Kick drum help: Doubles

Hey everyone!

Recently, I've been trying to figure out "double strokes" on the kick, both heel-toe and slide techniques and it doesn't seem like i'm making much progress.

I play with shoes on (light Vans or Converse style) and I use an Iron Cobra double pedal.

For heel-toe, I can't seem to get a decent hit on the heel cuz the heel of my shoe is basically right at the bottom edge of the footboard. And for Slide, my shoes are gripping pretty hard onto the footboard so I can't exactly push forward for the 2nd hit.

Just wondering if there are any special settings on the pedal that might make this easier or if the Iron Cobra pedal is not that great for this kind of stuff to begin with.

Thanks everyone!

You can check out my heel-toe videos in my signature. They might help.

I will say, however, that I have an extremely difficult time playing heel-toe doubles with shoes on. I think there are some important motions the foot makes while playing heel-toe that are limited by the stiffness of shoes.

That being said, the placement of your foot really doesn't matter much because even though the technique is called "heel-toe" you don't actually make the stroke with your heel. You make both strokes with the ball of your foot and/or toes, but the MOTION of your heel is what makes the first stroke.

When I try to help people learn how to do this, I usually have them slam their heel down REALLY hard in an effort to make the first stroke. When I first taught myself how to do this, my heels were actually bruised for a while. Start in normal heel up position and try doing a stoke by dropping your heel onto the heel plate while actively curling your toes back and pulling the front of your foot UP. The ball of your foot should remain in contact with the pedalboard due to the fact that your heel is dropping, but when you get the first stroke, you will be in a position where you can catch the rebound and push down with your toes.

I describe it to people like this: Imagine you're in a car and you get into a car accident. Luckily you have a seat belt on, so you stop, but whatever you have in your hand goes shooting forward regardless. Now, your HEEL is the seat belt. You slam your foot down, your heel brings your foot to a stop, but the pedal continues moving and makes the first stroke. You then catch the rebound and play the second stroke. Eventually you will start to learn how to roll your foot, at which time the "slam" will become less and less, and you will also learn how to follow the pedal down with your toes, which will increase control.

The last video on my list actually goes over how I set up my Iron Cobras.

I think Dark Slide has what you need, Kmok.

I've always been heel/toe. It's just the way I figured it out, and I've always done it that way.

On flat ground practice this:

Drop your foot with your heel landing first, then snap the ball of your foot down with your heel going up. You should hear two distinct hits.

This is an exaggerated movement, it's actually a little simpler than that, but it will help you get started. You're basically just rocking your foot back and forth, but you do raise the leg slightly for the first stroke.

Get the movement down first, and then work on consistency and evenness. Later work on doing a double on the floor, double with the right hand, double on the floor, double with the left hand. Just have fun with it.

I cannot help you with heel up technique, but since just about everyone else plays that way, I'm sure you'll find someone.

I learned heel toe on a speed king, cause it has that heel plate you can flip over and it sticks up, it actually gives you something to kick with your heel. Then after I got he motion of it, I transferd it to my other pedals.

Still can't do continuouse doubles for long periods of time with out getting a cramp, but can throw them in now and then.

Watch his video, it explains a lot.

practice more. It will happen.

Concentrate on one pedal before you do both, take it slow.