Who is The Worst Double Bass Drummer Ever?

It always makes me laugh when people say certain people are "bad" or "crappy" drummers. When it comes down to it, if you are signed, touring, and have been around for over 5 years in the mainstream, how could you possibly be a bad drummer? Often people say Lars Ulrich from Metallica is a crappy drummer, which is a just a huge way to say that you don't understand music or double bass drumming. It takes talent even if you don't have the best timing to come up with drum parts and to not overplay double bass. The fact is people can't be fixed by recording, but the edges get rounded out and timing can be helped. I don't think anyone is a bad drummer, maybe if they are drunk I can make an exception, but otherwise I stand behind what I said. Also, if you don't like a certain musician or band, then why are you listening to it in the first place. Lot of critics, but then again, its not uncommon for people in glass houses to throw bricks. Style shouldn't be equated into talent, but then again, its how you equate talent in the first place that really matters.

Got trigger?

DDrum Drum Triggers
I love my triggers! Not only do triggers help in enhancing the auditory sound of a surface, but it is good for practice too. I noticed when using mine that it helps my ear distinguish the timing of fast double bass. I have to bass drums so I don't have to worry about the problems that come with triggering a single bass drum with a double bass pedal attached. It is really fun to practice loud and it forces you to hear yourself more clearly. I got the DDrum Triggers because they have a protective cover over the actual sensor, it would be pretty lame to pay for something that awesome and break it in one shot. Kinda like when you buy a really cheap pair of sticks and break them on the first fill, ha ha. I researched afford ability and functionality and these one's worked just fine for me. It also very nice to the ear to hear the end product of hearing your trigger to PA, depends on the brain or sound bank you get, thats another blog for another day.

Drum Interview - Kyle Rector of "Devour the Masses"

Recently I had the pleasure of doing an E-Interview with the Sonoma County drummer Kyle Rector. He drums for Devour The Masses which can be described as Death Metal with an eccentric blend of several other genres. They are a new up and comer in the North Bay Death Metal Scene. Hardcore vocals mixed with melodic singing, tie together not only a new style in death metal, but also adds more flavor for the ears than your typical death metal band. They can be heard on myspace http://www.myspace.com/devourthemasses and followed at twitter http://twitter.com/dtmband. Check out the E-Interview below.

Devour the Masses are also playing a show at the Petaluma Phoneix Theatre November 7th, 2009. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

DoublebassDavid: First off what kind of drumkit do you have and what pedals do you use?

Kyle Rector: I use Yamaha Absolute Maple Custom Drums, it's the fusion model 6 piece set w/snare, bass drum, 2 rack toms, 2 floor toms. Cymbals are mixed but I'm aiming for a full Sabian set up right now. I have a DW9000 Double-Bass pedal. I play with the plastic hard side of the beater.


DD: What do you like about your drum pedals?

KR: My 9000's are great, they have a lot of versatility with about every type of set up I can imagine. What I truly love is that they're infinitely adjustable. I can add weight, switch the chains out for a felt strap, etc. They also have a great memory lock system for the beaters which is spectacular. And as a nice bonus, they come with a heavy duty carrying case for free.


DD: What are your goals as a double bassist for Devour the Masses?

KR: Well, I don't really have so much goals for double bass in DTM, but I have goals for my drumming overall in DTM. I generally try to keep my goals separate from my individual practice, and my role as a drummer in DTM. My only true goal that correlates between both is to be able to play anything I hear in my head along with the music when we're writing. So if I hear myself blasting away 220 bpm in my head to a song we're writing, then it's a goal to be able to play that fast with my feet.

DD: When you are creating music with Devour the Masses, how do you come up with such intricate drum parts? What is your process for making a new song?


KR: DTM's writing process is still relatively new. Most of the time it's me laying drums over riffs that Corey(lead guitar) brings in. So far it's more of a mechanical approach to writing music, and I find myself usually just laying drum tracks over the riffs, and then the band as a whole does the constructing.
The intricate drum parts just come from me practicing the song over and over and just letting the ideas flow. I'm usually never really done writing as I always find something new that sounds good. My main focus is trying to write to the song though, and help convey the message that we're sending out... though to be honest, I do feel I can be guilty of overplaying.


DD:What do you attribute your speed too with your feet?

KR: Practice, practice, practice. With a metronome, usually for about 50% of my daily practice. It's also a bit of experimentation, i.e. should I spread out the pedals more, lower their tension, add weight etc. Mostly practice though for about 1-2 hours everyday. Usually it's just selected rudiments that I play and every few days I bump up my metronome 4 bpm.

