There are a lot of key components to consider when putting together your drum kit. But one of the most important is the bass drum pedal, as it's a piece that will get lots of use.
Two drums in your kit get used a lot - the snare and the bass. So when looking for accessories to help you, you can see why finding the best bass drum pedal would be so important.
Because bass drum pedals are such an important aspect of your drum kit, there are many options to choose from both in design and in the brand name. This can make it challenging to find the right one for your needs.
We understand that, and so we have crafted this buyer's guide where we recommend the best bass drum pedals on the market, and what you need to know before purchasing.
What are Bass Drum Pedals?
The bass drum pedal is also known as a kick drum pedal. The history of these drum pedals goes all the way back to 1900, when the very first single bass drum pedal was ever created. Introduced by the Sonor Drum Company, the initial model wasn't quite effective.
But just nine years later, through some tweaking, the forefather of the bass drum pedals we now know today was released onto the market. The bass drum pedal is housed at the feet of the drummer and is used to play the bass drum.
How Do Bass Drum Pedals Work?
The setup for a bass drum pedal is very similar to that of the one for your hi-hat. There is a footboard that is pressed which then activates to pull a chain or some sort of drive mechanism downward. This, in turn, brings the mallet forward, connecting with the drum head.
The beater itself is usually made of wood plastic or even felt it is attached to a metal shaft. All of those components are attached to a metal frame which is then controlled by a spring tension unit to maintain the pressure that is needed two for the beater to strike and also the amount of recoil when released.
Single vs Double Bass Drum Pedal
The first thing you would have to decide is whether you want a single or a double pedal. With a single bass drum pedal, you use one foot to control it, and with a double bass drum, you have two-foot pedals that you can use to get a heavier bass sound.
When deciding between the two options, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:
Music
The first thing you'll have to think about is the type of music you play. For those playing for more groove-oriented music, a single bass pedal is perfect because it allows for a little more creativity. However, if you're into heavier music like rock or metal, you'll need more power and speed over creativity. Because of this, the double bass pedal is a better option.
Experience
Just like with anything, if you're a novice drummer, it is always best to learn in stages. So for that reason, we suggest that new drummers start with a single pedal, and once you have gotten that down, then if you choose to, you can move to a double pedal.
Sound Quality
The truth is that no matter if you're using a singular double pedal, you will always get a better sound quality from a double bass kit. Two kicks are always better than just one.
How To Choose The Right Bass Drum Pedal
Whether you're looking for the best double bass drum pedal or the best bass drum pedal for jazz, there are certain features that you should pay attention to when looking to choose the right model for you.
These features are the features we used to create the list below of some of the best bass drum pedals on the market.
Here are the features that we used:
Drive Type
The drive, when speaking of pedal drives, is the object that connects the beater with the footboard, which in essence allows the pedal at work. There are three main designs for this mechanism- chain, belt, and direct drive.
Chain Pedals (single and double chain)
The chain drive is probably the most popular for drummers. Within this category, there are two types to choose from. The first is the single chain which is self-explanatory.
The dual chain is actually more common than the single chain as it does tend to give more flex, and that reduces friction and side-to-side movement. You will, however, find on less expensive models that single-chain tends to be more prevalent.
Belt Pedals
With a belt drive pedal instead of a chain connecting the footboard and beater, a solid belt is used. This helps reduce the friction and often gives the pedal a lighter feel, although it does not last as long as the chain models.
Although a belt drive has a few benefits, such as being easier to see wear and tear on them and they are a bit stiffer and give a better connection.
Direct Drive Pedals
For those that are playing music that relies on speed, precision, and technique, you may consider a direct drive pedal as it increases response, power, and control. Direct drive pedals replace the chain or the belt with a rock-solid bridge connecting the two-pedal pieces. This gives the direct-drive pedals a little more durability than the other types of pedals.
Cam Type
Another feature to look at is the cam which is the unit that connects the drive to the beater. There are two types of cams: one of them is a linear, and the other an offset.
