Innovation or Two Left Feet: Part 10 of The Drummer's Almanac

Let the onslaught begin!!!

I finally added a double-kick pedal to my kit. It was something I was reluctant to buy at first because I wanted to make sure I didn't get too big for my britches.

To master single-kick is something to accomplish all on it's own, but I feel that I have a full toolbox with one foot beating. I can double stroke with ease and I was getting myslef into a rut. So, what do you do when you get into a rut, you innovate.

To do this I needed to expand and push myself. To go back to my glory days as a metal head when I owned two bass drums and had a helmet/mullet hairstyle. When the double bass phenomenon was being pushed by the likes of Metallica on "One" and Slayer on everything they did.

Later, my style changed from metal to jazz and then to worship music. I started getting inspired by the likes of Earthsuit and Neil Peart's fresh take on the use of a double kick pedal. They used the double bass as a compliment to the song, not just to see how fast they could play or to just thrash out because it sounded cool. It was a tool to implement when the song facilitated the room for it.

I added my new pedal to my kit on Christmas Day. It was so gratifying and empowering to have such an arsenal at my feet. I kicked out Rush's "One Little Victory" with moderate trouble, but overcame the timing concerns and smoothed it out.

The only concern with the addition is that it pushes my Hi-hat pedal to the left and I now have to switch between the hi-hat and the kick pedal with my weakest foot. I actually have two left feet placements on my kit and it will take a while to get comfortable.

I can't wait to incorporate a twist of metal and jazz into some worship music.