DO THE KICK PEDAL TEST to find out if your bass drum pedal is good - Then learn the proper set up
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- čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
- Wanna find out if you have a good bass drum pedal? Simply take the kick pedal test shown in this video. It will indicate weather your bass drum pedal is good or if it's time for a new one
After taking the kick pedal test, we get into how to set up your pedal to a very good default setting. The default setting is an excellent starting point. You can always tweek after, but chances are, you'll like the default set up so much you may not want to do any tweaking.
AND if after taking the pedal test, you determine it's time for a new bass drum pedal, you will know how to test out pedals in a store to determine the best bang for your buck
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HERE ARE SOME DECENT PEDALS I RECOMMEND
Pearl Eliminator Pedal
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CAN. amzn.to/3b65y7I
DW 5000 Pedal
U.S. amzn.to/3h7sl6z
CAN. amzn.to/33mZF1n
Yamaha Pedal
amzn.to/2R2l4dE
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Mostly solid info here. However, The high wiggle count does not apply to compression spring pedals like the Ludwig Speed King, Ghost or others. Those types of pedals force you to develop better control of dynamics with your foot rather than relying on expansion spring return and in turn can provide a more solid hit or light feathering as desired.
I started off with The Ludwig Speed King pedal. Brings back many memories. After many years that pedal became harder and harder to play. It did not have that easy flow like it did in the beginning. Some of the spring pedals in the market today are amazing!
Great information! Not being a drummer, I haven't had the experiences of knowing what is considered a good pedal or not. So now I can test the pedal on our kit and see how it measures up 👍
Perfect! Let me know the results
So Many DRUMErs out there doesn't want to tall you drum tips , drum work outs and so Many important things... But you sir you are wasome i promise you i never seen better drum world and channel ty god bless you ❤️🙏🏻
Manos! Thank you so much! Your kind words are very inspiring! I am glad you are enjoying the channel. I'll be uploading 2 more videos soon. Cheers!
@@WholeLottaDrumming sir you are so good can you make a video with chops?
I totally followed this, wow what a difference thanks!
I am so happy its made a difference! Thanks for watching! and enjoy your pedal! Cheers!
Excellent tips. Much better than other videos with your quantitative measures. An eye opener for me on the spring count. I removed the beater head last night as I wanted to add weight to it. Now I will try with your tips and see. Thanks.
Hello. Thanks for watching. Yes please try these tips and let me know how it goes. Cheers!
Wow this video ramdomly popped up on my feed, very informative. Thank you dude!
Thanks for watching! Hope it was helpful!
Glad you did this. Very helpful.
Glad it was helpful! Cheers!
More great information, thank you!
Glad it was helpful! Cheers!
At 75% spring tension for both my pedals, I get 30+ wiggles with my 25-year-old DW 5000 pedal and 15+ wiggles on my 35-year-old Camco pedal. I already had each pedal set up at approximately 45 degree beater shaft angles, but had to lengthen each beater rod a bit to hit the 5" recommended length. Adjustments and feel change were minimal compared to my original set-up that evolved over 40 years of playing. As far as the bass drum front hoop height goes, I've always tried to keep the drum as flat as possible to minimize shell stress and theoretically maximize tone, but I agree that raising/lowering it significantly changes the feel of the set-up. Thanks for this detailed video as I've never come across anything quite so comprehensive and informative.
This was something I used to go over with all my beginner students so that they would be off to a good start footwise. Thanks for the detailed comments. Cheers!
Thank you so much! Great explanation
Glad it was helpful! Cheers!
Excellent information, well presented, subscribed 👍
Thanks so much! and thanks for your support! Cheers!
Last tip of changing bass drum leg heights is a GAME changer! Been struggling eith settings for a long time and j think this might help
Ya, it's amazing what a difference adjusting the bass drum legs make. Sometimes that's all you have to do. Thanks for watching! Cheers!
Thank you my friend is a whole lot of help I'm I'm a beginner drummer I started way late in my life like in my 50s I got a pedal with the hardware kit that I got it's not Yamaha but I really Yamaha was little expensive at the time so I SPL velocity pedal
Hello there. Sorry for the late reply. Been slowly transitioning into a new CZcams recording studio. More videos coming soon so please stay tuned! In regards to your comment, just stick to the tips mentioned on the video to maximize the potential of the pedal you have to work with.
Badass video!
Going out to buy a yamaha pedal rn 😂
Thanks for watching! Yamaha pedal will not disappoint. Cheers!
Great vid....thnx!
Thanks Jack! Much appreciated. Cheers!
Thankyou very much!
Thanks for watching Sean!
very good advices
Thanks for watching!
My wiggle count is very low on both hi and low tension I counted 5-6 wiggle count on both tension levels. I play double pedal (iron cobra Junior). Hd it for several years. Thank you for this info. I really never took into account about the wiggle test but I shall next time on my new pedals.
Hello. Thanks for chiming in! I am glad the video was helpful. Cheers!
