5. Percussion with Pedals

As drummers we not only move our hands – the feet have a job also. But how do I get the instrument in front of my feet? The answer for pedals is a 3/8” floor plate with a 3/8” bar. The plate is simply fixed to the pedal and a cowbell, tambourine or groove block fixed on the bar – and off you go. You can also get a special plate for percussion instruments that can be connected with pedals.

Instruments with the 3/8” coupling can be played with your feet this way. By choosing the right beater you can give the instrument your personal touch. Percussion with pedals is most interesting as a multi pedal orchestration ( Thomas Lang says hello J )

Most interesting in this context are double or even triple Fx pedals. Very complex ostinatos can be managed with these. (that’s the “ how on earth is he doing that” effect)

Meinl went one step further. With developing the Cabasa pedal Meinl employs a device that is not hit with a stick or beater but is rotated with the operation of the pedal. Let’s see what the future holds for us. Maybe we soon see a foot guiro or a foot shaker.

Let’s not forget the hihat. Tambourines, mounted on the rod are not new to us. A new concept is Gibraltar’s “off time attachment”. When the pedal of the hihat moves up a second set of hats are being closed. Instead of cymbals one could imagine instruments like shaker or tambourine here as well.