*HEY FRIENDS! I had to rush and get this one out to y'all today 'cuz my week is slam jammed! So it was either today...or next week! Many of you have asked me about pedal adjustment. So hopefully this'll help you out. Happy International Drum Month, man!* 🥁🌎🤓
If this is posted twice I'm sorry. I'm new to this. Yo. Great vid. My pedal is set as far back as yours Rob. However, the left beater keeps slamming painfully into my foot occasionally. Made some adjustments but now it plays with some intense latency. Any suggestions? I play loud rock. So..toe down all the time and I burry the pedal all to keep the same kick loudness at all times to fill the room.
Mr. Brown, I want to personally thank you for your humble advice. I am 60 years old and I have been playing 53 of those years. I have taught students and have been taught. I was thinking about hanging it all up and watch you youngsters throw down because i am starting to slow down in my later age. I am getting a complete shoulder replacement and because of your advice and approach to the drums, you have inspired me to keep on keeping on and keep the beat as funky as my body allows me to. I want you to know that YOU ARE TRULY MY HERO AND I GIVE YOU MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT! Musicians like yourself are very rare and valuable to the business! I am very honored to have viewed your lessons and I have also learned from them.you have given this old man new life. Thank You and May Gods Blessings be upon you throughout your entire life forevermore!. Respectfully, Scott "Mr. Till" Tillman III
Mr. Till, your comments are compassionate dissertation to Rob Brown and how he affects you . I ditto your comments. Rob provides a great service to drummers of all calibers and player levels. At 69 years old with plenty of spinal issues and arthritis permeating many of my joints, I have taken to playing drums after a 55 year Hiatus. The arthritis and the COVID pandemic has finally forced me to "retire". In 2018, for Xmas, my wife was good enough to gift me a new cheap Gammon drum set [when I used to play at age 15 to 18 or so in a Basement / Garage band with HS friends (aspiring musicians) we called it a Drumset not kit]. I have been tinkering with it since. I play for fun and for the love of My Music in my new Basement Studio. I have watched numerous drumming videos: Drumeo, the 80/20 Drummer, etc., and others including of course, Rob Brown. Mr. Brown is one of the best. Practical pertinent practice techniques, drum and drum accessory tuning advice is so much apprecitaed
Rob. Bro. This video just showed me that I’ve had my pedal set up to work against me for the last 20 years. I tried all kind a of pedals, and heads, and I even started to think maybe I had a bad bass drum or just plain bad feet. I never thought to back the spring almost all the way off and move the beaters way back. I always thought a super tight spring would equate to super fast action, and I never understood why I couldn’t control the beater. It was because I’ve been fighting that spring this whole time! First I backed it off halfway, and a light bulb went off. Then I back it off a little more, and it felt even better. So I backed it almost all the way off and now I can do doubles and paradiddles, and here I always thought my feet just weren’t strong enough for that. I’m playing with so much more dynamic feel now. I can play super fast, soft ghost notes, or I can slam that thing into the head. I can’t believe how much better it feels. Thank you so much for your videos. You’re providing a huge service to drummers everywhere.
If you have a longboard pedal, you have some more playroom. I have a Trick Bigfoot and it gives you a lot of playroom back and forth. But yes, I've had the thing catch on my pants when I was experimenting with the right setup for me. :)
Rob: I love your practical advice. There is so much noise out there when it comes to playing, equipment, and adjustments/configuration. Thank you for cutting through all that. And I always admire drummers that serve in their church. Blessings to you my brother.
I wasn't happy with my Roland "noise eater" kick pedal, so I found a deal on the remade Ludwig Speed King. It's completely changed my drumming progress and made it a lot more fun and less frustrating. The pedal is a little noisy, but the double springs and direct drive make it feel super responsive and tight. Your lessons are all way more advanced than my super beginner level, but I love your videos and I use some of your stuff as things to try out and see if I can get anywhere close to executing them.
I am 65 and I totally agree with Scott Tillman , thanks Rob. After living in the states I have worked out that the more you say "man" the better musician you are . Peace.
Rob - thank you sooo much man! Everything you said about "tight spring" v.s. "loose spring", is 100% on point. I felt immediately more comfortable and gained so much more control, after releasing the tension of that spring and setting the beater back more. It makes a world of difference. I play boom bap/simple light jazz stuff, and I was struggling terribly pulling double-kick beats (when needed), with a single pedal.....and now, it's totally there when I need it. Thank you again.
I love you man! I picked up a drum set when I was 20 and self-taught, no lessons, just banging around, doing more of an accompaniment style, less of a backbone and more spineless LOL, have gone through a few kits over the years, and then got busy with life and didn't touch them for 7 years. Recently got a new kit and your lessons from tuning to rudiments have me doing things I never thought I'd be able to do. I love your laid back teaching style and focus on the fundamentals without the overcomplexity. Thanks for the effort you put into your channel. Best wishes, Edward
One thing I like about drumming is there is always something new to learn. I've been playing for 25 hrs and still learn something new with Rob Brown. Loved Rob Brown take on tuning, no stress done, bam 🙏👍
I’m from snare line drum corp 90’s teen. I can run some sick rolls on my snare AND the boys on either side. But, my feet were only used to keep time. I am now playing on a set. Kicks and high hat control is very new and strange for me. I’m really struggling here. Came close to saying screw it… sell the sets. But I’m outside on my deck now in front of my sets watching your videos to hope I can find the right technique. Looking for the proper way In the process and by far your videos are my top choice for advice. My electric set kick I can play doubles. I pulled Big Betty and the kick feels so wrong and obstructing my speed. Ty for the work you put in to help people like me!! 🤘🏼tells self: 💬 Keep going girl. Don’t stop cuz starting again is twice as hard.
What I heard someone say on RUclips is to adjust spring tension just enough to where the foot is not slapping the footboard. It has worked for me and has been my saving grace. It has also helped resolve the beater double bouncing off the head.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I thought I must have had nerve damage in my right leg or something. I just pulled my drum kit out of storage, and sure, I have rust to polish, but seriously, I thought something way worse was wrong. Turns out, this pedal had several factors killing my game. I started with it your way, and tightened it up to my liking. And putting the counter weight up high.. 🙌🤩🥁 forever grateful.
