Lesson 5 of 114DrumsBeginner

Pedal Technique

With

6:15

Discover how to use the bass drum and hi-hat pedals effectively. Sophie explains techniques like heel-up and heel-down, ensuring smooth, powerful footwork.

Part of the courseRockschool Drums Method for Beginners114 lessons (3h 47m)

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Your guruSophie Alloway

What's in the course

114 lessons (3h 47m) · 1 free

- 01. Welcome to the Course
  2:31
- 02. Drum Kit Quick Guide
  Free lesson
  8:36
- 03. Sitting at the Kit
  5:28
- 04. Stick Technique
  7:53
- 05. Pedal Technique
  You are here
  6:15
- 06. Using a Metronome
  5:26
- 07. Reading Drum Notation
  5:26
- 01. Rock Drumming Introduction
  7:55
- 02. Example 1 - Single Strokes
  2:44
- 03. Example 2 - Double Strokes
  1:28
- 04. Example 3 - Paradiddles
  2:37
- 05. Bonus - Combining Singles, Doubles, and Paradiddles
  2:22
- 06. Rock Lesson 2 - Adding Rests
  1:48
- 07. Example 1 - Rest on Beat 4
  1:56
- 08. Example 2 - Rest on Beat 2
  1:36
- 09. Example 3 - Moving Rests
  1:05
- 10. Example 4 - Piston Bars 12-16
  1:56
- 11. Bonus Exercise 1
  1:49
- 12. Bonus Exercise 2
  1:02
- 13. Rock Section Summary
  1:50
- 01. Pop - Adding the Hi-Hat
  1:31
- 02. Example 1 - Quarter Notes on Hi-Hat
  1:40
- 03. Example 2 - Resting on Beat 1
  1:42
- 04. Example 3 - Two Consecutive Quarter Note Rests
  1:28
- 05. Bonus Exercise 1
  1:11
- 06. Bonus Exercise 2
  1:10
- 07. Pop Lesson 2 Example 1 - Combining the Hi-Hat & Snare
  1:11
- 08. Example 2 - Moving Quickly Between Drum Voices
  1:17
- 09. Example 3 - Two Drum Voices in One Bar
  0:59
- 10. Example 4 - Take It to the Top Bars 1-4
  1:10
- 11. Bonus Exercise 1
  1:08
- 12. Bonus Exercise 2
  1:04
- 13. Pop Music Section Summary
  0:51
- 01. Introduction to Country Music
  4:13
- 02. Skills Checkpoint
  1:54
- 03. Example 1 - Half-Note Rest
  1:18
- 04. Example 2 - Placing of the Half-Note Rest
  1:31
- 05. Example 3 - Bass Drum Phrases
  1:29
- 06. Bonus Exercise 1
  1:27
- 07. Bonus Exercise 2
  1:10
- 08. Country Lesson 2 - Combining Bass Drum, Snare, and Hi-Hat
  3:07
- 09. Example 1 - Combining the Bass Drum & Hi-Hat
  1:40
- 10. Example 2 - Adding the Half-Note Rest in Various Positions
  1:10
- 11. Example 3 - Moving Quickly Between Drum Voices
  1:10
- 12. Example 4 - Borderlands Bars 1-4
  1:06
- 13. Bonus Exercise 1
  1:30
- 14. Bonus Exercise 2
  0:56
- 15. Country Music Section Summary
  0:26
- 01. Metal Introduction - Playing Two Drum Voices
  3:35
- 02. Example 1 - Focusing on Coordination
  2:19
- 03. Example 2 - Bass Drum Variations
  1:16
- 04. Example 3 - Coordinating the Hands
  1:09
- 05. Bonus Exercise 1
  1:05
- 06. Bonus Exercise 2
  0:50
- 07. Metal Lesson 1 Summary
  0:25
- 08. Metal Lesson 2 - Playing Your First Full Beat
  1:56
- 09. Example 1 - Basic Rock Beat Hi-Hat Pattern
  1:08
- 10. Example 2 - Adding the Back Beat
  0:58
- 11. Example 3 - Adding the Bass Drum
  0:59
- 12. Example 4 - Power Trip Bars 13-14
  1:32
- 13. Bonus Exercise 1
  1:10
- 14. Bonus Exercise 2
  0:53
- 15. Metal Section Summary
  1:05
- 01. Indie - Introduction to the Style
  1:26
- 02. Example 1 - Resting on Beat Three
  1:01
- 03. Example 2 - More Variations
  1:00
- 04. Example 3 - Coordinating the Limbs
  2:16
- 05. Bonus Exercise 1
  1:10
- 06. Bonus Exercise 2
  0:50
- 07. Indie Lesson 1 Summary
  0:25
- 08. Indie Checkpoint - Mallets
  2:46
- 09. Indie Lesson 2 - Introducing 8th Note Bass Drum and Snare
  1:25
- 10. Example 1 - Eighth-Note Snare
  1:36
- 11. Example 2 - Eighth-Note Bass Drum
  1:04
- 12. Example 3 - Eighth Note Phrase
  0:59
- 13. Example 4 - 'Big Mouth' Bars 1-4
  1:48
- 14. Bonus Exercise 1
  0:38
- 15. Bonus Exercise 2
  0:59
- 16. Indie Section Summary
  0:34
- 01. Hip-Hop Introduction - Basic Beats and Fills
  1:33
- 02. Example 1 - Snare & Bass Drum Fill
  1:10
- 03. Example 2 - Snare & Hi-Hat Fill
  1:08
- 04. Example 3 - Fill Using Snare, Hi-Hat & Bass Drum
  1:09
- 05. Bonus Exercise 1
  1:38
- 06. Bonus Exercise 2
  0:47
- 07. Hip-Hop Lesson 1 Summary
  0:32
- 08. Hip Hop Lesson 2 - Introduction to Eighth Note Beats
  3:53
- 09. Example 1 - The Basic Eighth-Note Beat
  1:19
- 10. Example 2 - Snare Drum Variations
  1:28
- 11. Example 3 - Bass Drum Variations
  1:09
- 12. Example 4 - 'The Dogg' Bars 13-16
  1:56
- 13. Bonus Exercise 1
  1:04
- 14. Bonus Exercise 2
  1:09
- 15. Hip-Hop Section Summary
  0:32
- 01. Introduction to the Pieces
  1:04
- 02. Piston (Rock) - Walkthrough
  4:57
- 03. Piston (Rock) - Performance
  0:46
- 04. Take it to the Top (Pop) - Walkthrough
  3:58
- 05. Take it to the Top (Pop) - Performance
  0:50
- 06. Borderlands (Country) - Walkthrough
  3:49
- 07. Borderlands (Country) - Performance
  0:48
- 08. Power Trip - Walkthrough
  5:04
- 09. Power Trip (Metal) - Performance
  0:51
- 10. Big Mouth (Indie) - Walkthrough
  5:26
- 11. Big Mouth (Indie) - Performance
  0:52
- 12. The Dogg (Hip Hop) - Walkthrough
  6:14
- 13. The Dogg (Hip Hop) - Performance
  0:51
- 14. Overload (Rock) - Walkthrough
  5:23
- 15. Overload (Rock) - Performance
  0:50
- 16. Slam (Metal) - Walkthrough
  4:28
- 17. Slam (Metal) - Performance
  0:51
- 18. Under the Radar (Indie) - Walkthrough
  5:02
- 19. Under the Radar (Indie) - Performance
  0:50
- 01. Congratulations on Finishing the Course
  1:23