Linear
A linear cam maintains the same radius no matter how fast the beater is being pressed. This allows the beater to keep the speed consistent from beginning to end.
Offset
On the opposite side, the offset cam tends to allow the beater to speed up the closer it gets to the drumhead. The unit will begin to rotate, and this will cause the pedal to feel lighter in the beginning. As the unit gets closer to the head, the feel of the pedal unit will get heavier, and the radius will decrease.
One point to note is that there are many options out there including interchangeable cams so that you can change them up depending on the style of music you are playing.
Footboards
With footboards, you will have a lot of choices in different shapes and sizes. As you begin to look at your bass drum pedals and consider the footboard, the most important thing to look at is the standard versus the longboard model.
If you go with the standard, this pedal will have a hinge by where the player's heel is, so the drummer has a place to stick their foot; there will also be a portion of the footboard that is not used during playing.
Longboard pedals, however, lack that groove, so it gives you a longer footboard to use as a playing surface. For drummers that play heel-toe or use a rocking technique, the longboard is the right option as it will help give you a better response and speed.
Many players also find this option super comfortable, especially if they have larger feet.
Length
Regarding the comfortability of play, one of the factors you should look at is the pedal length. It may not play a part in the overall performance of the pedal, but it will play a part in the amount of time it's comfortable to play. When looking at this feature, you want to base your choices on the size of shoe you wear.
Feel
For the feel of your bass drum pedal, the biggest component that affects this is the drum beater. It's important to look at the beaters material, the shape, the size, and weight which will all affect the sound of the drum and the ease of play.
This is solely an individual preference, so try out a few before settling on your final option.
What is the Best Bass Drum Pedal?
So now that you have an idea of what you look for when choosing the best bass drum pedal for you, we can take a look at some of the drum pedals that we think are the best in the market.
Below we will take an in-depth look at several different types. Hopefully, this will help you in your decision-making process.
1. Tama Iron Cobra 200
The first product that we will be looking at is the Iron Cobra 200 bass drum double pedal. The unit is designed with Tama's patented spring-tight system.
This is a special system that uses a spring tension rod to improve the speed and power of the drummer's strike action. The inclusion of this spring system helps catapult the footboard backed its original position without movement for a smoother feel.
Along with this, the Iron Cobra is fitted with the power glide cam, which is intended to help with power and speed. This is a system that uses a single chain offset cam which increases the speed and power of the beater as it nears the drumhead.
This high-quality drum pedal which is built with premium-grade materials, also offers the drummer personalization options through the adjustable beater angle and spring tension systems.
For us, the ability to adjust the beater angle so that the unit will hit the drum flat is one of the best things about the Iron Cobra double pedal for your kick drum.
Though there is a lot to love about this drum pedal from Tama, there are still a few things that we feel you should be aware of. We love the fact you can adjust the spring tension and that the spring is designed to help improve your overall performance, but some may feel that it is not as durable as other models.
Also, some drummers found the left pedal moving a little bit.
Pros
Cons
If you're looking for the fastest single bass drum pedal out there, then opting to include the DW 9000 in your kit setup could be a good choice. The single kick drum pedal is crafted with high-quality aircraft-grade aluminum, which optimizes the durability.
The DW 9000 is just one of several models that are available in the 9000 series. This series is designed for drummers and techs with tons of special features, including memory locks on the joints and the base assembly, in addition to other high-performance additions.
The single bass drum pedal is crafted with many of those features, including a free-floating rotor drive system and a swivel spring an adjustable cam. All of these components are carefully designed to enhance the transfer of energy and create more power and precision.
One of the best things for us when looking at these special features is the infinitely adjustable cam, which helps increase the speed, making this a great option for those who play music with a little faster tempo.
Of course, that is not taking anything away from the free-floating rotor drive, which helps transfer the power of the drummer from the footboard right through to the beater. This also helps provide a smoother feel.