Just made some adjustments to drop the tension all the down and took out the slack as you mentioned. For my technique, it’s working perfect. Played it for like 3 hrs straight and couldn’t of have more control and consistency. Thank You- Sir! Have Loved Your Channel for quite some some now- Thank you- thank you
Yes! This just helped my double bass practically double temp over night. Had to set at medium loose to get real high speed but this just changed the game! My man!
Good advice, I had mine real tight from advice from other you tube drummers, mostly metal double bass drummers with triggers. I played an open mic and the pedal was loose. Wow what a difference! things that I would need two pedals for I could do with one.
Thanks for all that Rob! I’m 63 years old and have been playing since I was 8. Lately I noticed that my right foot/leg was becoming very weak, so much so that it was giving me stage fright! At a gig recently it was so bad it threw my other limbs totally out of control. Leading up to a fill for the chorus I would become so scared of screwing up I totally messed up! Checking out your video I realised that my spring tension was so tight that it felt like I needed a road hammer to take the beater to the drum head! A little readjustment seems to have made a significant difference. Gonna keep checking it out but maybe, just maybe, it’s not because I’m an old man after all! My good old Iron Cobra May not be destined for the trash just yet. Thanks for your tips!
The cam position of a DD pedal can have a big influence on the way it plays.(at least on the brand I bought) The beater can 'flutter' if not set correctly. This happened to me when I got my first DD. Once set right, it's smooth, fast with great control and power. Love the channel Rob. Regular viewer here.
Drumming since the late 70's and still learning tricks till this day. This is one of the drummers channel that I always visit to pickup on little secrets and forgotten tricks. 13:05 - Now that's funny, you mentioned Trick Pro1 V as the best and here I am (owner of the short-board and long-board/Bigfoot versions) trying to pick-up more tips on pedal adjustments to try and get that "1st day feel" back into swing. I'm definitely going to try your suggestions and hopefully stumble upon the missing element. Thanks... 8-)
I almost quit playing and was gonna break down my kit. Thank you Rob for your inspiration. In just three days of some changes, I am enjoying it once again.
Trick Pro V 1, yep! Worth every penny...Got my doubles for $1,499.00 when they came out 10 years ago. Waited 6 mos for custom order delivery... Adjustments Galore and Smooth as Silk... Heel Toe is Awesome and Super Fast...32nd at 228 BPM Appreciate ya Rob...
Rob -- you're right on point! Haven't played kit much in 25 years or so. Struggled to get my feet back in the game. Your settings work great! Power and pocket grooves returning quickly. Thanks man and keep up the great work!
Bro you solved my problem BIG TIME with my pedal tension and rebound. A looser spring and further back position on the mallet itself made a perfect balance for me as each adjustment complimented the other. Suddenly I’m my old self again. Dang dude. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! 😎💯🤗
I think I've left a comment about pedal setup before, but either way, I'm glad you posted this vid/lesson. I've always struggled a bit with my pedal setup, and I think it's because no one ever taught me the basics. BD pedals were always "set it to whatever feels good" - and I've done that. Yet when it comes to getting a really good low-effort double hit, or playing quickly with sensitivity, "whatever feels good" often works against me (ie. too loose, too much effort needed, not enough rebound, etc). Anyhoo, if I'm going to be a constructive comment guy, I'd say the counter-weight adjustment is the same as the height of the beater; you can achieve ROUGHLY the same effect by changing either. If you're used to a sloppy feel on a 22" BD, moving to an 18" will probably cause you to change the beater height - but you can dial the same feel back in with weights. I personally don't use any weights, but I'm not advocating this; as you say, Rob, pedal feel is pretty much subjective. Although I've been watching your vids for a while, I've really been enjoying them especially over the last 6-12 months. Production values are up, but the content has been great and super useful. Keep up the good work...
Thank you for another informative video! Gonna play around with my kick pedal now... When you mention a 'weightier' beater, what you're referring to is the torque that the beater exerts on the drum. Torque is a force that acts along a circular path. You generally hear about torque when talking about cars, as a car engine produces torque to move the wheels. Torque is affected by the amount of (linear) force, and the distance of that force from the centre point of the circular path. When you raise your beater shaft, the force of the beater acts at a bigger distance from the centre of its circular movement, so the beater's torque increases. When you add more mass to the beater, you are increasing the force required to move the beater at the same acceleration as before (as force is mass x acceleration), so the beater's torque increases. Basically, more beater torque = more force transferred to drum = louder bass drum = quicker summoning of spirit of John Bonham
Great stuff MAN... I am a fan for sure. 😊 My advice for a beginner and intermediate drummers is almost exactly the opposite: Try everything, otherwise how can you grow? But make sure you leave it for at least a few days to really get a feel for the difference between tunings, spring tensions, seat height, Tom angle, drumstick size... all of the things that seem so irrelevant until you really get into the depths of being a musician. For example, I put on all of my drumheads and left them completely flat, then I practiced for a few days like that, (warning don’t hit hard you will dent them). When I finally started to gradually increase the tension of the heads, it gave me a great appreciation for rebound, tone, harmonics and how each drum affects the others, etc. Musicians are very much like scientists, we have our lab, we try experiments, we spend hours and hours on things that we might never use, but now at least we know why we won’t use them. So that’s my take on learning and growing. Keep up the great work, beautiful videos, and awesome knowledge that you are spreading. Steve
I did what you said and put my spring tension as low as possible, and damn does it feel so much better. With a super tight tension one might think that faster rebound=faster singles/doubles, but thats not neccesarrily true. I have more control now and my foot doesnt dance around left and right like it would with the spring cranked up. Thanks Rob!
I just backed off on the spring tension and for me at least you are spot on. Thanks for continuing to give us great advice. Your tuning videos are classics and my go to method for tuning now.
Rob, my man! This helped me out a lot. I loosened the tension up and reclined the beater back some. It made a world of difference! Thanks for the invaluable suggestion.
Hey one of my students adjusted his bass pedal and we both decided that if possible.... could you please make another video with different kinds of pedals, his has a chain for example, other ones have different adjustment possibilities. Thanks again
I went and grabbed my pedal like you said, and I'm glad it did! This is a killer video. I've been playing for 15 years and you taught me something! Thanks again Rob!