Lesson transcript

Bass Drum Technique

Heel Down Technique

Let's start with heel down, which I recommend for all beginners.

Foot Position: The whole part of your foot will be on the pedal board, with the back of your foot lining up with that part of the pedal.
Movement:
- Lift your foot up a little bit (not off the pedal) to release the beater.
- Press down with the top of the foot so that it meets the drum head.

Some people prefer to play the beater into the drum head. I choose not to do that, not because it's wrong or bad, but for sonic reasons:

"When the bass drum beater rebounds off the head, you get a nice sort of pure, clear tone and you get to hear the drum as a whole."

Experiment with Techniques

Beating into the Head: Burying the beater can alter the sound.
Play the Way You Want: Nothing is right or wrong—experiment to achieve the sound you desire.

Heel Up Technique

Some players use the heel up technique, which I have gradually adopted over the years for more power and speed:

Foot Position: Hold the leg in position, suspending it, and put the front part of the foot down to play a note.
Core Strength: This technique relies on core strength for balance and may feel more exhausting.

Combining Techniques

I often use a combination of both techniques, depending on the speed and style of the piece:

Example: Heavy metal drummers often play heel up due to the speed and power required.
Heel Toe Method:
- For some notes, keep the whole part of the foot on the pedal.
- Lift the heel for more attack or speed.

"You'll notice I was using a combination of both techniques, and that's fine."

Recommendations for Beginners

I highly recommend beginners stick with the heel down technique for better control and timing.

Hi-Hat Pedal Technique

In all these pieces, the hi-hats are closed.

Adjusting Hi-Hat Height

No Need for Strain: You don’t need to exert all your weight on the pedal to keep them closed.
Personal Preference: Adjust the height of the top hi-hat symbol to find your comfort:
- Some students prefer them closer together.
Balance: If the hi-hats are too far apart, you might need excessive pressure on the pedal and risk losing balance.

Playing Closed and Open Hi-Hats

For closed hi-hats, keep your whole foot on the hi-hat pedal and lift the top part of the foot for an open sound:
- This is similar to the bass drum technique.
For a crisper closed hi-hat sound, I sometimes use the heel up technique.

"It’s not really very comfortable for me to play with my heel down."

Comfort and Balance

Make sure you're balanced between your feet:

If you find yourself leaning more to one side, consider adjusting your stool position.
Experiment with your setup to ensure you are comfortable while playing.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions as you progress!

Part of the courseRockschool Drums Method for Beginners114 lessons (3h 47m)

This lesson is part of the full course. 1 lesson is free to watch.

from$13/month

Subscribe to Watch

Explore the course

Cancel anytime30-day refund

Your guruSophie Alloway

$13/monthSubscription

Subscribe to Watch

114 lessons

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Meet your guru

Sophie Alloway

Sophie Alloway is a session and touring drummer at the heart of the London jazz scene. She has performed with Jason Rebello, Yazz Ahmed, Laurence Cottle and Tony Allen, and notably played for Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace shortly before he became King.

Touring credits include Roots Manuva, the Thriller musical and Paul Stacey (Oasis / The Black Crowes). She is also the drummer in original fusion band Lydian Collective, with over six million Spotify streams.

Sophie has recorded sessions at Abbey Road, AIR and Angel studios, and her television appearances include Later… with Jools Holland, Glastonbury and two series of Adrian Dunbar’s drama Ridley. She is featured on Abbey Road Masters: The Drum Sessions and performed for the BBC Young Jazz Musician 2024 finalists, broadcast on BBC TV and Radio. Jon Newey of Jazz FM dubbed her the “goddess of groove”.

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