Possible to play three pedals with two feet?

Hi!

Today I was watching some music video and saw that the drummer of the band opens and closes hi-hat while kicking dual bass kicks. Is this possible? It was of course an arranged video and not a live performance so I was wondering if this is even possible because drum pads of bass drum aren't moving (it would look like flickering because the lightning is very powerful and pads are black). The second thing I noticed that the whole drumkit stands still and it doesn't have a drum stage for it!

Second thing that came to my mind: how do you set your hihat while playing dual kicks? Do you close it and screw it tightly together on hihat stand? I found my sound with this setting too much crashy.

I saw Richard Christy (Death) on video that he's using speacially designed always-closed hihat (it's installed like any other cymbal on a regular stand) when playing twin kicks and while playing one kick only he uses a standard with-pedal hi-hat.

Does this thing really exist?

Sure it is possible

I have personally never done so, but race car drivers use their non-clutch foot to "heel and toe" both the fuel and brake pedals at the same time!

Yes, there are way to do that. You can get a special pedal that controls both a bass drum beater and the hihat. Of course, the obvious downfall is that whenever you hit the bass drum, your hats close. For some beats, this is fine.

He may have also been using some of those funky dual/single pedals where it strikes on the up and down motion of the foot. There are a few of those out there.

As far as setting your hats for double pedal work...you can get the special hihat clutch that has a lever on top. One position is closed, and as soon as you stomp the pedal the lever goes to the open position. It's pretty nifty.

Or like you said, you can get what's called "remote hihats." Secondary hi hats that you mount like another cymbal. You could have them set in the open or closed position, or you could hook them up to a foot pedal (like a standard hi hat), which works via a cable that hooks the pedal to the hats. Alot of people use those instead of standard hats so they can set the hats in the open position, more like a ride. Me personally, I think the crossover position for the hats feels most natural.

Ernie

Of course it's possible. Put your heal down first, then your toe. Put your toe down first, then your heal. Put both down at the same time. No big deal. I'm not a seasoned drummer, but I can look at my feat and tell you that one.

Akiro Jimbe (or how ever you spell his name) can do that and he does it all the time.

-Tom

It's not as difficult as one might think. You just need to have your left bass and high hat pedals (for right handed setups) positioned close enough together that you can fit your foot onto part of both bedals at once. It may require turning your foot a little to one side or another to get enough of an overlap to play both pedals. It may also require a little adjusting of the high hat pedal itself to get it so it's at about the same position and angle as the bass pedal so it's more comfortable to do.

one more reason to stick with single-pedals...less jumping around

The two feet on one pedal thing helps if you custom order a hi hat stand with only two legs. Most good ones let you adjust the legs so that the two pedals fit nicely side by side without any contact between the moving parts of the slave and the hi hat stand.

Kyrrinstoch is dead on the money. That's the best way to get double kick patterns while playing Hi Hat at the same time.

For straight double bass patterns (1 e & a) it's best to lead with the left foot. Thus having Hi Hat and the secondary kick playing straight 8ths. Those e's and a's kind feel kinda funny from the hat.

Anyway, there's a start.

now let's all go practice!

Ches

Here's one way to do it:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=031216190126024228006133656987/g=perc/search/detail/base_pid/445400/

Does the double bass with one foot, leaving your other foot open for the hats.

Or...

Well, I can't find a link...but they do make pedals that control a beater and the hihat.

Ernie

I think the best way is to get a 2 legged hi-hat stand also and fit it as cloase as you can to the left kick pedal and use the method called cross footing where your left foot is in the middle of the hi-hat pedal and the kcik pedal. I was going to tell you that you should watch the Carter Beauford instructional DVD cause he teaches you how to do it but he uses a double bass pedal instead of 2 single pedals. I think you should still take a look at that dvd it is really good and he is an awesome drummer

Elliott

Were you watching Immortal - Grim and Frostbidden Kingdoms by any chance? It has Hellhammer from Mayhem posing on the kit. He uses that technique a lot.

Anyway, you can do that easily, just put the hi hat pedal next to the left bass pedal and rotate your left foot a bit clockwise so you can press both pedals at the same time. Now with some practice you can play a double bass beat and close the hats at the same time.

yes, heel on the hats, toe on the bass. I used to do that, but i've since switched back to single.

I dunno who said it but yeah there are double beater single pedals with switches at the bottom which you click with your feet so you can play single or double bass beats with one foot and then you have your left foot normally on the hi-hat