Yes , this has been on my mind. Seems i have a little trouble. I'm an intermediate drummer so thank you for the beginning of how it should be adjusted. I play with a TAMA Iron Cobra 900 power stroke
Dude. You're an amazing teacher and drums just happen to be the subject. I achieved maximum thumpification today when I tuned my kick drum. Thank you 🙌🙌🙌
Rob - thanks from a long time player looking for some feedback from another point of view. Your tutorial is matter of fact and very straight forward. Very helpful for me this time around!
Rob, just stumbled upon this killer video. Been playing for about 20 years and adjusted pedal down to looser tension and set the beater back. Immediately loved the feel and control. I’m mostly a groove player and this is exactly what I want. Love your videos and everything you’re doing!
thank you Rob. I use your tips BUT I still think the most important factor is having quality pedal to start with. I have adjusted mine two or three times and finally got the sweet spot.............
Thank you Rob for your advice! I loosen up spring on my Tama Iron Cobra and moved the beater a little up, too. It changed my playing dramatically! Now I can play fast doubles much more easier. Best regards from Prague
Went to a trick pedal Pro V as I have owned pretty much most the popular brands at one time or another. I have to say, you are correct in that it is the best direct drive pedal, as well as better than any of the chain drive pedals I have owned, ever.
Good Lesson, Rob. I would start with the beater angle. With a longer stroke you can play louder. By the time the beater reaches the head the spring will be tight, so THAT'S why the spring tension can be on the loose side. Rock on Y'all.
Just found your video today after picking the drums back up after 12 years bro, this shit was extremely helpful! Thank you so much, you just got a new subscriber
Of all the pedals ive ever had , the cheaper ones ive always liked the best. The less crap and adjustment features it had the happier i was with it . I have a dw 9000 . Nice pedal but i like my older stipped down and simpler pedals more.thanks for keeping it easy . And thanks for the tuning toms and snare drum video ! Helped immensely!
I agree with you about the TRICK pro- IV - it's the best pedal I've played. I borrowed the double pedal version (with hollowed aluminum beaters) from the drummer of Municipal waste (his backup pedal), & after a month I was letting drummers in other bands do sound check with it so they could feel it. The guy who owns it has a Trick endorsement & plays the aluminum drums as well, & even w/that, the double pedal is prohibitively expensive. I set my pedal up much like yours, & have used Yamaha double pedals for 20 yrs.
The advice i was given years ago was to dribble the beater off the drum head the same way you would dribble a basketball but with your feet. I also find looser springs is better for this.
hey rob. just wanted to thank you on your videsos and lessons. long story blah blah but just wanted to say that i’m back practicing after bumping into some of your videos. god bless
Footboard angle adjustment can be nice, especially if you use a lot of pedals (double kick, hihat, aux, clave, etc.) A lot of people like to adjust the angles so they are exactly the same on all their pedals so they can transition between them smoother.
Hey Rob. Really like your posts. "Find your fulcrum" comment your made somewhere in a clip, just the way you said it...kinda landed on a spiritual level with me and comes around in my consciousness occasionally. Helpful. Thank You!
Big Rob, I’m right there with ya- I love the slingshot feel of the increased beater angle. But I’ve got a problem, man... the beater keeps hitting the top of my foot, and gets in the way of my playing! Have you experienced this? Thank you for the video, man. You’re a very talented player; clearly a God-given gift. No doubt your blessings come from using your gift to praise and worship the Lord. God bless, and keep on rockin’!
On spring tension I saw a video once where the guy took the spring off for the exercise on the single strokes. He used it for practicing heel toe as well to learn how to use the natural rebound off the head.
Agree with spring tension, I have heard other drummers say the tighter the spring tension, the more speed you can achieve. A tighter spring never worked for me, more tension = more resistance.
I loosened the spring a lot. Man it was tight. plus I had the beater set high. I lowered the beater. It started hitting the top of my foot. I was able to slide it over enough to avoid the top of my foot. Its going to take me some time and a lot of practice to gain control. I am on the ball of my foot now right in the middle. I can get way more beats in quicker than before. I am getting slight pain above my right knee. I am hoping its because of more use then before. Time will tell. again Thanks Rob.
Great video man. I play heel up, and I bury the beater, so I agree with the loose spring tension approach. I don't run any counterweights but totally get what you're going for there. Your bass sounds super punchy and that's definitely part of that sound. Again, killer vid man!
as a metal drummer playing 16ths double bass at 220+ bpm - for me - high spring tension is the only way to go. So I think that the style of music also makes a difference as far as what's better spring tension. But awesome video man.
Thanks for the video. I play played mine on the medium (factory) setting. Then I tightened it. For the music I play it was okay, but didn’t really work. I never thought of trying to adjust it loose. If you don’t mind me saying you remind me of Orlando Jones (the actor) and you could almost pass for his double. Same voice.
Straight to the point Rob, great info video. After watching, I am now sure my pedal is too tight. The same story, I tightened my DW5000 double pedal up for speed but after seeing this video, I'm gonna go back and loosen it up to help achieve the foot technique from your last video. Thanks for breakin down the beatdown. Robbrownondrums👊
Rob, one thing I would add that did not get mentioned is the bass drum angle. I have found this to be very important. I’m sure you already know this, but it is sometimes such common knowledge that we forget to mention it. Raising the front of the bass drum slightly off the ground brings the batter head at 0° to the beater of the bass drum pedal. When the bass drum is flat on the ground the beater actually has to go beyond 0° to make contact with the head and is generally thought of as “doing extra work“. I find this to be a big adjustment, almost as much as messing with the pedal.
Hi Rob, love the video. One thing to note re: the Trick ProV (and I like a loose spring) is that the pedal doesn't perform well at a looser setting. That's why users have been buying the aftermarket springs. I now use the Trick Dominator. They are ugly with those nasty metal beaters but they are SUPERB if you like less spring tension as they are far more responsive at a lower tension than the the stock ProV.
