- 1). Attach the bass drum pedal to the rim of the bass drum. Bass drum pedals always come with a clamp or other attachment device to fasten the pedal to the rim of the bass drum. It should be attached so that the bass drum beater strikes the bass drum in the middle of the drum head. No other part of the bass drum pedal should touch the head.
- 2). Press down on the bass drum pedal so the beater hits the bass drum head. Don’t slam down on the pedal or dig the beater into the head. Some drummers play the bass drum with their heel up (so the front of their foot is pressing down on the pedal), which can give more speed and power, while others play with their heel down (so almost the entire foot is pressing down on the pedal), which typically gives them more control. Experiment and find the method you like.
- 3). Ease up on the pedal, so the beater returns back to the resting position, which is the position the bass drum pedal is at when a foot is not on it. Some drummers hit the bass drum and then leave the beater pressed against the drum head. This can add more punch, but also muffles the sound a little more, and can lead to accidental additional bass drum hits.
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