Sometimes replacing the spring or cleaning and oiling a pedal is all one needs to do to better the response without buying a new pedal.
Yes, for sure!
@@WholeLottaDrumming Why did you leave that out of the video and keep telling people to just buy a new one then?
That’s a great starting point for a default setting. I can actually play my shitty pearl 110’s pawn shop specials
I'm glad the video has helped you get the best out of your pedal
Interesting!
The pedal set up properly makes a huge difference, especially for this who are starting off.
Very informative! Which pedals do you personally use? Thanks.
Besides the one on the video, I also use the Yamaha FP9C. Great pedal! Thanks for watching!
Your bass drum spurs are really high for what I normally use or see. To each their own. I usually have the bass drum head closer to vertical. Depending on the width of the BD hoop the beater hits around vertical as well. This was a problem with the Pearl Demon drives and I could never get use to having the BD tilted so much. Vertical works well for DW MDD and 9000's as well as speed cobras. I use DW control beaters most of the time. The beaters make a huge difference. Thanks for your video.
Yes, I like the spurs pretty much at the highest position. Just something I have gotten used you. Thanks for watching! Cheers!
A couple months ago I bought my very first drum set. A Tama imperialstar. I think it's an awesome kit for a beginner. The drums are great but in order to keep it affordable they cheap out on the cymbals, throne and kick pedal. So far I've replaced the heads with Remo emperor's. I also decided to bite the bullet and buy a Tama speed cobra 910. I know it's way too much pedal for my skill set now but hopefully this pedal will last me for many many years to come. The pedal it came with isn't terrible but it's not great either. The hinge by the footboard has a lot of play in it and it's noisy. It didn't do very well on the test either. At about 75% tension it wobbled around 15 times.
Thank you for your comment! Nothing wrong with having a killer pedal. It will help you develop your foot quicker. Cheers!
Excellent & very important video, but now am heartbroken!!!! My 3 favorite pedals Gretsch Floating Action, early original DW 900, & early Camco do not have a drum kry, easy adjust mebt for beater angle. What a hideous oversight! But they still feel sooooo good. Also, an old Pearl, but I can still use an alan wrench..
As long as the wiggle counts are in those ranges, thats the main thing. Being able to adjust with drum keys is more of a feature that makes things easy to adjust.
@@WholeLottaDrumming Wow, thanx for your reply! I feel better,ztjose drum companies should have asked you first!!!
Last ajustement that makes a lot of difference: Bass drum batter head tension.
Yes, that is an excellent point! Very often overlooked. But must be cautious, that you don't tighten it too much, cause it could reduce that low bottom thump. It's trying to find that sweet spot where it is tight but still has that low bottom end
How can the discrepancy of tension/position between the slave pedal and main pedal in a double pedal be overcome? Mine always has a slight offset compared to the main pedal and no adjustment seems to balance them out where the tension and travel distance are equal across pedals. It seems the problem comes from the bend in the drive shaft but there doesn't seem to be a way around it.
Thanks for chiming in. I don't use double bass drum pedal so I can't really give you any insight. But thank you for watching the video!
The first point about spring tension.
Hey, thanks for watching! Cheers!
Any tips about direct drives? I recently have my Yamaha FP9D a month ago and this is my first time using direct drive pedals i've been using chain drive pedals eversince and im having a little struggle on direct drive.
My first good pedal was a ludwig speed king in my teenage years. I haven't used a direct drive since then. So i don't have any tips unfortunately
the drive must be straight and not twisted causing side loading on the bearings.
My wiggle count is 5-6, I have an old Pearl Eliminator strap drive. Does changing the spring or spring assembly improve it? I mean, I’m not struggling while playing.. but will changing that spring make it easier?
It's worth trying. At least you now have a gauge. Current spring gives you 5-6 wiggles. Swap the spring and see if it increases the wiggle count. Make sure that the tension adjuster is set to 75%.
Pearls have rly stronger springs than most others. I wouldn’t go 75 to 80 percent on pearls imo. Try only 50 percent on pearl. Seem some use less even w pearl.
What’s the best pedal for a eDrum kit alesis surge special edition
There is no best pedal. Just gotta find one that allows you to play comfortably. Like the video says, it's how you set it.
I don't think it's a problem if your pedal uses allen key to change your pedal position. Tama iron cobra and speed cobra pedals both use allen key and they are among the best pedals in the business
True. There are good quality pedals that require allen keys. But it's challenging for some to have access to allen keys. Drum keys are easier to access. I have drum keys everywhere. My stick bag is one place for sure I have several. And when I have to make pedal adjustment, I can do it in seconds
@@WholeLottaDrumming def much more convenient.
I like how you go into good default settings, but the wiggle number seems like an odd thing. Isn't that just an indicator of the wear on the bearings? I don't see how that makes a pedal bad to play on.