I been waiting for a good kick pedal adjustment video, thanks Rob. I recently switched my dw 3000 pedal to a slug beater head i got on ebay, it's light and has a lot of slack without having really loosen your floor pedal its dubbed the indy car version of foot pedals lol and it sure is thuddy on the flat side but also can be reversed to a felt side on the backside of the head for a more thumpy punch, and it works on any foot board, so im still using my dw 3000 board for it, which i really like without having to buy a new kick pedal entirely. I got my spring tension loose like yours, i agree its better especially if your beater is light as a feather like the one am currently using
At one of the people's house I take lessons from has a trick pedal on his gig set. It looks kinda cheep but OMG it is absolutely the best pedal in the world.
Great insight on pedals, they have to flow especially for toe players. It’s a fulcrum. Drums are an equipment matrix. Hardware has to be just right to inspire so you can think about music and not overcoming bad adjustments. Great vid -as always. ( p.s. want some fun, make a beater using a superball. You can find a 2-3” in walmart. Drill for a threaded shaft- then hang on !)
Thank you, I'm setting up a Hybrid Kit, Alesis based powered with Superior Drummer and have been fighting a double hit from my kick for months. Will try backing off the tension. I was one who thought a tighter spring made for better singles control. And thank you for the year of the hands.. Yeah man you had my at Copeland Hi-Hat... Joining your group man... You got to keep pumping out tutorials.
I’m sooo glad you spoke on that trick pedal! I’ve been hunting my next set to replace my 18 y/o Iron cobra power glide. I might try that drive shaft on the cobra first, other the the slack in the shaft, the pedal is great! Interested in the Yamaha FP9 too
Hey - Thanks for all this - much appreciated and you always give clear and true advice. One question that I have never had a clear answer to is how the angle of the beater head effects the adjustments of the kick pedal. As in should I always have my beater head at 90 degrees (true vertical) and adjust the pedal accordingly - or if I angle my beater head towards myself - say at 85 degrees or more or less and adjust my pedal from there - or how those variations can effect things. Or is a kick drum always supposed to be set at 90 degrees and I missed the first lesson? Everyone talks about the pedal - but in the end aren't the kick drum and pedal and our foot working together to be a single thing to make one wonderful sound?
Hey Rob, thanks for tips man. Helped me out alot. This DW 9000 was driving me crazy. Loosened the spring, brought up that little weight thing ip the beater stem, plays alot better. Thought it was me😂 prbly is partially.
Buddy Rich completly removed the spring, which made it impossible to bury the beater. Now he also was a step dancer, which not so many know, but this is also an super nice exercise! Not sure I'd go no-spring full time though :P This is According to Dennis Chambers btw. Edit: just as i post this you mention it 😅👍
I'm sure he didn't completely remove the spring.... The spring is literally what makes the pedal have any sort of movement. Without it, the beater would lay against the head and not move at all.. It would be like tapping on the ground.
I was at a Dennis Chambers clinic in 1991 and he told a very similar story. However, according to Dennis, Buddy didn't play his pedal without a spring on it. The story goes, when Dennis met Buddy (I think he was 8 or 9 at the time) after a show, Dennis asks him questions on how to build speed with his hands and feet. For foot speed, Buddy told him that if you want to improve your pedal speed, practice without the spring on. Without a spring, you can only play heels-down, and you can only lightly tap the pedal. I tried it and you can do it, but you have to have a very quick, precise touch. Too hard and the beater stays in the head, too soft and the beater won't go anywhere. So, it's an exercise in both speed and feathering the bass drum. But no, Buddy did not play without a spring. During his lifetime, Buddy also stated dozens of times he that he never practiced either. I hope that clears that up.
@@rossapolis Dennis also said at a clinic that he never practices, I don’t buy it, what was he born playing. Maybe he means he doesn’t have time to practice now.
![Eminem - Fuel (feat. JID) [Official Lyric Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/t5H_CewqpKA/mqdefault.jpg)
*HEY FRIENDS! I had to rush and get this one out to y'all today 'cuz my week is slam jammed! So it was either today...or next week! Many of you have asked me about pedal adjustment. So hopefully this'll help you out. Happy International Drum Month, man!* 🥁🌎🤓
ive got a mapex p 750 a and i cant play fast stuff with it at all
Best bass drum pedal instructional video ever!
Rob Brown Beat Down 4 sho!
@David Sinclair you just started in December 2017? Is it really difficult learning or did you came from a background of musicians?
If this is posted twice I'm sorry. I'm new to this. Yo. Great vid. My pedal is set as far back as yours Rob. However, the left beater keeps slamming painfully into my foot occasionally. Made some adjustments but now it plays with some intense latency. Any suggestions?
I play loud rock. So..toe down all the time and I burry the pedal all to keep the same kick loudness at all times to fill the room.
Mr. Brown, I want to personally thank you for your humble advice. I am 60 years old and I have been playing 53 of those years. I have taught students and have been taught. I was thinking about hanging it all up and watch you youngsters throw down because i am starting to slow down in my later age. I am getting a complete shoulder replacement and because of your advice and approach to the drums, you have inspired me to keep on keeping on and keep the beat as funky as my body allows me to. I want you to know that YOU ARE TRULY MY HERO AND I GIVE YOU MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT!
Musicians like yourself are very rare and valuable to the business! I am very honored to have viewed your lessons and I have also learned from them.you have given this old man new life. Thank You and May Gods Blessings be upon you throughout your entire life forevermore!.
Respectfully,
Scott "Mr. Till" Tillman III
Wow! Thats a long and beautiful comment, love it :)
Nice man, real nice😊
Amen.
Mr. Till, your comments are compassionate dissertation to Rob Brown and how he affects you . I ditto your comments. Rob provides a great service to drummers of all calibers and player levels. At 69 years old with plenty of spinal issues and arthritis permeating many of my joints, I have taken to playing drums after a 55 year Hiatus. The arthritis and the COVID pandemic has finally forced me to "retire". In 2018, for Xmas, my wife was good enough to gift me a new cheap Gammon drum set [when I used to play at age 15 to 18 or so in a Basement / Garage band with HS friends (aspiring musicians) we called it a Drumset not kit]. I have been tinkering with it since. I play for fun and for the love of My Music in my new Basement Studio. I have watched numerous drumming videos: Drumeo, the 80/20 Drummer, etc., and others including of course, Rob Brown. Mr. Brown is one of the best. Practical pertinent practice techniques, drum and drum accessory tuning advice is so much apprecitaed
I am 60 as well. I almost did the same thing. Rob is the best. I also have some new life on my drums. glad you are still playing
I take drum lessons with 2 teachers, one of them is Rob brown, learning everything with Rob ! thanks a bunch
Good stuff, man 🙂👊🏽
Lowkey true
I’m an over thinker and your style and approach is therapeutic. Thank you!!
