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Let's Try Something in "3" | Double Bass Illusion Ostinato

Double Bass Illusion Ostinato

by Rob Leytham

As a teacher, I have often been put to the test when a student comes to a lesson asking, "Would you teach me double bass?" Now I have no trouble teaching double bass when I know the student has a double bass drum kit or a double pedal to practice on. However, not all of my students afforded that luxury. So for students who don't have the equipment, I show them how to reproduce the sound of a double pedal using the following ostinato that is in my book OSTINATOS FOR THE MELODIC DRUMSET (MB9645 l). These give the illusion of a double bass groove.

First, tune the floor tom close to the same pitch as the bass drum. Play straight 8th notes on floor tom with your right hand counting 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & with the bass drum kicking on the 8th note subdivisions "e" and "ah". Play 8th notes on the hi hat with your foot.

Once you're comfortable playing that ostinato, play the rhythmic solo written below with your left hand between the snare and high tom.

Now try playing 32nd notes between your floor tom and bass drum while keeping the 8th note pattern goin with your hi hat. Continue counting the 8th note subdivision when playing the rhythmic solo with your left hand. Make sure that you keep the double strokes between the floor tom and bass drum even. To play the fast doubles on the floor tom you should use a Drop/Pull technique where you drop the stick down with the wrist on the 8th note and pull up with the fingers to get the 32nd note. (This will make a cleaner double since it is so hard to get a bounce on a loose drum head.)

Once those two ostinatos are mastered, try adding the snare drum on counts 2 and 4 with your right hand.

Now go back and play each ostinato exercise with the rhythmic solo. You will find that you will be able to come up with some wonderful single bass grooves along with some exciting melodic solos. If you want more ideas, then try the melodic solos in my book mentioned earlier OSTINATOS FOR THE MELODIC DRUMSET. Have fun with it!

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About the Author

Rob Leytham is a private drum instructor at Antioch Music Center in Kansas City, Missouri. He has written nearly 20 articles for MODERN DRUMMER magazine and 4 books for MEL BAY: Rock Drumming and Soloing Methods, Jazz and Blues Drumming (available as a download), Rudimental Drumset Solos for the Musical Drummer, and the award winning educational book Ostinatos for the Melodic Drumset. Visit Rob at www.robleytham.com.