How to Play Heel Toe Bass Drum

Heel toe bass is a technique which allows drummers to play extremely fast without having to resort to double bass pedals. Most drummers either play bass with their heels up for punch and volume or their heels down for subtlety and control. In heel toe bass technique, the drummer rocks his foot, hitting with both the heel and toe and dramatically increasing or even doubling his speed.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bass drum
• Bass pedal

1. Practice both heel up and heel down bass technique every day for a week or more to build up strength and control. Heel up drumming uses leg strength, whereas heel down relies more on the ankle. Heel toe technique requires both leg and ankle strength, so it helps tremendously to get good at both first.

2. Angle your heel downward and suspend your foot above the bass pedal. The heel should be above the back of the pedal, far enough forward that it will push the pedal down when you lower your foot.

3. Lower your leg without changing the position of your foot so that the heel strikes the pedal. Your heel should push the pedal hard enough to strike the drum head.

4. Pull your leg up while you rock your foot down, striking the front of the drum pedal with your toes on the way up. This should cause the pedal to strike the drum again, playing the second half of your heel toe bass stroke.

5. Tilt your heel down again and repeat the whole process. Try to play slow, even strokes until you get the hang of the technique. Once you get used to it, gradually increase your playing speed. You should eventually be able to play nearly twice as fast as you could with just heel down or heel up technique.