What is double bass in drumming?

Double bass, in theory, is very simple. There are 2 bass pedals and you alternate between your legs to get that clean, equally spaced THUDs. I’ve always been fascinated by the effect double bass can have on a song just by sheer power. It is a very handy and easy hack for drummers to spice up any beat!

What is special about the double bass?

The Double Bass is a (very) Big Instrument It’s the largest bowed/plucked instrument in an orchestral line-up, meaning there are no bigger instruments that require a bow or finger plucking to play. As a result, double bass players often have some of the biggest muscles in the orchestra.

Why is the double bass important?

The double bass provides a unique sound in classical music. The instrument can play much lower than anyone can sing, and it provides the foundation for the orchestra’s sound. In an orchestra, basses are almost always way over on the right side of the stage. Bassists play sitting on a very tall stool or standing up.

Why do drummers have two bass drums?

When you share one bass drum with fast beats, the sound is sometimes cut down. With two separate bass drums, you are able to maximize the sound out of each kick before you cut it off with the next. The tuning issue can also work for your advantage. You may be trying to get another sound out of your additional drum.

Do drummers use both feet to play the bass drum?

But today it is quite common for a drummer to use both feet to play the bass drum. What were some of the notable turns taken in this bipedal evolution? It started with jazz legend Louie Bellson, a gifted musical school kid of 15 in 1939, who sketched out a double bass drum kit for an art class.

Who played two bass drums in jazz music?

Other swinging jazz drummers took Bellson’s lead and began using two bass drums, including Sam Woodyard (who followed Louie in the Ellington band), Rufus Jones, and Ed Shaughnessy, among others. But even as these pioneers mastered the double bass kit, paired kicks remained an oddity, awaiting a more open-minded era to break into popular use.

Is the double bass drum shuffle forever frozen in audio?

Thanks to this tune, the frenetic double-bass drum shuffle was forever frozen in audio. The twin bass drums played a R-L pattern, but the rhythm swung with a galloping feel.

What year did double bass become popular?

Though Moon’s best double bass recordings came in the ’70s, he did popularize the use of large double bass kits. On the East Coast, young Carmine Appice led the way to bona-fide, deliberately loud rock playing on a set of big-sized drums.