I am really surprised at the level of quality this guide provides. Short intro, overview of required tools and common problems presented on multiple common pedals. Very well done, textbook guide for sure
This was the first video that I watched about fixing my foot pedal I'm not lying this video is amazing of how simple this video was and it was super duper helpful and I'm just a kid thanks again for your explanation
Many thanks for this video... I finally learnt how to get the best out of my kick drum and pedal. Just done adjusting it perfectly to my comfort and speed, etc... Many thanks!!
I just needed to adjust the peddle as it kept falling off, it didn’t even occur to me that even the peddle would need an adjusting- Thank you for the helpful guide! Happy drumming!
I've not seen a better introduction and refinement of a bass drum pedal assortment for all percussionists from beginners to PRO! Would love to see a double kick pedal setup in a future video (excuse if you already have one) 😁
Thanks very much for your kind comment. This was my first video so it's great to hear that it's going down well. I may well do a double pedal set-up guide video at some point if there's enough demand for it. Thanks for watching. Pete
HOLY SHIT THANK YOU. My pedal kept slamming into the nut underneath of it and it was driving me crazy; I just needed to adjust the angle of my beater. Awesome guide!
Naga manu - from NagaLand.. thank you for ur explanation .. i almost thought my drum kick was spoilt ..but ur explanation saved me from buying a kick unnecessarily .. thank u so much for ur detailed information
hey thx mate im the drummer for a few churches in ca back in jan my home church we decided to let another church borrow our building in the afternoon but sometimes i help them out when their drummer needs a break, well this past thursday idk what she did (it's her kit on our stage mine are in the back) but Thursday i noticed she changed the pedal kinda of far from the bass our band was like: hit the bass matt im like i'am so this helps after all i can't afford to break the drum set that's not even mine i'll have to go in early tmr before the rest of the band so i have time to move it closer to the bass drum (hopefully it should only take me about 10 mins to do) but if not i'll just have to deal with it !!
Hey @Matt Alvarez thanks for checking out the video. I hope you managed to solve the pedal issue. Without seeing the pedal in person, my guess is that the other drummer had disconnected it from the bass drum hoop (probably to use a different pedal all together which is quite common when sharing kits) and then just put it back near it afterwards. It's really easy to reconnect. Just lift the bass drum slightly and connect the pedal clamp back on to the hoop see 5:34 in the video. Thanks again. Pete
@@BeatmastersGuild hey thx for the replay back yea that's what happened i talked with their pastors wife she said she was using her own pedal but suddely didn't feel good (that's why they asked me to fill in on drums cuz she's sick) im like wow that's not good but yea with my church this morning i got there at 7:45am cuz im like: this might take about 15 mins sure enough it did and then our band showed up they were like ready matt im like yea once second (i paused your video to tell them that lol) in my head im like hold on haha
@@BeatmastersGuild yea thx im glad this crazy pandemic is halfway over my church is going to the streets of san fran and im so happy this means i'll be able to pull out my kit that's been in the back of our church for an entire yr (yea the other church im only taking my cymbals) that's it for saturday see my church was like omg the drums are too loud and i was like well iv'e talked to her about tuning her drums but she doesn't do that so then my pastor one day last year goes here: a small thick towel for the snare ugh oh well
Wow !!!! nicely explained all the nuances of the bass drum. My kit is going to reach my address in the next few days so I'm super excited about it and this video added to my knowledge on how to assemble the foot pedal & the bass drums. Thanks a ton for all the information. May God Bless you abundantly.
@@paulaeden5934 my bass drum spurs do look straight down in the video, but they are angled slightly forward - it's hard to tell in the video. It's also partly down to the style of this drum - it's a 1990's Premier Signia and the bass drum spur design has a fixed position to set to which isn't angled as far forward as modern kits. Most modern kits allow you to angle the spurs further forwards than these which is better. This will help to keep the bass drum anchored to the floor when you're playing. Just make sure they're not angled too far. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching.