Mr Brown is a calming presence👍
Oh man; that’s perfectly put. Love it
Rob. Bro. This video just showed me that I’ve had my pedal set up to work against me for the last 20 years. I tried all kind a of pedals, and heads, and I even started to think maybe I had a bad bass drum or just plain bad feet. I never thought to back the spring almost all the way off and move the beaters way back. I always thought a super tight spring would equate to super fast action, and I never understood why I couldn’t control the beater. It was because I’ve been fighting that spring this whole time! First I backed it off halfway, and a light bulb went off. Then I back it off a little more, and it felt even better. So I backed it almost all the way off and now I can do doubles and paradiddles, and here I always thought my feet just weren’t strong enough for that. I’m playing with so much more dynamic feel now. I can play super fast, soft ghost notes, or I can slam that thing into the head. I can’t believe how much better it feels. Thank you so much for your videos. You’re providing a huge service to drummers everywhere.
The only advice I would add is.........if your beater is that far back DO NOT wear super baggy pants! As it can can caught up ✌️ nice vid 👍
True story, man 😑
If you have a longboard pedal, you have some more playroom. I have a Trick Bigfoot and it gives you a lot of playroom back and forth. But yes, I've had the thing catch on my pants when I was experimenting with the right setup for me. :)
True
Yea, I moved my beater FORWARD so it would stop getting stuck in my pants. I guess I need skinny jeans.
I used to wear really baggy pants and it would always caught 🤣🤣🤣
Rob:
I love your practical advice. There is so much noise out there when it comes to playing, equipment, and adjustments/configuration. Thank you for cutting through all that.
And I always admire drummers that serve in their church. Blessings to you my brother.
Thanks man 🙏🏽🙂
I wasn't happy with my Roland "noise eater" kick pedal, so I found a deal on the remade Ludwig Speed King. It's completely changed my drumming progress and made it a lot more fun and less frustrating. The pedal is a little noisy, but the double springs and direct drive make it feel super responsive and tight. Your lessons are all way more advanced than my super beginner level, but I love your videos and I use some of your stuff as things to try out and see if I can get anywhere close to executing them.
I am 65 and I totally agree with Scott Tillman , thanks Rob. After living in the states I have worked out that the more you say "man" the better musician you are . Peace.
Thanks for all your videos. I'm 50 yrs young and just started my journey. You are wise and very informative.
Rob - thank you sooo much man!
Everything you said about "tight spring" v.s. "loose spring", is 100% on point.
I felt immediately more comfortable and gained so much more control, after releasing the tension of that spring and setting the beater back more.
It makes a world of difference.
I play boom bap/simple light jazz stuff, and I was struggling terribly pulling double-kick beats (when needed), with a single pedal.....and now, it's totally there when I need it.
Thank you again.
I love you man! I picked up a drum set when I was 20 and self-taught, no lessons, just banging around, doing more of an accompaniment style, less of a backbone and more spineless LOL, have gone through a few kits over the years, and then got busy with life and didn't touch them for 7 years. Recently got a new kit and your lessons from tuning to rudiments have me doing things I never thought I'd be able to do. I love your laid back teaching style and focus on the fundamentals without the overcomplexity. Thanks for the effort you put into your channel. Best wishes, Edward
One thing I like about drumming is there is always something new to learn. I've been playing for 25 hrs and still learn something new with Rob Brown. Loved Rob Brown take on tuning, no stress done, bam 🙏👍
I’m from snare line drum corp 90’s teen. I can run some sick rolls on my snare AND the boys on either side. But, my feet were only used to keep time. I am now playing on a set. Kicks and high hat control is very new and strange for me. I’m really struggling here. Came close to saying screw it… sell the sets. But I’m outside on my deck now in front of my sets watching your videos to hope I can find the right technique. Looking for the proper way In the process and by far your videos are my top choice for advice. My electric set kick I can play doubles. I pulled Big Betty and the kick feels so wrong and obstructing my speed. Ty for the work you put in to help people like me!! 🤘🏼tells self: 💬 Keep going girl. Don’t stop cuz starting again is twice as hard.
Could not agree more about Trick pedals. I bought a Trick twin Dominator 4 years ago absolutely fantastic! The guys at Trick really know their stuff.
Bucket list, man. I WILL get one in my house. A&F brass snare drum first, tho. 😏
Great vid! I hope Trick sent you one of their pedals! You should have all the gear you want for how much you help drummers!
I haven't really given my pedal much thought for years. I'm totally going to sort it out. Thanks Rob !
What I heard someone say on RUclips is to adjust spring tension just enough to where the foot is not slapping the footboard. It has worked for me and has been my saving grace. It has also helped resolve the beater double bouncing off the head.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I thought I must have had nerve damage in my right leg or something. I just pulled my drum kit out of storage, and sure, I have rust to polish, but seriously, I thought something way worse was wrong. Turns out, this pedal had several factors killing my game. I started with it your way, and tightened it up to my liking. And putting the counter weight up high.. 🙌🤩🥁 forever grateful.
Just made some adjustments to drop the tension all the down and took out the slack as you mentioned. For my technique, it’s working perfect. Played it for like 3 hrs straight and couldn’t of have more control and consistency. Thank You- Sir! Have Loved Your Channel for quite some some now- Thank you- thank you
You know once you watch a video from this legend you will continue watching and improving thank you for all your help mate
Yes! This just helped my double bass practically double temp over night. Had to set at medium loose to get real high speed but this just changed the game! My man!
Every time I want to know more about something, I come to your channel, and I always leave satisfied. You sir, are a great educator.
