Am I going completely mad or...

[LakeOpeth]

do most drummers double bass without heels down?

I was talking to my friend (coming back frm Porcupine Tree) last night about how Tony from Nile apparently double basses heels down, and that it just sounds crazy and painful. He then went onto say how most drummers double bass heels down as you have more control that way. I felt stupid, and shut up, and it sounds really sad, but I ended up thinking about this when I was trying to get to sleep. I decided that it would be far easier to do it without heels down. I remember reading an interview with Derek Roddy (at least I think it was him...actually I think I'm confusing him with someone else), saying that he uses the ball of his foot. So how the hell do you use the ball of your foot on the pedal if you have you heel down?

and now I will shut up!

 

[L0bster]

heels up for speed playing I'd say.

 

[ViCyniC]

Heels up make it easier, faster, and less controlled. Heels down make it harder, slower, and more controlled. It does make sense. If you have drums, give it a try and you'll see that this is realistic.

 

[Natural Born Chaos]

Heels up make it easier, faster, and less controlled. Heels down make it harder, slower, and more controlled. It does make sense. If you have drums, give it a try and you'll see that this is realistic.

Pretty much what he said--except I would add that heels up gives you far more power (because you use your whole leg). I can't imagine any metal drummer getting a fast, hard sound with heels down...

 

[chaveta]

but i do see him betting awesome "that muscle in front of the calf" muscles... damn it... now i have to find what that muslce is called

 

[DreamingofUr]

I had no idea someone that Tony did it heels down!! I know Dave Lombardo says to do it heels up at some of his clinic type things. I'd imagine the same as everyone else and that is heels for more speed but less control. It's amazing that Tony has that kinda speed doing it that way.

 

[MasterOLightning]

I'm guessing for something like Master's Apprentices, it would have to be heels up, but a trickier syncopated pattern or something would probably have to be heels down.

 

[buchkoba00]

Well I'm a drummer, and I can't think of anyone off hand to actually plays heals down. I know it used to be more common, but hardly anyone does it anymore.

 

[ViCyniC]

I drum heel down, but that's probably because I don't use double bass pedals.

 

[DreamingofUr]

After hearing it from a drummer, I hold Tony that much higher as one of my favorite drummers.

 

[The Maelstrom Mephisto]

i couldn't drum heels down, it cames after a while because i've been playing heels up for so long, my calfs aren't superly conditioned.

dunno how it's possible to play fast double kicks heels down, you just can't get the speed that you can heels up, if Tony from Nile plays heels down then i am truly amazed cos he is damn fast!

 

[rhdrums]

I play heel down for normal playing, because you have more control over timing and power. For double pedalling I switch to heel up, because it's easier to go faster with less effort. Though the extra power thing I would say no...because for faster stuff you're really not using your whole leg. It starts to become short reflex type movements.

I heard a rumor that gene holgan played everything heel down but that's just insane sounding

 

[DreamingofUr]

I play heel down for normal playing, because you have more control over timing and power. For double pedalling I switch to heel up, because it's easier to go faster with less effort. Though the extra power thing I would say no...because for faster stuff you're really not using your whole leg. It starts to become short reflex type movements.

I heard a rumor that gene holgan played everything heel down but that's just insane sounding

After hearing what I heard about Tony I wouldn't be surprised because they are both top class death metal drummers. That dude Sean Reinhart is fuckin awesome too!! Human is my fave. Death album.

 

[rhdrums]

agreed...I love that album

sean's drumming in the band Cynic is also impressive

 

[[0hr]Sunlapse]

Its Sean "Reinert", not Reinhart.... everybody gets that wrong for some reason

 

[DreamingofUr]

Its Sean "Reinert", not Reinhart.... everybody gets that wrong for some reason

0 fuckin idea why I spelled his name wrong. Thx.

 

[anonymousnick2001]

Uh...I play heel down. I'd rather have control than a loud, messy, double bass. When I play heel down, it sounds like a soft drill. When I play heel up, it's all loud like a spastic five-year old randomly hitting timpani.

And speed comes with practice and time. I can play double bass almost as fast as Hoglan, heel down.

 

[Donnie Darko]

Uh...I play heel down. I'd rather have control than a loud, messy, double bass. When I play heel down, it sounds like a soft drill. When I play heel up, it's all loud like a spastic five-year old randomly hitting timpani.

Yea and we both know someone who claimes heel up is better but his double bass sounds like a spastic five year old

 

[Staffan]

Heel down at slow paces and heel up at fast to get more punch in the chops!

 

[LakeOpeth]

Thanks guys! So I'm not mad at all...I am actually partly right

Tis nice to know!