Good for you Larry. Best of luck with your drumming! I'll be doing some beginners lessons soon, so stay tuned and let me know if you have any questions
@@MissStephGrace really glad to hear that, thank you, very kind of you. Yes there are many more videos in the pipeline. Lots of how-to's and lesson content too. Watch this space
Great thank you. Any tips on how to fix a rusty single pedal chain? I have a Yamaha pedal almost identical to the one in this video and the single chain is a little rusty. Thanks
@Dan Christian It's well worth oiling the moving parts on any pedal that gets regular use - chain, heel plate hinge and bearings on the axle etc. But If you have the time, you can disassemble the pedal completely and soak the metal parts in white vinegar for a day or two to remove the rust (it might remove paint too though), then put it back together and oil the parts mentioned above. If the pedal has been heavily used and has a lot of play in the bearings, then they can be replaced fairly cheaply if needs be and you may even be able to find a replacement chain on eBay. Good luck with the restoration.
Also, the reso side of the kick is just slightly raised where I can just slide my hand underneath. The kick is level as I checked it with a level to make sure.
@Shaguolo Precious thanks for watching. There are many ways you can improve the depth of sound from a bass drum and get a deeper bass sound from it but there are lots of factors affecting it - what size bass drum is it? What heads are on it currently? How much (and what type) of dampening are you using? And what style do you play? Depending on what style you play, you can try using a good quality front resonant head - like a Remo Powerstroke or Evans EQ head. That will make a difference. Also the choice of batter head too - single ply will have more sustain whereas a double ply head will give you a lower fundamental pitch. Don't go too mad with the damping too - loads of pillows and blankets etc will just muffle out the sound too much. experiment with your tuning too - resonant head slightly higher pitched will give a nice sustain
Any tips on calming a bouncing beater? Feel like I've tried every pedal setting imaginable.. Have a port in my resonate head and both heads are tuned barely past finger tight... any clue why I'm still plagued with beater bounce? Kick drum is a smaller 20''x10" - however this is something I've always struggled with even on past kits.
@brandenlikesbeer if you've tried every pedal setting and it's still happening, then it could be a technique issue. But try setting the spring tension very low and see if it still happens (you wouldn't necessarily leave it set low - it's just an experiment to test it out). Are you playing heel up or heel down on the pedal? That can have an affect - does it increase with louder playing for instance. My experience of teaching people with double-triggering issues is that it's sometimes down to tension in the leg (and often whole body too). Try burying the beater into the head when you play simple beats and see if you can make one really solid, and defined note. Worth double checking that the pedal isn't bottoming out on the wing screw underneath by the way, or hitting the drum at an angle past where it's intended to because the drum isn't angled up enough at the reso side. Check the height of the bass drum spurs to make sure the drum is in a comfortable position for the beater to hit it. Not too high off the ground and not too low. Good luck. Hope you can resolve
Hi, Luke, yes the same techniques will apply to setting up a double bass drum pedal. Just remember to set the same spring tension and angle of attack on both pedals. Cheers
I tighten the key screw until I can't turn it anymore, but the beater comes out after playing for about 3 songs. Really at a loss as to what to do! Considering super glue now
That is frustrating. It sounds like a couple of possible things; the beater shaft diameter is perhaps the wrong size for the pedal? or perhaps the key screw is cross-threaded or "threaded" and therefore only becoming tight enough to hold it for a short time, or perhaps you may have over tightened it and stripped the threads inside. If it is not these issues, then you could try using loctite or another similar metal thread glue to hold it in place. Hope you get it fixed. Thanks for watching.
Hi @FretBunch There's a few reasons to elevate the reso side of the bass drum. Firstly, it creates a better point of contact for the beater on the batter head, essentially meaning that the beater can hit the head without the pedal's footboard bottoming out and fouling on the rails or hoop-mount wing screw. Secondly, the elevated reso head increases the resonance of the drum slightly (less contact with the floor) and thirdly, it allows the bass drum spurs to have a better grip on the carpet and stop the drum sliding forward when being played. (obviously you twist to select rubber feet if playing on a hard floor surface.) Hope this info helps, thanks for taking the time to watch. Cheers
It can be adjusted using the drum key fitting that I point to at 1:01 in the video. Loosen that screw off and slide the beater up or down to the desired height
i have a Supra pedal, a Westbury and a Chinese Edrum pedal, none of which allows for beater angle adjustment. I was hoping for some kind of miraculous 'hack' here but I guess I need to buy a pedal.