Good advice, I had mine real tight from advice from other you tube drummers, mostly metal double bass drummers with triggers. I played an open mic and the pedal was loose. Wow what a difference! things that I would need two pedals for I could do with one.
Thanks for all that Rob! I’m 63 years old and have been playing since I was 8. Lately I noticed that my right foot/leg was becoming very weak, so much so that it was giving me stage fright! At a gig recently it was so bad it threw my other limbs totally out of control. Leading up to a fill for the chorus I would become so scared of screwing up I totally messed up! Checking out your video I realised that my spring tension was so tight that it felt like I needed a road hammer to take the beater to the drum head! A little readjustment seems to have made a significant difference. Gonna keep checking it out but maybe, just maybe, it’s not because I’m an old man after all! My good old Iron Cobra May not be destined for the trash just yet. Thanks for your tips!
The cam position of a DD pedal can have a big influence on the way it plays.(at least on the brand I bought) The beater can 'flutter' if not set correctly. This happened to me when I got my first DD. Once set right, it's smooth, fast with great control and power. Love the channel Rob. Regular viewer here.
Drumming since the late 70's and still learning tricks till this day. This is one of the drummers channel that I always visit to pickup on little secrets and forgotten tricks.
13:05 - Now that's funny, you mentioned Trick Pro1 V as the best and here I am (owner of the short-board and long-board/Bigfoot versions) trying to pick-up more tips on pedal adjustments to try and get that "1st day feel" back into swing. I'm definitely going to try your suggestions and hopefully stumble upon the missing element. Thanks... 8-)
I don't have the slightest idea sometimes if his advice is good but the material is presented so well, I just go with it.
Mr. Brown, just wanted to thank you for your tips and advice. Your humility and knowledge speaks volumes. Peace and Blessings!🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿
I almost quit playing and was gonna break down my kit. Thank you Rob for your inspiration. In just three days of some changes, I am enjoying it once again.
Trick Pro V 1, yep! Worth every penny...Got my doubles for $1,499.00 when they came out 10 years ago. Waited 6 mos for custom order delivery... Adjustments Galore and Smooth as Silk... Heel Toe is Awesome and Super Fast...32nd at 228 BPM
Appreciate ya Rob...
Rob -- you're right on point! Haven't played kit much in 25 years or so. Struggled to get my feet back in the game. Your settings work great! Power and pocket grooves returning quickly. Thanks man and keep up the great work!
Bro you solved my problem BIG TIME with my pedal tension and rebound. A looser spring and further back position on the mallet itself made a perfect balance for me as each adjustment complimented the other. Suddenly I’m my old self again. Dang dude. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! 😎💯🤗
Fantastic advice as per usual. After 5 years of drumming I'm no longer fighting the pedal! Thanks Rob.
Thanks Rob for the tips.
After playing for over 55 years, like my stick grip, I'm continually re-investigating my kick pedal adjustments.
I think I've left a comment about pedal setup before, but either way, I'm glad you posted this vid/lesson. I've always struggled a bit with my pedal setup, and I think it's because no one ever taught me the basics. BD pedals were always "set it to whatever feels good" - and I've done that. Yet when it comes to getting a really good low-effort double hit, or playing quickly with sensitivity, "whatever feels good" often works against me (ie. too loose, too much effort needed, not enough rebound, etc).
Anyhoo, if I'm going to be a constructive comment guy, I'd say the counter-weight adjustment is the same as the height of the beater; you can achieve ROUGHLY the same effect by changing either. If you're used to a sloppy feel on a 22" BD, moving to an 18" will probably cause you to change the beater height - but you can dial the same feel back in with weights. I personally don't use any weights, but I'm not advocating this; as you say, Rob, pedal feel is pretty much subjective.
Although I've been watching your vids for a while, I've really been enjoying them especially over the last 6-12 months. Production values are up, but the content has been great and super useful. Keep up the good work...
Thank you for another informative video! Gonna play around with my kick pedal now...
When you mention a 'weightier' beater, what you're referring to is the torque that the beater exerts on the drum.
Torque is a force that acts along a circular path. You generally hear about torque when talking about cars, as a car engine produces torque to move the wheels. Torque is affected by the amount of (linear) force, and the distance of that force from the centre point of the circular path.
When you raise your beater shaft, the force of the beater acts at a bigger distance from the centre of its circular movement, so the beater's torque increases.
When you add more mass to the beater, you are increasing the force required to move the beater at the same acceleration as before (as force is mass x acceleration), so the beater's torque increases.
Basically, more beater torque = more force transferred to drum = louder bass drum = quicker summoning of spirit of John Bonham
Thanks for mentioning the Trick pedal! I've owned mine for 12 years and I love it now more than ever!
Great stuff MAN... I am a fan for sure. 😊
My advice for a beginner and intermediate drummers is almost exactly the opposite:
Try everything, otherwise how can you grow? But make sure you leave it for at least a few days to really get a feel for the difference between tunings, spring tensions, seat height, Tom angle, drumstick size... all of the things that seem so irrelevant until you really get into the depths of being a musician.
For example, I put on all of my drumheads and left them completely flat, then I practiced for a few days like that, (warning don’t hit hard you will dent them).
When I finally started to gradually increase the tension of the heads, it gave me a great appreciation for rebound, tone, harmonics and how each drum affects the others, etc.
Musicians are very much like scientists, we have our lab, we try experiments, we spend hours and hours on things that we might never use, but now at least we know why we won’t use them.
So that’s my take on learning and growing.
Keep up the great work, beautiful videos, and awesome knowledge that you are spreading.
Steve
I did what you said and put my spring tension as low as possible, and damn does it feel so much better. With a super tight tension one might think that faster rebound=faster singles/doubles, but thats not neccesarrily true. I have more control now and my foot doesnt dance around left and right like it would with the spring cranked up. Thanks Rob!
I just backed off on the spring tension and for me at least you are spot on. Thanks for continuing to give us great advice. Your tuning videos are classics and my go to method for tuning now.
Rob, my man! This helped me out a lot.
I loosened the tension up and reclined the beater back some. It made a world of difference! Thanks for the invaluable suggestion.
Im not even a drummer, but I love watching and hearing pro's talk shop. Great video. May God continue to bless you.