That being said, there are still a few issues that we feel should be addressed. The first is that the material is durable but lightweight. Many have found that the aluminum baseplate tends to twist out of shape after excess use.
Also, because the aluminum is so lightweight, there is a chance of movement when playing. However, the movement isn't so much side to side as it is the back of the baseplate lifting off the ground. This could make for uncomfortable end inconsistent play.
Pros
Cons
The next bass drum pedal is a single pedal model that uses a single chain cam drive to deliver the best bass drums for beginners. Crafted with a cast frame that is finished with a textured black finish, this pedal is not only high performance, but it looks cool too.
But where this 5711S pedal really shines is in the overall design, starting with the G-style footboard. The footboard design is crafted to improve the drummer's foot grip, which will also help with their high tempo beat consistency.
But that is not the only unique design feature of this bass drum single pedal; there are also the steel rock plates. By including these plates, Gibraltar has crafted a pedal that has heightened stabilization which will also help with overall consistency.
Along with that, the pedal comes with a beater making it useable on multiple surfaces. The inclusion of this dual surface beater will allow the player to rock out in multiple music genres. It is also great because the weighted beater helps give those with less leg power a little extra kick.
The overall design of this pedal from Gibraltar may not be the most expensive nor the most feature-laden. Still, it does give the drummer a nice level of power, smoothness, and precision.
Even with all of that, though, we think there are still a few things that could be improved on to elevate this single-chain bass drum pedal to new heights. Of the two, the biggest for us is that there have been some drummers to experience resonance from the pedal due to its frame. This could be something that changes the overall quality of sound.
The last issue we have is that because of the high quality that is already there, we do wish that there were extra features attached so that there would be more versatility when it came to the player's experience.
Pros
Cons
There are a few names that are synonymous with instruments, and one of those is Pearl. The next double bass drum pedal that we will be looking at comes from this illustrious company and is crafted with a dual chain drive and other great features that help this bass drum pedal get its rock-solid reputation.
These dual chain drive pedals are also fitted with the click-lock mechanism that has become a standard feature in many of Pearl's products. But for us, one of the best things about these pedals is the red line coating used to increase the grip on the footboard. This will keep the drummer's foot from slipping and allow for more feel one playing.
Along with that, the footboard uses high-quality steel ball bearings that help reduce friction and up the speed. These ball bearings also help reduce the sound, which is always nice, especially when recording.
Versatility is also a word that you might associate with this drum pedal as it comes with a 4 sided beater and multiple different cams to give you a plethora of options in relation to playing styles. This is what makes us feel that this is indeed one of the most universal bass drum pedals on the market.
All of that is great, and then when you add in the spring suspension, which is designed to swing freely, you get a bass drum pedal that offers a smooth, quiet action that provides the drummer a unique feel when using this pedal.
The smooth action and amazing benefits you get from using this drum pedal are undoubtedly well worth consideration. However, for beginners, the intricate setup and design may feel a little overwhelming.
Other than that, the only other issue we have is that, unlike other models from Pearl, these pedals are not designed with a drum key. This reduces the simplicity of setup, and that could be a problem for some drummers.
Pros
Cons
The last drum pedal on our list is another model from Tama, and it is designed for speed. It's a double bass drum pedal and has been designed with a double chain drive that helps improve responsiveness. These bass drum pedals combine lots of benefits of other models from this company but use a long footboard format with a recessed setting to heighten its performance.
The footboard of this pedal is longer than your normal pedal, which for those drummers that like to play heel-toe is a must. Along with this, the unit is fitted with a hinged guard block that ensures that the drummer will be able to rock out with speed and precision.
When you are rocking out with speed, the one thing many drummers worry about is the stability of the pedal itself. These pedals are crafted with a wider base plate, which elevates the unit's stability beyond many of its competitors.
Along with the lightweight sprockets used in the design of this unit which gives it a lighter weight, it also comes with a hard-shelled case which increases the ease of transport. That is super important for those drummers that are on the road and having to lug their kit from gig to gig.
