So should I life up my whole leg or just pivot my foot...

[Hamkins]

...to hit the bass pedal? Because I find it easier lifting the whole leg at the hip, though it seems more logical to just tap your foot up and down wihtout moving your leg. Which is it? Will either one hinder my drumming career in any way later on?

[Talos]

It depends, I LIFE IT UP when I play heel up but tap when I play heel down.

[Hamkins]

yeah thats what I'm asking. When my heels up i lift it and when its down i dont. So when do i do either one?

[CasB]

I move my whole leg...

[FockerTheLopper]

Its all preference. Whole leg is heel up, tapping foot is heel down. Heel up is better for louder playing heel down is better for softer playing(ussually). You should play both just so you can learn to play dynamics better.

[Ethan.]

Do what's comfy man. If you like one way better than the other, do it. Lifting your whole leg might be slowing you down a little though...

[FockerTheLopper]

Do what's comfy man. If you like one way better than the other, do it. Lifting your whole leg might be slowing you down a little though...
No because when you lift your leg you enable yourself to do heel toe so its faster.

[Ethan.]

True, but I wasn't talking about doing heel toe. I was talking about the normal technique.

[SkaRabbit]

i find heel toe works both ways?

[Ethan.]

When I do it, I start heel down for first stroke and my toe pushes my leg up on the second stroke. Is that right? I don't even use it that much anyways.

[alexmonty12]

My teacher has always told me to just pivot my foot whenever i play heel up, as it requires less energy, but i always play heel down, and you can't really lift your whole leg when you're doing that.

[LittlePound]

it's all a matter of preference. I play heel up (moving my entire leg to hit the pedal) becuase i'm able to more comfortably play faster and louder but heel down does have it's uses and applications to. Like i find that it's easier for me to play quietly heel down and i don't rush as much.

[Talos]

^ Yeah, if I want the bass to be quiet I play heel down. Its the same if its a slow song, I dunno why. Its more comfortable I guess.

[TTTSNB]

Use gradually less leg as you get faster, eventually graduating to all ankle.

[sean2332]

whole leg, until you get really fast, then it has to be ankle and toes

[Bernie812]

i play heel up, though im working on heel down.

i dont think its possible to do the slid techinque heel down, and i use slid a-lot.