DD: How do you see double bass in the mainstream media taking hold?


KR: I don't really pay much mind to mainstream media, but I have noticed that double bass playing is definitely more prevalent in modern times. I think this can be attributed to cheaper and better quality double bass pedals. I know a lot of kids who got a double bass pedal when they bought their first kit. It's starting to become the standard for all drummers to be fast with both hands and feet. Fast double bass drum playing also has a "wow" effect on the crowd as well and I feel that this is a goal for performing drummers, especially during a drum solo. Lastly, metal has seem to be on the uprise in popularity in these past few years, granted it never died but it's definitely not as popular as pop, hip-hop, rap, country, etc. but there has seem to be more acceptance in mainstream media. For example, there are less idiots out there attributing heavy aggressive music to worshipping Satan, or being evil in some shape or form. It's naturally grown as a part of the music community and held in high regard for at least the technical value by most individuals. I use double bass but only in correlation as a drummer.

There you have it, from the underbelly of hell known as Sonoma County, CA...Devour the Masses drummer, Kyle Rector!

Until next time!

The Evil Metronome-Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween. Beware the evil metronome of death! Actually it can breathe a lot of life into your drumming. I finally picked up that bugger and set it to 60 bpm's. I would love nothing more than to just double bass roll at 1400bpm's all day but it has to be music at some point. It was like my skin was melting off of my bones, I just wanted to hit the drum a whole bunch of times. Did it for an hour for about 3 days. Just that little window of practice made a huge impact on my left foot for double bass. Its evil, it can be scary, but it works!

I got this for the holidays a couple of years back for around $100. This is for if you don't want to blast your ears out with beeps and ticks.

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/mrt3/index.php

Twitter Double Bass David

Look out tweeting world here I come, I have decided to slightly change the concept of this page. I think the world needs a blog that gets inside of the head of double bassists, or one that allows us Double Bass drummers to have like minded conversations. Gung ho!

Double Triple Quadruple Pedals for Drumming

Innovation in drums, not really. Apparently double bass pedals have been around since the turn of the century, (last time) , but had taken much time to gain acceptance in the music world. Double bass pedals are all you really need. If you need a triple it is because you are looking for a different sound, anything done on a triple can be pulled off on a single. Even a double bass pattern can be split between a single bass and floor tom. Surprisingly you go to you tube and there are actually quite a few amputee drummers, never stopped them! There is no quick way to get good at drums except to simply practice. John Bonham said he didn't need a double bass pedal because he said he was faster without it. Death metal hadn't been invented yet so I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Also because he has killer chops, gigantic drumsticks, and had a very explosive sound for the time. Quadruple bass, starting to get a bit ridiculous. But, for the sake of music, any new sound is a sound waiting for a home. To each his own, just make the music sound good and nobody cares what you play, how you play it, or why you are playing it. Rock on!

Band With The One Red Shoe

Something that I have noticed is how some bands have the wrong shoe on, one simple change can change your audience and lose your fan base. The good thing is if you are on the receiving end. For example Bury Your Dead, awesome hardcore double bass drumming. They probably have lost a lot of their fan base recently but I think the world needs more melody in metal anyway. They had a good sound with the previous singer and they have recently brought in a melodic singer with screaming capabilities. This allows the double bass drumming to be a little bit more creative and out of the typical breakdown style they had before. I just recently grabbed a new guitarist for my band and feel that we may have put on the red shoe, you may be just able to make one small change and it will make the difference. The same goes for double bass, maybe a little bit less here, and a little bit more there can go a long way.

Me Double Bass Drumming

Click Here for Double Bass Drumming by me:) This is doublebass drumming with DW5000 Bass Pedals

Double bass drum Versus Double bass pedal

This one will plague many, confuse some, and sometimes just drive you mad. When I use my double bass drums it feels more natural with my feet, so if you don't care about lugging around double bass drums to practice, than more power to you.

The double bass pedal can be an effective way to pull off the quick hits and rolls of power drumming, without taking up space. The only setback is the functionality, you end up paying for what you get. The "slave pedal," (the 2nd pedal, usually left foot) is what you really need to focus on if you choose this path. So I recommend either DW "as your Honda that gets the job done double-pedal", and Axis as your "BMW".

So with some money you can get the Axis and have it feel like two bass drums, or you can continue to lug around the two double bass drums just like I do.

Until next time, keep practicing!