Thanks for the comment. In my experience the wiggle count is indicative of the overall smoothness of the pedal. And the energy the spring gives you. It's as if the pedal almost plays itself when the wiggle count is high. I worked in a drum store for almost 15 years and try many pedals and I can tell you with certainty that all pro pedals have high wiggle counts and are so easy to control. Where as the lower models, the spring mechanism is lower quality producing low wiggle counts which means that there is a bit more resistance to deal with when playing them. You have to work harder to make it do what you want it to do. But this video explains how to maximize any pedal by incorporating the default settings. A lower quality pedal can still be OK when you apply the default settings.
@@WholeLottaDrumming the video did help a lot. I got the tama iron cobra 200 entry model and I started bagging and bringing it from my house to band sessions. Much better.
I have a Sonor dp472 and it's now almost unplayable and i dont understand why... I've tried to lubricate it but it still give 5 Wiggle max ... Any thought ?
The wiggle count is a guide indicating how much of the pedal does the work for you. If you are able to play comfortably on a '5 wiggle pedal' then that's fine. But if you feel that it is hindering your bass drum playing then I would seriously consider trying another pedal with a high wiggle count and see if it is easier to play. You don't have to buy one at first. You can borrow one or rent one first.
Unfortunately some of the best pedals deal with some Allen screws mixed in with drum key screws
You are correct. I find it an inconvenience when I play a backline kit where the pedal needs an Allen key to make adjustments. Most of us don't carry Allen keys or a tool box with us. It's not an excuse, I should always have one as part of my travel pack, but it is so much easier dealing with pedals where all you need is a drum key to adjust. Us drummers have drum keys everywhere.
No mention of fitting new bearing etc? just but a whole new pedal!
Sorry, but not quite sure I understand the comment. Can you elaborate? I wanna understand so that I can give you a proper reply. And thanks for watching! Cheers!
@@WholeLottaDrumming I think the commentator was suggesting that new bearings could be fitted to an existing pedal rather than replacing the whole pedal.
Uhh I started drumming in 1963. Six months later the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan. My first pedal was a Rogers Swervomatic. The best pedal I ever played! I could get trips out it!! I bought it in 1965! In the ninties some load suck stole it from a lounge in Vegas but left a high end pearl pedal in it,s place. So whoever it was wasn't really an asshole just a considerate load suck!!!
Wow! what a story! Thanks for sharing. Cheers!
I change my spring tension often while practicing. You're not going to have your equipment or good equipment on gigs. Don't get too comfortable with a super precise set up, it won't always be available
I have 2 of the same pedals, set up identical. One for practicing and 1for gigging. This way when I am gigging, my pedal will feel the same as when I am practicing.
@@WholeLottaDrumming I dig.
I have double pedal and my left pedal doesn't bounce. I do every thing on my pedal and still doesn't bounce. Just like the problem on my friends new pedal that he buy on online market.
Have you tried adjusting the pedal the way I showed on the video?
@@WholeLottaDrumming yes. But youre video really help if I'm gonna used other pedal
It would help the tone of the drum if the beater cpontacted the had in the centre......jus' sayin'.........
It's tough to position the beater to strike the head exactly in the centre. With each size kick drum, the beater will be striking the head at different locations. But you are correct. The closer to the centre, the better.
Okay so hear me out, for the 1st point, just buy some oil and put it on every moving point
If it's not enough, change the bearing, skate bearings fits most pedal, can be a game changer, and it's way cheaper than a new pedal
Then
The tension of the spring does NOT hold the energy, in fact, with great technique, you are able to play without springs
All good points. The video was meant to help those who may not be "Do it Yourselfers" and for those who do not have the time to learn how to play a pedal without springs. It's basically meant to provide a default setting. As mentioned in the video, I encouraged viewers to play around with the settings
My wiggle count was 117!
That's awesome! Nice pedal!
You don't need an expensive pedal if you're starting out
You are correct! You do not need an expensive pedal. The content in this video will help you go into a drum store and perform the wiggle tests on all the pedals on display and you can select the least expensive one with the highest wiggle counts. Cheers!
My pedals wiggle count was… 1 😐
Oh oh! Was your wiggle count 1 after adjusting it to the default settings I mentioned on the video? If so, you may want to consider a new pedal. As mentioned on the video, you can go to a drum store and do the wiggle counts of all the pedals in display. You'll be surprised what a $100/150 pedal will do
@@WholeLottaDrumming New iron cobra went 40
How much easier was it to play@@Jack_Fuego
@@Haydenowjdbjaiwjdbhdjjbdjwiwjf a lot easier lol, kind of greatful that I started w such a shitty pedal now 🤘
If your videos are any good, you won't need to put in subscribe bring that button bell you don't need to do that if your videos are good, people will put in there bell ringers and subscription. Like I said, don't do that leave it alone lecture video speak for itself.
Thank you for your feedback! I just uploaded a new video yesterday on paradiddles and I thought about what you said while I was editing. I did not sprinkle subscription messages during the first quarter and half way points like I usually do. Only saved it for the end. Once again, thank you for your input! Cheers!
ha my foot pedal is dog shlT