Developing Double Strokes on the Bass Drum
Using the "Hop And Drop" Technique

When I first began studying drums, I always practiced my rudiments/hand technique, reading and drum set coordination. I also spent a great deal of time learning and playing along with my favorite rock songs. Since most simple rock beats didn't require much bass drum pedal speed, I never gave much thought to developing it. I was able to jam along with my favorite songs and reproduce the drum parts fairly accurately, without much trouble.

Eventually, I began to encounter beats that contained two notes played in quick succession (double strokes) on the bass drum. These double strokes were especially prevalent in the drumming of John Bonham with the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin. I was blown away by the sheer speed with which Bonham played bass drum double strokes, so I decided that I absolutely had to learn how to pull them off!

When attempting to play fast double strokes on the bass drum, I realized there was no way I could move my whole leg quickly enough to perform them cleanly and consistently; I had to develop a technique that required less movement. Through trial and error, I began to develop a method which I later named the "Hop and Drop". I don't claim to have invented this technique, but it was never taught to me. Actually, most heel up players use this (or a similar) technique. I’ve just taken the opportunity to give it a catchy, descriptive name. Let's take a look at the Hop and Drop.

The First Stroke: The "Hop"

Begin with your foot flat on the pedal, as in Fig. 1 below. I usually play with my heel slightly up, but my students seem to learn the technique more easily when starting with the heel down and slightly exaggerating the motions. The movements can be easily adapted for heel up or heel down playing.

Fig. 1
imageIn one motion, pivot your ankle forward very quickly to make the first stroke and bounce or hop your leg up while lifting the heel . It is crucial to keep your foot in contact with the pedal at all times. You should see your knee raise as the first note sounds.

The hop will enable you to allow the beater to rebound fully. Additionally, the hop will prepare your leg for the drop, which produces the second bass drum note.

Fig. 2
image Fig.2 illustrates the moment of impact. Notice how the heel is raised above the pedal.
As the beater strikes the head, you must allow it to rebound fully, to prepare for the next stroke. You shouldn't rest the weight of your leg on the pedal and hold the beater against the drum head (known as "burying the beater"). Without the rebound, the second stroke of the double will be impossible to play from this position.

Fig. 3
image Fig.3 illustrates the position of the beater as it rebounds after impact. Notice how the heel is still raised above the pedal, poised for the drop which will produce the second note of the double stroke.

The Second Stroke: The "Drop"

This is the easy part. All you have to do is allow the weight of your leg to drop straight down and allow your foot to come to rest on the pedal. If executed correctly, you won't have to push down at all!

Fig. 4
image Fig. 4 illustrates the beater heading back toward the drum after the drop.

Fig. 5
image In Fig.5, you can see the final position of the double stroke. The heel comes to rest on the pedal as the second note sounds, allowing the beater to rebound slightly away from the drum head.

Summary

Practice this technique over and over, slowly, until you can play it without having to think about each movement. Be sure to pause between each double stroke, as it allows you to focus more on accuracy. Speed will take time, so be patient, remain relaxed, and shoot for control. Once you feel comfortable with the technique, you'll be able to increase the speed fairly easily. In order to get your doubles really fast, you must shorten up the motions. Eventually, the Hop and Drop will turn into what I call a "controlled twitch" that you can play very quickly and with a great deal of accuracy. Good luck!