SAMPLES FROM "FEET FIRST!"
Step 1 - Throne Positioning, Posture and Balance
Our primary goal as musicians and drummers is to have the ability to execute our ideas instantaneously. Therefore, it is essential that our balance and posture be centered and comfortable, not inhibiting us in any way. Good balance and posture begin with throne height. A throne set too high or low can cause tension and pain in the back and thighs. It may also cause you to lean forward or back. Either way you may lean your doing so to compensate for a loss of balance.
So how do you set the throne properly? First it is important to note that everyone’s throne position is unique to their physical makeup and bass drum technique. For our purposes we will examine the heel up and heel down approaches.
• Heel up players position the throne so your thighs are at a slight angle downward. The purpose for this is to never have the thighs higher than parallel to the ground. When lifted higher than parallel our natural reaction is to lean back to compensate for the loss of balance. To test your thrones positioning bounce on the balls of your feet making sure your torso remains straight and unaffected. Your back should remain comfortably straight, not arched, and the shoulders relaxed. There is no unwanted movement in the torso that may inhibit our four limbs from working separately and together.
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• Heel down players position the throne so your thighs are straight. Your back should remain comfortably straight, not arched, and the shoulders relaxed. There is no unwanted movement in the torso that may inhibit our four limbs from working separately and together.
If you play a combination of both bass drum techniques read the explanations above and find a happy medium throne position. Remember to keep your balance and posture in order.
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Step 2 - Bass Drum and Hi Hat positioning
Now that the throne height is set let’s examine the positioning of the bass drum and hi hat. Position the throne so your feet rest on the bass drum and hi hat pedal boards.
Bass Drum - Depending on the throne height, your right thigh is either straight or at a slight angle downward. From the knee to the ankle is at a slight angle outward. Place your toes approximately 3/4 the way up on the pedal board. Further explanation in Section 2.
Hi Hat- When deciding the right position for the hi hat, you must consider two factors:
• The proper leg position
• The right distance and height for the hand.
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Leg Position- The left leg is at a 90% angle (although the thigh may be at a slight angle downward depending on the throne height). I’m frequently asked shouldn’t the bass drum and hi hat pedals be the exact same distance to the player? Not so! Each leg has a different function. The right leg generates and controls the rebound of the bass drum pedal. If the weight of the thigh is directly over the pedal board it causes pain in the shin when playing. Not to mention it's very difficult to generate rebound while in this position. Therefore, the thigh should be back behind the pedal board. The left leg opens and closes the hi hats. Since there is no rebound involved the weight of the thigh is needed directly over the pedal board. This weight enables you to keep the cymbals closed without putting too much pressure on the toes. Position your foot so that the toes are at or near the top of the pedal board.
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Hand Position - The position of the wrist is the key to determining the height of the cymbals. We have a ball joint in the wrist that allows a large range of motion up and down and little motion sideways. In its most comfortable and productive playing position the wrist is straight, moving only a few inches up and down. Place your right hand on the hi hat as if to play a groove. (If you play the hi hat with the left hand, follow the same procedure). The shoulder is relaxed and the elbow is hanging comfortably at your side. Your forearm is at a slight angle upward and the wrist is straight.
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When playing with the tip on the top of the cymbal the elbow may come out a bit. This is fine as long as there is not too much tension in the back and shoulder.
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