There might be a way of doing it if you take it all apart and reassamble the axle with the cam in a different position, but it can be complicated and not really worth it. I will say this though, if you upgrade your pedal to even a budget second hand one, you'll notice a big improvement in feel and how nice it is to play. Treat yourself
Really great video! Thanks so much. I have a DW9000 kick pedal. I clamp it to the hoop dead center but my beater strikes just slightly to the right of dead center. Is that normal? The pedal is centered and brand new. My SJC custom kit is brand new as well.
Firstly, what a great set up! Dw5000 pedal with a SJC custom kit!? - I bet that's fantastic! As for the beater position, don't worry too much. It's quite normal for the beater to hit just off dead centre, especially on smaller bass drums. The 5000 pedals, although excellent, are slightly harder to position in my opinion than some other makes. You can adjust the beater holder on the axle and slide it along (left or right ) a bit if you need (think it's an hex key adjustment just underneath) but a tiny bit off centre is generally ok. Thank you for watching and enjoy the new kit!
Oh yeah. It’s a beautiful setup. I’ll be 40 soon and I’ve always wanted to customize my own kit. I’m grateful for it no doubt. Thank you so much for the detailed reply. I figured it’s probably nothing to be concerned about, it’s just the OCD side of me wanting it to be in the center. lol. I actually have the DW 9000 pedal not the 5000 and I can’t really figure out how to adjust the cam position horizontally but if you think it’s nothing to worry about and I’m not missing out on any punch then I’ll leave it for now. Thank you kindly good sir.
@@DrumN4Jesus oh yeah, I've just re-read it and saw that it was a 9000 pedal you have, not the 5000, sorry. I'm not so familiar with that model as I don't have one, but a quick look online myself and I couldn't see an obvious way of adjusting the beater position L-R on the axle, so it might be difficult to get dead-centre alignment. The main thing to consider, is the sound and the feel of it - if the pedal feels good to play and the sound is good, then I wouldn't worry too much. After all, concert bass drums aren't played dead-centre and it's less-critical on an acoustic kit than it is on an electric kit (for triggering consistency reasons). As long as it isn't miles off! Happy drumming and enjoy the great set up you've got! Thanks for watching
Thanks for the help! Altho sadly my pedal doesnt seem to have any ability to change the angle :( is that just me being stupid or are there more pedals with this issue?
Hi Bart, some pedals don't have that ability, but most do. What make and model have you got? - I'll google it and tell you if it has the ability to be adjusted or not
Hey, i have a double bass drum pedal but my left pedal keeps on hitting the clamp, base. I have tried increasing the size between the head and beater but it makes no difference. Would appreciate some advice :)
Hi @Edster this can be a common problem on double bass drum pedals. Try increasing the height of the front of the bass drum from the floor by lengthening the spurs (shown at 5:10 in the video). That should stop it bottoming out because the beater can hit the head sooner. If your left foot pedal is still bottoming out on the clamp under the footplate) before the beater hits the bass drum, then you could always try removing the wingscrew from under the left footboard (if it's the left pedal then it's not needed to clamp the pedal to any bass drum hoop). Hope this helps. Pete
That's annoying. Assuming that it's just one nut - and not two nuts done up tight against each other - then It might just have been over tightened, in which case, finding a suitable sized mini wrench or spanner will help to undo it. Make sure you're turning the correct way to undo. If it still won't undo, then. Maybe try a drop of penetrating oil first, let it soak in and it will soften it up - you may need to reapply a few times. If you do get it undone, clean the oil off the threads before reassambling. If you're really desperate to get it off and adjust it, then you may be able to just cut it off with a hacksaw and buy a new spring and nut assembly and fit it. Make sure to check compatibility first though. If it's a Cheap pedal though then it would be better and cheaper to just upgrade the pedal, even if it's a second hand one. Good luck with the fix. Thanks for watching
I have the e kit Simmons titan 50 and am using the pedal that comes with, and if I’m playing a decent amount the beater angle adjuster attached to the spring just slides off and I keep trying to tighten the thing but it still happens :( Think I probably just need a higher end pedal and want a double kick pedal anyways
You could always try using a drop of loctite or similar thread lock fluid to hold it in the position that you want it - once you've got it in the right position for you obviously. Failing that, an upgraded pedal will definitely make a difference. It'll feel nicer to play too.
@@BeatmastersGuild oh yeah, true! Thanks for the recommendation :). I was talking with a guitar center worker who I’ve sorta known from the store for a while who recommended (for me not wanting to spend d a lot) tama iron cobra 200 or DW 2000 so I might invest soon!
