| Double bass drumming can be much fun and exciting | | | | will start using your ankles as well as your thighs. |
| to play. But most drummers struggle with double bass | | | | Playing sixteenth notes at 120 bpm is very relaxing and |
| because they don't know how to hit a fast tempo | | | | effortless but, when you speed up the tempo, it |
| without getting fatigued. In this article I will provide some | | | | becomes harder. Now, it doesn't mean you cannot |
| tips on how to improve your double bass drumming, | | | | play at this speed, it only means you have to spend |
| regardless of your style of play: heavy metal, rock or | | | | some time working on that particular tempo. When you |
| fusion. When you finish reading this article you will have | | | | have difficulties executing a motion or an exercise, you |
| a guideline for taking your double bass drumming to the | | | | should always work on that. Here's a tip that worked |
| next level. | | | | for me: pick a song that you like that has its tempo set |
| The first thing you should know about double bass, and | | | | at around 140-150 bpm; then play eighth notes (one |
| speed drumming in general, is how muscles affect | | | | click = two strokes) with just one foot. Keep it steady |
| your speed and what muscles are involved when | | | | for the entire song. You will be fatigued because your |
| upping the tempo. You cannot simply wake up one | | | | muscles will be working hard, but that's okay. |
| day and say "I'm going to play at 200 bpm today". It is | | | | Remember not to hold your breath as doing so will |
| impossible. Your muscles need to be developed for | | | | deplete your stamina. |
| that task. What you need to do is to divide that speed | | | | Fast Tempo: from 180 to 240 (and beyond). This is the |
| into 3 blocks as follows: | | | | most exciting tempo to play, at least for me it is. |
| Slow Tempo: from 40 to 80 bpm. This is known as the | | | | Playing this tempo is not easy because you use just |
| Full Leg Motion. In order to make a stroke you have to | | | | your ankles to generate the power of the stroke. To |
| use all your leg power. This can be very tricky, even if | | | | properly develop the right muscles, play a lot of |
| it seems easy, because it calls for a lot of precision | | | | heal-down technique with your feet. Like for the |
| and accuracy. Set your metronome at 60 bpm and | | | | medium tempo, you can play eighth notes with one |
| play simple alternate sixteenth notes (one click = four | | | | foot to familiarize it with this motion. |
| strokes). The goal of this exercise is to develop feel | | | | With these guidelines in mind, you can virtually play at |
| and accuracy for the Full Leg Motion. | | | | any speed level, with less effort and more power and |
| Medium Tempo: from 120 to 160. In medium tempo you | | | | accuracy. |