminded me of this old thread, and Tamadude's thread about Bass Pedals: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10086

I went to See Steely Dan this summer. Their drummer, Keith Carlock, was, I will say, quite fantastic.
http://www.keithcarlock.com/news.htm

Carlock sets up, from what I saw, like a trad jazz drummer. Snare drum tipped forward, trad grip, ride cymbal front and centered. I liked his set up because it seemed like it was more about ergonomics than it was about framing his mug so the audience could see him.

My attention was, for some reason, drawn to his Hi Hat Foot, which kept time MOST of the time. Even if he was playing the hat closed, he'd still be bouncing his left heel. From my layperson perspective, it seems that a lot of 'jazzier' drummers do this, whilst I see this less with straight rock players.

So I've been practicing a little swing, playing hat on all 4 beats of 4/4 or just on 2 and 4. My favorite is playing all four beats with the left foot but accenting 1 and 3. I do this by playing HEEL UP on the 1&3, HEEL DOWN on the 2&4 on the left foot. If I do this whilst playing the backbeat on the snare I get that awesome ticking clock sound, and it physically feels great.

Playing some syncopation with the bass drum over that has been very challenging. Making my brain hurt a la:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10240&start=0

Is it my imagination, or is it true, that Stewart, for the most part, does NOT do this. Anyone?

For the most part, I picture him leaned over on his Left Foot on the hat, occasionally opening the hat in interesting places. Imitating this physical stance goes a long way, I find, towards playing some Stewart like beats.

Because I'm such a fata$$, this 'stance' is great for me, balance wise. :o

However, I think my left foot practice is contributing nicely to my drumming fitness program. :)

dc
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Re: DRUMMERS: Heel Up or Heel Down?

Postby TheEqualizer on 29 Aug 2009 20:45

Not so hot on Steely Dan, but I will listen to a boot of them if its Carlock on drums. He is certainly amazing.
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Re: DRUMMERS: Heel Up or Heel Down?

Postby DrumSolo on 01 Sep 2009 04:45

I play heel up, though as some others have mentioned, for softer play I return to the heel down position

It'd be interesting to know what everyone does with their left foot on the high hat pedal (up or down) too!

Best of luck with the drumming and hope that you find a way to keep playing in your place - as others have mentioned, try putting something under the pedal or maybe wrapping a sock on the beater.

cheers,
Mike
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Re: DRUMMERS: Heel Up or Heel Down?

Postby ltwoman on 01 Sep 2009 14:03

Heel down.
Libido Torpedo.
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Re: DRUMMERS: Heel Up or Heel Down?

Postby Shangeris on 01 Sep 2009 19:33

:| Don't know if I right understand what you mean but I'd say heel in the middle
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