Picked up a drum set recently after playing guitar for 30 years. I learned that I air drum way better than real drum.
I always come back here for the best, most sensible advice. Thanks man.
Hey one of my students adjusted his bass pedal and we both decided that if possible....
could you please make another video with different kinds of pedals, his has a chain for example, other ones have different adjustment possibilities.
Thanks again
this guys videos feel like a cool uncle or older brother helping you out haha. Love the vibes and knowledge, im learning a lot as a new drummer
I went and grabbed my pedal like you said, and I'm glad it did! This is a killer video. I've been playing for 15 years and you taught me something! Thanks again Rob!
Good stuff, man 🙂👊🏽
Don't feel bad, man. I've played over fifty years and I learn stuff from Rob every time I watch him.
Yes , this has been on my mind. Seems i have a little trouble. I'm an intermediate drummer so thank you for the beginning of how it should be adjusted. I play with a TAMA Iron Cobra 900 power stroke
Dude. You're an amazing teacher and drums just happen to be the subject. I achieved maximum thumpification today when I tuned my kick drum. Thank you 🙌🙌🙌
Rob - thanks from a long time player looking for some feedback from another point of view. Your tutorial is matter of fact and very straight forward. Very helpful for me this time around!
Rob, just stumbled upon this killer video. Been playing for about 20 years and adjusted pedal down to looser tension and set the beater back. Immediately loved the feel and control. I’m mostly a groove player and this is exactly what I want. Love your videos and everything you’re doing!
thank you Rob. I use your tips BUT I still think the most important factor is having quality pedal to start with. I have adjusted mine two or three times and finally got the sweet spot.............
Thank you Rob for your advice! I loosen up spring on my Tama Iron Cobra and moved the beater a little up, too. It changed my playing dramatically! Now I can play fast doubles much more easier. Best regards from Prague
PRAGUE 🇨🇿 in the house. Shout out from Canada, man 🇨🇦 🙂
Went to a trick pedal Pro V as I have owned pretty much most the popular brands at one time or another. I have to say, you are correct in that it is the best direct drive pedal, as well as better than any of the chain drive pedals I have owned, ever.
Good Lesson, Rob. I would start with the beater angle. With a longer stroke you can play louder. By the time the beater reaches the head the spring will be tight, so THAT'S why the spring tension can be on the loose side. Rock on Y'all.
The great Beatdown! You seem to be reading our minds. Always having the right lesson at the right moment.
Aaron Febles Seems that way so far 🙂
Your video really helped me out being brand new to drumming. My pedal was way too tight. Thanks.
Just found your video today after picking the drums back up after 12 years bro, this shit was extremely helpful! Thank you so much, you just got a new subscriber
Of all the pedals ive ever had , the cheaper ones ive always liked the best. The less crap and adjustment features it had the happier i was with it . I have a dw 9000 . Nice pedal but i like my older stipped down and simpler pedals more.thanks for keeping it easy . And thanks for the tuning toms and snare drum video ! Helped immensely!
I agree with you about the TRICK pro- IV - it's the best pedal I've played. I borrowed the double pedal version (with hollowed aluminum beaters) from the drummer of Municipal waste (his backup pedal), & after a month I was letting drummers in other bands do sound check with it so they could feel it. The guy who owns it has a Trick endorsement & plays the aluminum drums as well, & even w/that, the double pedal is prohibitively expensive. I set my pedal up much like yours, & have used Yamaha double pedals for 20 yrs.
You are right about the Trick pedal. Amazing feel but still ended up sticking with pearl eliminators out of comfort and familiarity.
The advice i was given years ago was to dribble the beater off the drum head the same way you would dribble a basketball but with your feet. I also find looser springs is better for this.
i really like the way you explain things, it tickles my brain the right way
hey rob. just wanted to thank you on your videsos and lessons. long story blah blah but just wanted to say that i’m back practicing after bumping into some of your videos. god bless
158.000 + views. Very well deserved. You are the dude, man. So cool. I love to watch your videos. Thank you!!!
I like how chill this guy is as a teacher
agree with loose tension thing. finally made the adjustment and it makes a big difference. thanks!
Great video man! Cheers from Belgrade Serbia. 🇷🇸
"Technique trumps EVERYTHING!" Right on Rob!
Footboard angle adjustment can be nice, especially if you use a lot of pedals (double kick, hihat, aux, clave, etc.) A lot of people like to adjust the angles so they are exactly the same on all their pedals so they can transition between them smoother.
This was crazy helpful. I had no idea about counterweights; my new pedal has one and I had no idea. Thank you!
Hey Rob. Really like your posts. "Find your fulcrum" comment your made somewhere in a clip, just the way you said it...kinda landed on a spiritual level with me and comes around in my consciousness occasionally. Helpful. Thank You!
Big Rob,
I’m right there with ya- I love the slingshot feel of the increased beater angle. But I’ve got a problem, man... the beater keeps hitting the top of my foot, and gets in the way of my playing! Have you experienced this?
Thank you for the video, man. You’re a very talented player; clearly a God-given gift. No doubt your blessings come from using your gift to praise and worship the Lord.
God bless, and keep on rockin’!
I've been wanting to buy the Yamaha double direct pedal, for a while.. you just reinforced my decision! thanks
Just upgraded to trick dominator from 2 yrs on a direct drive modded speed cobra...wow . Totally worth it
On spring tension I saw a video once where the guy took the spring off for the exercise on the single strokes. He used it for practicing heel toe as well to learn how to use the natural rebound off the head.
Agree with spring tension, I have heard other drummers say the tighter the spring tension, the more speed you can achieve. A tighter spring never worked for me, more tension = more resistance.
I agree with the comment about the trick pedals. I just a double in February and it's a great pedal!!
Thanks for the video, I readjusted my dw5000 to light and I’m loving it! Does take some getting used to.
I loosened the spring a lot. Man it was tight. plus I had the beater set high. I lowered the beater. It started hitting the top of my foot. I was able to slide it over enough to avoid the top of my foot. Its going to take me some time and a lot of practice to gain control. I am on the ball of my foot now right in the middle. I can get way more beats in quicker than before. I am getting slight pain above my right knee. I am hoping its because of more use then before. Time will tell. again Thanks Rob.
