Build Your Double Bass Chops: Part 1
I began playing drums on a single Bass Drum. Later on, I began to experiment with the use of a second bass drum. In 1978, with encouragement from Louis Bellson (the father of Double Bass Drumming), I transformed my own exercises into the book, DoubleDrum: A Double Bass Drum Text. My book introduced exercises that treated the second bas 21121j92v s drum like an additional hand, which - back then - was an original concept. I originally intended the book for the double bass drummer but, over the years, I've used it to improve four-way coordination of my students who use a single bass and a hi-hat as well.
Although the exercises you're about to see first appeared in print more than 20 years ago, I think you'll agree they're as relevant today as they were then. Check 'em out.
Coordinating the Feet
Many drummers practice hand exercises but almost totally neglect their feet.
These exercises concentrate on developing coordination and speed in the feet,
and are useful whether you play double or single Bass. If you play single Bass,
simply substitute your Hi-Hat for the second Bass Drum part. See Excerpts 1 and
2.
Excerpt 1
Excerpt 2
Play each exercise slowly at first. After you can play each exercise cleanly and evenly, increase the speed. Note that the first 4 bars in Excerpt 2 incorporates the use of flams between the feet. Play them exactly as you would play flams with your hands, keeping the grace note drum beater ball closer to the drum head than the main note drum beater ball.
Independent Hands and Feet
In addition to developing speed and coordination with both feet, you should be
able to play patterns independently between your hands and feet.
Note that in Excerpt 3 and 4 below, you should use single sticking for the Hand part (RLRL RLRL) against the written Bass Drum patterns. Once you can play that with ease (starting with either hand), try using Open Rolls (RRLL RRLL), paradiddles (RLRR LRLL), and any of your favorite stickings in the Hand part.
As always, practice each exercise slowly until you can play it evenly and cleanly before increasing the speed.
Excerpt 3
Excerpt 4
Build Your Double Bass Chops: Part 2
In Part 1 of Build Your Double Bass Chops (see Sidebar) I gave you some exercises to develop your feet first, followed by hands against feet. This week I share some advanced exercises from my book, DoubleDrum: A Double Bass Drum Text. These exercises make great four-way coordination and independence studies for the single Bass Drummer too, simply by substituting the Hi-Hat in place of the second Bass Drum.
Triplet Combinations
The following exercises will help develop your coordination and use of the
second bass drum using eighth and sixteenth note triplet combinations. See
Excerpts 1 and 2.
Excerpt 1
Excerpt 2
Play each exercise slowly at first. After you can play each exercise cleanly and evenly, increase the speed. Try to be as relaxed when playing your feet as you are with your hands.
Jazz Application
Excerpt 3 is an example of how you can apply the second Bass Drum in the Jazz
vein.
Excerpt 3
In Excerpt 3 above, the cymbal is playing a straight swing pattern for practice purposes. In actual use, you should vary the cymbal pattern as you would when playing any Jazz tune.
Rock Application
Excerpt 4 shows the use of a second Bass Drum in a more familiar application -
Rock. Make sure that you play the accents on the Snare Drum on the beats of 2
and 4 in the first 2 bars of Excerpt 4.
Excerpt 4
Getting Creative
Excerpt 5 shows an example of interaction between the Snare/Toms and Double Bass
Drums that can be used for Drum fills and breaks.
Excerpt 5
Solo Ideas
The remaining exercises show some of my ideas for applying the Double Bass in a
Solo framework.
Excerpt 6 is an example of playing a 2 bar ostinato (repeating) pattern on the Double Bass, against changing rhythms in the hands.
Excerpt 6
In Excerpt 7, both the Double Bass and the left hand Snare Drum patterns repeat against a varying right hand part. Practice this one while playing the right hand on various drums around the set.
Excerpt 7
When it comes to applying a second Bass Drum, creativity is the key word. Chops alone mean nothing if what you play doesn't sound good and, more important, doesn't fit the context of the song.
Experiment with my exercises and try to develop some of your own. Eventually, you will develop a style of Double Bass drumming that you can call your own. And that's where the fun really begins.
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