Many drummers starting with double bass pedals often focus on straightforward, even subdivisions. While developing consistency is crucial, limiting practice to just playing straight notes can hinder your progress and creativity. To truly excel in double bass drumming and create compelling Bass Songs, it’s essential to explore more dynamic and intricate techniques.
Diversify Your Double Bass Drum Practice
Instead of solely practicing continuous streams of 8th or 16th notes, integrate a variety of rhythmic exercises into your routine. This approach will not only make practice more engaging but also unlock new levels of coordination and musicality in your bass songs.
Hand-Foot Coordination: The Foundation of Advanced Bass Drumming
A key aspect of advanced double bass drumming lies in mastering the interplay between your hands and feet. Don’t restrict yourself to simple patterns where your feet play consistent subdivisions while your hands lead. Challenge yourself with different combinations:
Even Combinations: Building a Solid Base
Start by practicing patterns that incorporate even numbers of foot beats with hand patterns. Experiment with:
- Two Foot Beats: Integrate two bass drum notes within various hand rhythms.
- Four Foot Beats: Extend to four bass drum notes, synchronizing them with fills and grooves.
- Six and Eight Foot Beats: Push your endurance and coordination by incorporating longer bursts of footwork into your playing.
This practice will reveal any imbalances or weaknesses in your technique, allowing you to address them directly.
Odd Combinations: Stepping into Polyrhythms
Once comfortable with even combinations, venture into the realm of odd-numbered groupings. This is where your bass songs can truly become rhythmically interesting. Explore combinations like:
- Three Foot Beats: This introduces a triplet feel and is fundamental for “gallop” rhythms.
- Five, Seven, and Nine Foot Beats: These more complex combinations will significantly enhance your polyrhythmic vocabulary and add unique character to your drumming.
Gallop Patterns: Essential for Dynamic Bass Drumming
Among the odd combinations, “threes,” particularly gallop patterns, are incredibly valuable. These patterns, often not immediately intuitive, will challenge your rhythmic perception and coordination in unexpected ways. Mastering gallops will make grasping other complex patterns significantly easier.
Examples of gallop patterns to practice include:
- RLR.LRL.RLR.LRL.
- R.LRL.RLR.LRL.RL
- RL.RLR.LRL.RLR.L
- .RLR.LRL.RLR.LRL
Dedicate time to these patterns early in your practice, as they are foundational for more intricate and rhythmically diverse bass songs.
Inspiration from Bass Songs: Polyrhythmic Examples
To hear these concepts in action, listen to songs that feature creative and polyrhythmic bass drum patterns. “The Eyes of Medusa” by Symphony X provides an excellent example.
In the verse of this song, the bass drum pattern is a 10-note sequence played as 16th notes within a 4/4 time signature: ‘RL.RLRLR.L’. This is a prime example of how a non-standard rhythmic grouping can create a compelling and unique groove in bass songs.
Conclusion: Expand Your Rhythmic Horizons
Moving beyond simple, straight subdivisions is crucial for unlocking the full potential of double bass drumming. By incorporating hand-foot combinations, exploring odd groupings, and mastering gallop patterns, you will develop a more versatile and expressive double bass technique. Drawing inspiration from bass songs that utilize these advanced techniques will further fuel your creativity and help you craft your own unique and powerful drumming voice.
