Attention: Question For Expirenced Death Metal Drummers

[Dýri_Oakenspear]

I'm a self taught drummer, in the style down the lines of speed/thrash/death metal. I don't think I'm all that great or talented being self taught, but I'd like to think I can hold my own for the most part.
Anywho my question is (if I can explain it right), how do some of the ultra fast drummers play that machine gun style double bass? Like for exapmle, that ultra fast beat in Metallica's St. Anger. (the only really good part of the song in my opinion btw) Or another example is alot of the beats Amon Amarth's drummer plays on their new realease Versus the World (Death in Fire is a good example)
I can play pretty fast single hits on bass and snare alternating back and forth, and I can do a pretty decent speed using double bass, ie 4 bass hits snare on one of them, and I am pretty good at the classic Lars Ulrich triplet, 2 bass hits with the snare on the third hit.
But how the hell do you play that ultra fast beat, or is it just played that fast on double bass with both feet(left right left right ect)? I was thinking there must be something more to it or else I'm just not very good and probably never will be unless I get formal drum lessons.
Thanks for any advice you can offer.

 

[TekChef]

From all the drummers I haev worked with, that machine gun double bass roll is both feet, going left, right(or right left..whatever way works for you)

Every drummer I have ever asked has said that you have to get a metronome and work on it. Spend time every day you play drums- get the metronome out, and play the rolls in time at a slow pace, slowly speed it up. When you get to your max speed, slow it down a bit..maybe 20 BPM or so..and work back up, over and over.
Then once you get your feet going fast in time, add in the other parts-hats, snare, ride, etc.
and when you add in a part, you have to STAY in time!
Master every part, and then add them together slowly.

hope that helps ya!

 

[Robbio]

Metalchef is right, you hardly ever see a double stroke played with the bassdrum unless it's part of a triplet or something... just go rightleftrightleftreightleftrightleft...

In my experience it's best to get your heals off the pedal and shift on your stool till you find the point where you're almost falling onto your face, then kind of vibrate the front part of your foot about 1-2 cm from the point where the pedal connects to the chain (moving this point will change the leverage you have on the pedal, and will affect timing slightly) For slower beats I tend to use my whole leg and lift my feet quite high, but the faster you want to play, the smaller you'll want that movement to be, so you should end up balanced so your feet hover just above the foot plate and you pivot from the ankle only

There's loads of excercises you can do, I sometimes just play a simple beat with the hands and alternate between each foot doing 8 or 16 beats on each foot alternately, and then maybe put them together for a couple of bars and repeat. Also, rather than attempt a long burst of machine-gun type bassdrumming, it might be easier to do a pattern where there are gaps in the foot work, and gradually fill those gaps as you improve your speed. You'll find you're more accurate playing a cluster of say 4 beats in a row with the feet under a basic hats and snare rythm and once each cluster of 4 sounds identical, add another one and build until you have a constant roll going on

metronomes are a good idea, but they get a bit boring...Try putting on some Morbid Angel on your walkman and wear big ear-defenders over the top ;-)

hope that helps

oh, and oil those skate bearings at either end of the central bar on the pedal!

 

[Dýri_Oakenspear]

Thanks for the help and advice. I'm sure I'll get it down sooner or later, or I'm gonna die trying. I have noticed I'm better now then I was 6 months ago, when I couldn't even play double bass yet.
I'm also thinking that if I get some better pedals that will help too since I still have my stock ones, they are (don't laugh) yamaha, since I have a yamaha drum set.
At least I have nice cymbals, love them Zildjians. Thinking about getting a set of zxt titaniums. I got a 16 inch zxt rock crash. It's loud as hell but it grows on ya after awhile.
Anywho, thanks again guys, I'm sure it will help me out greatly.