Learn To Play Fast Double Bass | Ankle Technique Beginner Tutorial

this is so weird, i can do this +300 bpm freely with each leg but can't do the mid tempos like 180-250.. my leg kinda goes faster on it's own

To me this really was like a hack. I'm self-taught and been playing metal for a couple of years. I've also been on a plateau for quite some time. Regarding double bass, I could play a few bars at 200bpm without dying and even get it nice and clean on good days. Took a few weeks until I really had this one down, but the improvement is astonishing. Been going up by 10bpm daily in recent days. Could comfortably play 16th at 220bpm without really breaking a sweat today, so I pushed it up to 230. Struggling to hold it there, but I wouldn't even have tried playing 5 or 6 bars of 210bpm 16th a few weeks ago. Thats one of the most satisfying things about playing an instrument. When you lean a new technique and it takes some time but then it's like a swith has been turned and you start flying. Thank you so much.

thanks, the best tutorial, but there are a couple of things I don't understand about this technique:
1- what tension should the pedal spring have? It must be at maximum or with loose tension? (for to play as fast as possible)
2- is it necessary to wear sneakers? I say this because I practice with socks and when I try to do the movement my feet slip through the pedal.
3- In any pedal you can play ankle techinique at high speed or does it necessarily have to be a high-end pedal like an axis or speed cobra? (in my case I have an iron cobra 200)

with which technique can you achieve more speed? ankle technique or swivel ??

I'm just learning this to learn to air drum raining blood.

I dig the "lazy" explanation! :D

Awesome!

I

I have a question. Is the starting tempo 160 bpm with one foot and playing 8th notes or with 2 feet and playing 8th notes?

Anyone got any tips on how to stop using my shin muscles?

Doesnt spring tension and leg weight have any effect as well? Im pretty skinny and i always need go loosen the tension the higher i go..

Do that on more primitive pedals! Not on $800-$2000 trick and magnetic pedals!

Are you supposed to reach the same volume and power with the ankle technique as with the full leg motion? I'm way weaker with the ankle motion, maybe I'm not even doing it right :D

best explonation ever! thanx

What a great video!
You are incredible teacher and player, Marthyn!
Thank you 🙏 for your Great work!
❤️🌞🥁

Very important - do you have video discussion of pedal springs tension, Marthyn!

Thanks, this video on it's alone is a bit of game changer for me.

You've just perfectly described what's been holding me back for years! Thank you!

so if i get it right, relax whole leg so it's almost a "dead leg" and then start "pistol" shot with your calf so it feels like a "jumping" motion?

Very good info, Marthyn, now it's time to practice. You got my like. Keep on the good work

Amazing

Me watching this video: “Ohhhhhhhhh.”

Ok this is completely fucking with my head - I’m supposed to play the note on the upstroke?? That’s completely backwards to how I’ve always played (from the hip flexors).
How do I stop getting two (or more) hits? I get one when I lift my heel and a second when it drops back down; like heel-toe technique. Am I supposed to bury the beater or come off? I’ve always played beater off for the most part.
I honestly don’t get this at all - somebody please help!!

Intresting name

Croatia or serbian

I’ve been watching your videos for a while and I’ve been trying to practice many of de exercises but sadly no results.
When trying to exercise the ankle motion my shin muscles are growing tired and start to hurt. I really have no idea how to practice or exercise any further since I’ve been trying as many of the solutions in your videos.
Do you maybe have some tips for me cause I’m kinda out of options

Hi, I think that all of your videos are actual treasures, basically I'm learning PROPERLY how to play drums, as a self though drummer, thanks to your videos. I can't thank you enough for everything you do on this channel. Cheers from Italy, you truly rock on the drum!

Maan it’s so tough to master. I wonder if someone’s starting tempo is 208 bpm why do they even need to learn anything double bass related? Lol I’m struggling hard at 135

Marthyn, thank you so much for this lesson, its a game changer completely for me, I had the exact same issue as described in the video, I really thought i knew what i was doing haha..... my shin muscle also always hurt like described in the video.. Thank you for helping out SOMUCH

Looks like ball of foot on the middle of the pedal….push down, release using calf muscle, lifting heel-wonderful lessons sir, thank you!

Jesus christ I finally got it

Awesome it's crazy..i was stuck around 150 bpm....sometimes it's just minor things that hinder your progress...after your video, some floor practice and two hours of slow kit pratice i got up to 230 bpm...it's crazy...it was just a small thing that helped (the issues were my starting position and no tension in my calf) and i could finally break through...it's crazy i couldnt believe my ears :D

Who else watched this so you could play bleed by messhugah

Do we have to relax our calf muscles when we drop our heel?

When you talk about a comfortable starting double bass speed. Do you mean playing 8th or 16th notes?

If I contract my calf muscle things the beater doesn't go the direction you indicate. my heel go up, the beater goes away from the drum. when I relax the beater goes right in the drum and make the sound. How do I fix this ?😅

Mega pedal

This is so cool and very well explained. From my understanding this technique is counter intuitive as what we have learned that when playing heal up, dropping the leg corresponds to a hit on the bass drum head (not including double and triple strokes). But with this technique contraction of the calf muscles and thus lowering of the ball and toes of the foot correspond to a hit on the bass drum head. Time to get in the shed and practice.

Ankle technique vs slide technique. Can slide be even used for higher tempos?

As soon as you drew the ball of the foot on the pedal, I knew I had a questions. What if you have very long legs? You appear to be under 6 feet tall and have short legs. I am 6 feet tall and have long legs. When I place my foot on the pedal, my foot does not float on the pedal like yours. So do I have to raise my throne up high to adjust for this? If I raise my throne, that will cause issues with striking the drum heads because now I am further away from them.

Awesome explanation. I’m going to try this out. Thanks.

This was fantastically explained!

Insane video!! perfectly explained 🎉

Mit großem Abstand das beste Video zum Thema. Endlich mal ein Video welches den genauen Ablauf der Technik selbst beschreibt und fragen die einem immer wieder durch den Kopf schießen einfach direkt beantwortet. Unfassbar hilfreich!!!!! Weiter so !!!! Heute war ich frustriert, morgen weis ich was ich zu tun habe 🔥

Im playing faster and with more control in one month than the past 20 years, but I learned the technique wrong, im hitting the head on the heel down stroke, if is working so far should i keep doing it that way or "unlearn it" and practice it the right way?

Спасибо тебе добрый человек ! Хоть кто-то объяснил!!!

I cannot thank you enough for this video! I've been trying to get my quads to relax for over a year now and in just 2 days, I've (somewhat) achieved it! God bless you sir !!!

Holy shit I think this is the video I needed - the calve contracting upwards = beater hitting the drum, I thought it was the opposite!!