As far as I know, they are cast metal. Die cast probably, or some type of alloy. It's a surprisingly weak material, which is why they often break or crack. More expensive pedals are less likely to break than the cheaper ones
Question 🙋♀️. Would it be wise to spray a little DW 40 on to your chain if it’s making to much noise. I using the DW foot pedal and it sounds noise and rather hard to push down. I play on other drummers Kit and it’s like there pedals are just flowing and I can easily play doubles in a heart beat.
@gatlinproduction yes using WD40 or similar is always a good idea to keep things moving freely. However, if your pedal isn't moving well and it's not because of a spring tension issue, then it could be that the bearings for the axle have worn out and become clogged up with debris which slows movement down and makes the pedal noisier. Try oiling every moving part - spring, chain bearings and hinge where the heel plate is and see if that makes a difference first before looking at replacing bearings. I think that DW do sell them seperately though if you need to replace them. Hope you get is sorted.
I appreciate you helping me out I have a new problem though now! Anytime I use my kick drum pedal it keeps detaching from the kick drum is that because it's not clamping down all the way?
Most likely to be the clamp coming undone yes, check the clamp is tightening properly. You may need a hoop protector strip on the hoop too if the clamp doesn't tighten up properly. but also check that the angle of the bass drum is correct too - not too steep or wonky. What type of pedal is it? Is it like the basic one I show here with a flat bar underneath it? Or is it like the other two I show with rails underneath
@@jordonpolete7381 in that case you need to make sure that the flat bar underneath is attached to the clamp properly, before you tighten the clamp down onto the hoop. If you have done that and it still comes away, then I would strongly suggest a cheap second hand upgrade would make a massive difference to your playing and enjoyment of it. There's loads of bargains on gumtree/marketplace etc and you can probably pick up a decent make mind range pedal by the likes of tama, pearl, Mapex, sonor, Gibraltar etc, nice and cheap. It's definitely worth it. Those really cheap pedals are notoriously bad for falling apart in every way, they're also horrible to play on
Hi, I have a problem with my pedal. It's the same as lose spring tension but it's because while putting pressure, the beater with its metal stick just slide like it's lose somewhere
This can happen because of the problems shown at 0:50 or 4:14 in the video. If it's not either if those, then something somewhere else has come loose. Hope you get it fixed. Good luck
Hey there, great video! Im just having some trouble playing with the spring tension because the bottom nut wont budge. Nothing of the stuff is damaged, but it seems like its stuck there. Is there any way to fix that?
@Sport Boy thanks for watching. I have, occasionally, come across pedals where the nut is fixed and therefore can't be adjusted. This is rare though. Maybe worth checking that yours is a model with adjustability first of all. Assuming that it is though, there are a couple of things you can try - firstly, check that there isn't a second nut done up tight against the first one, as this will stop it moving (common trick done to stop them undoing whilst playing). If there is, then turn one nut one way and the other nut the other way to separate them. Secondly, you could try soaking the nut and threads in WD40 or similar oil for a while to try and loosen the threads, or you could heat it to expand it, or you could try tightening and loosening it to see if you can get it to free-off. Best of luck fixing though. Cheers. Pete
Best way of stopping it coming loose is to get a second nut (a hardware store will help find you the right size if you're not sure) and tighten that up against the first one (once you've set the desired tension first). Or, you could get some loctite or thread lock fluid, and apply a bit to the thread of the nut - this will be harder to adjust in the future though. First method will be better.
@Jake Zee on some pedals, the nut is fixed to the frame so it won't turn at all. It's most likely this. However, If you're sure it is separate from the frame, then try soaking it in penetrating oil to loosen it up first. My bet is that it's fixed though and not able to move
If you take the assembly to a hardware store you can probably buy a generic nut to fit on - possibly 6mm/8mm - different makes are different sizes so I don't know for sure. However, the easiest route is to buy a new 'bass drum pedal spring tensioner assembly'. It'll come with the spring washer that's needed too. Make sure you get the correct make though and make sure it is compatible with your model of pedal
My drum world base beat still not moving outwards when l have done all that you said, could you help please, it's the same as the second one you have there
I'm not sure what the thread size is exactly but I'd guess it's either 6mm or 8mm. You could contact Ludwig and see if they'll send you one, but it'll probably be more expensive. Alternatively, buy yourself a set of assorted nuts (and bolts too maybe) and you'll be able to get a 6mm or 8mm to match. Maybe even try a hardware store.