All of those benefits combine to make the Speed Cobra one of the best bass drum pedals that is an excellent fit for intermediate or experienced players. With all of that said, it is very easy to see why we feel this drum pedal gives the drummer a ton of value for very little monetary expenditure.
he one big drawback for this Speed Cobra pedal is that it is a little more intricate, and therefore, beginners should really steer clear of this option. However, many other excellent quality drum pedals are available to get started with, and we have looked at a few above.
There have also been some drummers who have complained about the drive system quality not being the best. In addition, some of them have felt that it cannot stand up to consistent use with fast music.
Pros
Cons
Bass Drum Pedal FAQs
Whether you're looking for a direct drive pedal or a dual chain pedal, we hope that the information and options above have helped you. However, even though we have given you a lot of information, we know that you may still have some questions.
So we have gathered together some of the most commonly asked questions about bass drum pedals and answered them
1. What is the best DW pedal?
To answer what the best bass drum pedal from DW is, it really depends on what you're looking for. For instance, if you're a beginner and have very limited funds, you may check out the DW 2000. It offers a smooth feel and is built to last.
For those that are a little more experienced, the best bass drum pedal option is the DW 5000, which will cost you a little bit more. However, it comes with many great features, including a solid double chain drive and adjustable beater angle, along with chain length and footboard height.
If you're looking for the best direct drive pedal, then the DWCPMDD2 MDD machined double bass drum pedal is a great choice as well. This direct drive pedal offers some of the best responsive feels and is perfect for the more experienced drama.
The good thing with DW is that there is a wealth of choices. From direct drive pedal to dual chain, you will easily find the best bass drum pedal for you.
2. How do you lubricate a bass drum pedal?
Keeping your bass drum pedal well lubricated is vital to maintaining its durability and in turn its performance. Therefore, the very first thing you should do is disassemble your pedal and then, using a lint-free cloth, remove any of the factory lubricant or lubricant you have used in previous maintenance that is still remaining.
Once you have the pedal disassembled, you can treat each part with the lubricant of your choice. This includes the cam, the spring, the screws, and any other components vital to the pedal's feel and performance. As you are doing this, you will, part by part, reassemble the bass drum pedal.
One word of note as you do this, make sure to wipe off any excess lubricant with the lint-free cloth so as not to cause any problems further on down the road.
3. How do I keep my bass drum pedal from sliding?
There are many options, tricks and hacks to keep your bass drum pedal from sliding. You can, of course, place your pedal and kit on some sort of carpet. This would lend extra traction and keep the pedal from sliding.
Many drum pedals come with spikes that you can attach to the bottom, which will help with grip on the floor. If the pedal doesn't come with spikes, you may find that the pedal itself is fitted with rubber on the bottom, which also improves grip.
The last option we'll talk about here is Velcro. Attaching Velcro to the bottom of the pedal will give you a rock-solid grip that you know will not go anywhere. Those are just some of the ways you can keep your drum pedal from sliding.
What is the best way to set up a bass drum?
Once you have chosen the best bass drum pedal for your needs, it's time to set it up so that you get the most out of it. The overall setup will depend on the pedal you have chosen to go with; however, there are a few universal things in regards to this process.
The very first thing you're going to want to do is to adjust the tension and angle, and there are two main ways that you can do this. So the first thing you want to do is decide whether you want to increase or decrease the tension, either way, you will be adjusting the tension nut to do this.
Once that's done, you will then turn to adjust your cam, otherwise known as the beater, angle adjustment. This typically requires an Allen wrench (though some models have a cam adjustment square that you can use).
The overall setup of the pedal depends on the style of music, and you're playing style, but these two features will be the ones you will move to find the perfect settings.
Conclusion
Investing in the best bass drum pedals could make the difference in sound quality as well as ease of playability. With the information we have just laid out above, we are confident that you are in a good place to make your final decision.