Rob you're a legend.
Chris Hanline agreed!
Yup
Great video man. I play heel up, and I bury the beater, so I agree with the loose spring tension approach. I don't run any counterweights but totally get what you're going for there. Your bass sounds super punchy and that's definitely part of that sound. Again, killer vid man!
as a metal drummer playing 16ths double bass at 220+ bpm - for me - high spring tension is the only way to go. So I think that the style of music also makes a difference as far as what's better spring tension. But awesome video man.
Thanks for the video. I play played mine on the medium (factory) setting. Then I tightened it. For the music I play it was okay, but didn’t really work. I never thought of trying to adjust it loose.
If you don’t mind me saying you remind me of Orlando Jones (the actor) and you could almost pass for his double. Same voice.
Straight to the point Rob, great info video. After watching, I am now sure my pedal is too tight. The same story, I tightened my DW5000 double pedal up for speed but after seeing this video, I'm gonna go back and loosen it up to help achieve the foot technique from your last video. Thanks for breakin down the beatdown. Robbrownondrums👊
😂 P.
Rob, one thing I would add that did not get mentioned is the bass drum angle. I have found this to be very important. I’m sure you already know this, but it is sometimes such common knowledge that we forget to mention it. Raising the front of the bass drum slightly off the ground brings the batter head at 0° to the beater of the bass drum pedal. When the bass drum is flat on the ground the beater actually has to go beyond 0° to make contact with the head and is generally thought of as “doing extra work“. I find this to be a big adjustment, almost as much as messing with the pedal.
Hi Rob, love the video. One thing to note re: the Trick ProV (and I like a loose spring) is that the pedal doesn't perform well at a looser setting. That's why users have been buying the aftermarket springs. I now use the Trick Dominator. They are ugly with those nasty metal beaters but they are SUPERB if you like less spring tension as they are far more responsive at a lower tension than the the stock ProV.
I been waiting for a good kick pedal adjustment video, thanks Rob.
I recently switched my dw 3000 pedal to a slug beater head i got on ebay, it's light and has a lot of slack without having really loosen your floor pedal its dubbed the indy car version of foot pedals lol and it sure is thuddy on the flat side but also can be reversed to a felt side on the backside of the head for a more thumpy punch, and it works on any foot board, so im still using my dw 3000 board for it, which i really like without having to buy a new kick pedal entirely. I got my spring tension loose like yours, i agree its better especially if your beater is light as a feather like the one am currently using
You are the best teacher ever man!!!
At one of the people's house I take lessons from has a trick pedal on his gig set. It looks kinda cheep but OMG it is absolutely the best pedal in the world.
Great tips man. Saved me from GASing over a new pedal. For now...
Great insight on pedals, they have to flow especially for toe players. It’s a fulcrum. Drums are an equipment matrix. Hardware has to be just right to inspire so you can think about music and not overcoming bad adjustments. Great vid -as always. ( p.s. want some fun, make a beater using a superball. You can find a 2-3” in walmart. Drill for a threaded shaft- then hang on !)
Thank you, I'm setting up a Hybrid Kit, Alesis based powered with Superior Drummer and have been fighting a double hit from my kick for months. Will try backing off the tension. I was one who thought a tighter spring made for better singles control. And thank you for the year of the hands.. Yeah man you had my at Copeland Hi-Hat... Joining your group man... You got to keep pumping out tutorials.
I’m sooo glad you spoke on that trick pedal! I’ve been hunting my next set to replace my 18 y/o Iron cobra power glide. I might try that drive shaft on the cobra first, other the the slack in the shaft, the pedal is great! Interested in the Yamaha FP9 too
Thanks so much, Rob, this answered a lot of my questions
Hey man, just wanted to say great job! You and John Blackwell are 2 of my many influences. You're one of my favorite teachers 👍
Hey - Thanks for all this - much appreciated and you always give clear and true advice.
One question that I have never had a clear answer to is how the angle of the beater head effects the adjustments of the kick pedal. As in should I always have my beater head at 90 degrees (true vertical) and adjust the pedal accordingly - or if I angle my beater head towards myself - say at 85 degrees or more or less and adjust my pedal from there - or how those variations can effect things. Or is a kick drum always supposed to be set at 90 degrees and I missed the first lesson?
Everyone talks about the pedal - but in the end aren't the kick drum and pedal and our foot working together to be a single thing to make one wonderful sound?
Hey Rob, thanks for tips man. Helped me out alot. This DW 9000 was driving me crazy. Loosened the spring, brought up that little weight thing ip the beater stem, plays alot better. Thought it was me😂 prbly is partially.
Buddy Rich completly removed the spring, which made it impossible to bury the beater. Now he also was a step dancer, which not so many know, but this is also an super nice exercise! Not sure I'd go no-spring full time though :P This is According to Dennis Chambers btw. Edit: just as i post this you mention it 😅👍
I'm sure he didn't completely remove the spring.... The spring is literally what makes the pedal have any sort of movement. Without it, the beater would lay against the head and not move at all.. It would be like tapping on the ground.
I was at a Dennis Chambers clinic in 1991 and he told a very similar story. However, according to Dennis, Buddy didn't play his pedal without a spring on it.
The story goes, when Dennis met Buddy (I think he was 8 or 9 at the time) after a show, Dennis asks him questions on how to build speed with his hands and feet. For foot speed, Buddy told him that if you want to improve your pedal speed, practice without the spring on. Without a spring, you can only play heels-down, and you can only lightly tap the pedal. I tried it and you can do it, but you have to have a very quick, precise touch. Too hard and the beater stays in the head, too soft and the beater won't go anywhere. So, it's an exercise in both speed and feathering the bass drum.
But no, Buddy did not play without a spring. During his lifetime, Buddy also stated dozens of times he that he never practiced either. I hope that clears that up.
@@rossapolis Dennis also said at a clinic that he never practices, I don’t buy it, what was he born playing. Maybe he means he doesn’t have time to practice now.
@@maeu59 Yeah considering he just had his liver replaced a few months ago. I don't think he'll be playing anything anytime soon, unfortunately.