The beater that I use does double inputs when I mean to only hit once. It sorta bounces with each input. Not sure how to fix this. I have a Alesis nitro max 2nd gen
Without seeing and hearing it it's hard to tell exactly, but could be a few things; firstly the spring tension could be set too tight, or the sensitivity threshold setting in the module or 'brain' is set too high and it's double triggering, or finally, it could potentially be a technique issue - where you place your foot on the footboard and how you play (heel up or down etc) all makes a difference. Do you get the same issue on an acoustic kit? If so, it might be technique, if not, it'll be the wrong spring tension, angle of attack and/or module threshold setting. Good luck, hope you solve it either way
@JosiahBown most beaters have a shaft diameter of 6mm or 1/4", so yes they should fit most standard pedals. It's worth checking pedal maker's info to make sure though
It's hard to say, without seeing it, but I'm going to have a try and guess what it could be anyway: Assuming you're definitely tightening it and not loosening it, the hook could be lifting up too high when you turn the screw, perhaps crushing the hook slightly to be more closed might help. If it's a decent pedal, then maybe the spring assembly is worn out, if it's a cheap pedal though, the hook won't be very adjustable unfortunately and it will keep happening. Sorry I can't be any more help, if you are able to describe the problem in better detail I will try to advise more - does it fall off while you turn it? Or whilst playing? What make is it? How tight is the spring set? That sort of info might help. Hope you can solve it.
If you mean the clamp that clamps to the hoop, then perhaps it's just jammed or stuck? Make sure you're turning it anti clockwise to undo it. If it is stuck, then maybe a bit of a tap or knock might free it off. Hope you get it sorted
Could be a few things. Maybe the floor isn't level, or it's on an angle, or the pedal isn't centred correctly to the hoop. Finally, it could be to do with the height and angle of your bass drum spurs (legs) - if they are set too low or not matched, and the front bass drum hoop is touching the floor, then it will bring the back of the pedal up when you tighten the pedal down. I'd start by looking at the spurs. It's covered in this video near the end. Hope you get it sorted.
For problem number 3. My pdp 402 double bass pedal doesn’t seem to have to same Alan key adjuster for the distance of the beaters. I’m looking around and I don’t see one anywhere 🤷🏻♂️
Hi @FlyingSpoon4657 I've had a look at some pictures of the PDP pedal and it seems to have the same small grub screws for adjusting the angle of attack on the beaters. There is one screw to adjust to right side beater and one to adjust the left beater. Both screws are located on the right foot pedal. Follow the springs up to where they join the axle and they are located above that on the top of the cam (like in the video). They look to be very small grub screws. Hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions and I'll be happy to try and help. Cheers
@@BeatmastersGuild thanks for the help! but whats really weird is that those holes right above the springs where the alan key fits into it doesnt seem to work. ive been trying to screw to the left to loosen it, but nothings happening, and ive almost broken the damn key with trying to unscrew it! its really weirdly designed.
@@Djent_Djeneratordid you buy the pedal new or is it second hand? Sometimes the grub screws can back out and fall out, is there definitely a grub screw still in the threaded hole?
@@BeatmastersGuild i bought it brand new just recently. its a solid set of pedals, just that i want to adjust it. when i can, ill make sure to check it again to see if theyre there!
@@Djent_Djenerator yes they are good pedals. The grub screws could be held in with loctite or similar from new (this is to stop them coming loose over time). If the screws are definitely there and you can feel them coming loose when you unscrew them, then try keeping the Allen key in with one hand and rotating the beater angle with the other hand (sometimes it can be stiff). If you cant feel anything loosening at all, then it might be worth contacting PDP or the retailer you bought them from rather than risk rounding off the head off the screw with force. If they won't help you and you're still stuck, then you can film the issue and link it in this comment thread here and we'll see if there's something obvious we've missed. Hope you can get it resolved either way. Pete
Not much info in your comment for me to be able to give more advice, but assuming that the first problem I outlined in the video was what's wrong with your pedal, then it's worth checking that the beater diameter is correct for your pedal (if it's too small then it won't tighten), and secondly worth checking that the screw isn't cross-threaded too. Happy to try advise further if you give me some more info. Cheers