ModernDrummer Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 Have you tried an alarm clock? Maybe have your left foot leave sooner? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif Oh, you want a REAL response? I dunno popmusic, you might want to give it a bit more time before you let it frustrate ya too much. From the way I read what's happening it sounds exactly like you're just needing to get adjusted to the pedal delay. As you stated, you've only had it a month. I had the same problem when I first set-up my Janus pedal. It took some time to get used to switching the mechanism back and forth, and I was dropping a beat here and there. Personally, I think that eventually, you'll become used to such nuances. And it'll be just fine. Just my thoughts. If you always do what you've always done, you'll always have what you've always had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrummerCafe Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 It's hard to make a diagnosis without actually seeing and hearing what you are experiencing. I can tell you that I've had students in the past who have experienced similar problems as the one you are describing. I don't know if playing on the cardboard box has anything to do with it or not, but it's possible. One issue has been the kick pedal adjustment. If the pedal is not adjusted correctly for your foot, as well as your build & weight, you can have problems. Check out my website under LESSONS for a full blown explanation, if your interested. You want to be sure that your beater is coming back away from the drum (cardboard lid) when your foot is resting on the pedal; totally relaxed. I typically try to have the beater sit about half way between the distance from the kick drumhead to the resting position when my foot is NOT on the pedal. When you lay your foot on the pedal, if the beater is really close to the drumhead, the spring is too loose; if it barely moves when you lay your foot on the pedal board, then the spring is too tight. This is just a general suggestion I make to people when they have kick pedal problems. Start here, then adjust to where it feels best for you. Secondly, if you are leaving the beater on the drumhead inbetween strokes, you are probably going to be late on the next stroke. The reason being is that it takes time for you to bring the beater back, then press down for the beater to strike the drum. This is what is called a "prepratory stroke" and it will greatly cause you to be late; not to mention that you are burning an excess amount of energy. If you feel this is an issue for you, try relaxing and using the natural swing of the beater to work for you; let the beater come off the drum so that you are ready for the next stroke. Lastly, your problem may be that you feel the down beat in such a way that your brain thinks your foot has to travel a shorter distance than it really does in order for it hit the drum (hope that made sense). If this is the case, you could try sliding your foot back on the pedal board so that your toes are not at the very top of the pedal (all the way forward). Try sliding your foot back slightly so that you are down the pedal a couple of inches. Not only will your foot not have to travel as far before the beater connects with the drum, but it will cause the sound of the drum to come much quicker. I use this technique a lot just because I don't have to work as hard ... plus I use the "ball of the foot" as my connecting point to the pedal board. We've talked about pedal technique in past threads. Try to find those postings and/or check out my site for Tips on Kick Drum Pedal Technique. Also, I may be totally wrong with all of this. Without seeing and hearing you play, I can only make general suggestions that have worked for my past students. ------------------ Bart Elliott http://bartelliott.com Drummer Cafe - community drum & percussion forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted July 25, 2001 Share Posted July 25, 2001 Hey, Pop: Bart is so right on that I hate to add anything, but here goes. I tend to think your problem (even though I cannot see you playing) is Bart's second point. If you leave the beater planted in the head between strokes, by the time you pull the beater back and strike the beat ... it has already passed you by! Try this. Practice during each session on the bass drum alone. Focus on solving this problem and the solution may become clear to you. Just practice working on this bass drum by playing just the bass drum while watching your foot and the way it interacts with the drum. Hope this helps, DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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