Marching Bass Drums

The bass drum section consists of anywhere from one to even eight or more bass drums though most modern drumlines use five. Each drum of a different size is tuned to produce a different pitch from the next so that a single, melodic instrument is created. The bass drum is often one of the more difficult instruments to play because you aren't only trying to blend with four other players, but rather playing your own part that may be either independent or unison to theirs. It also takes more muscle movement to initiate a stroke. Because of this, bass drummers should develop a good skills in rhythm and counting as well as listening.

Grip

The normal grip for a bass drummer is not much unlike that of a tenor player. The mallet itself rests upon the bottom of the fingers and the thumb forms a fulcrum with the index finger resulting in a stereotypical "matched grip." This grip is then moved vertically where the bass drummer would appear to have a "french" (timpani reference) or thumbs up grip. It is imperative that the bass drummer have a fulcrum rather than a "baseball bat" grip, a common mistake. In short, the thumb should rest on "top" of the mallet handle.

Set Position

The set position is one of the most important yet underrated parts of playing in an competitive marching drumline. It is the first position the audience will see you in. For bass drummers, set position is with the mallets and hands drawn back to the body, with the mallets perpendicular to the ground, resting on the rim of the drum. To ensure stability, you may lightly grasp the rim with your fingertips. It is important to keep the mallet vertical at all times.

Playing Area and Position

The normal playing position is for the mallet to hit in the center of the head. Because the instruments are graduated in size, this position will feel different for each player depending on both the size of the drum and the size of the player. To find the proper playing position either look in a mirror or have someone place the head of the mallet in the center of the drum. To find the proper arm position, begin by gripping the mallet properly, with the arms hanging comfortably by your side. Next, simply bend the arm at the elbow until the mallet is in the center of the drum. The upper arms, shoulders and neck should remain relaxed at all times. Some extension of the upper arm my be necessary for the largest drums and conversely, the upper arm may need to be drawn back slightly on the smallest drums.

The desired sound is a short but resonant, "punchy" sound. At times, for a more resonant sound, you may play off center. This approach works well when a smooth buzz roll is required.

Since bass drummers march sideways (see Marching section), one bass drum head is facing the front of the field and one is facing the back of the field. When the drum is struck, the sound is forced "through" the drum. Therefore, in order to push the sound towards the audience, most single notes should be played with the "back" hand, that is, the hand that is behind the drum. This all depends on where the bass drum section is on the field in relation to the 50 yard line as well as the sideline. It is important that the bass drummers be able to see the drum major at all times while keeping the drum in the proper position. As a general rule, bass drummers should point their drums to the 50 yard line. Therefore, if the bass drum line is on Side A, or the left side of the field from the audience's perspective, and the bass drummers are facing the 50 yard line, then their LEFT hand will be their primary playing hand. if the bass drum line is on Side B, or the right side of the field from the audience's perspective, and the bass drummers are facing the 50 yard line, then their RIGHT hand will be their primary playing hand. Because of this, it is important that bass drummers be able to play all parts using both their left and right hands.

Stroke

The stroke is much less of an arm stroke and more of a wrist stroke. The mallet moves in a semicircular (or less depending on the dynamic markings, accents, etc.) motion where the diameter would be perpendicular to the ground. In other words, turning your wrist so that your palm would face up. You should rarely incorporate arm motions until louder dynamic markings simply because you will find it harder to hit the drum in the same area consistently unless you use less movement to execute the stroke. You will find that a more subtle wrist movement will not only produce adequate volume but will increase your consistency as well. In order to make sure you play in the same area constantly to put your mallet in the correct playing position and then touch the rim with your arm. Use this as a guideline to tell whether or not you are playing the drum in the right area. Do not however, rest your arm on the hoop at all times because this can inhibit your stroke slightly.

Be very careful not to hit the rim with your hand – it hurts!

Heights

Stick heights should always be only one thing: Uniform. Heights vary with different dynamic levels, and more arm becomes incorporated as the volume increases, but ALWAYS key in on this: You must get the most sound out of the drum at any given dynamic. This means that varying the height of the mallet more than the strength in which you hit the drum will provide a more projected, even sound.

Posture

Keep a nice, vertically erect posture when carrying the bass drum. Due to the weight of the largest drums, there is a tendency to lean backwards, but this should be avoided. The actual weight of the drums is deceptive because of the apparent mass of the instrument. Remember, most of the size is just air. Bass drums are certainly bulky and do tend to put a different sort of stress on the body than a set of quads, so some amount of exercise such as sit ups and crunches should be undertaken in order to develop the strength necessary to carry the drum. As with any heavy object, lift the instrument using your legs and not your back. Once you are standing erect, the drum can be carried quite comfortably.

Head Position - Because bass drummers march "sideways" (see Marching section) their heads must be turned in order to see the drum major and present to the audience. Bass drummers should get used to turning the head and listening in this manner.

Ensemble Blend

This simply refers to the section sounding more like one pitched instrument and less like five different players playing five different instruments. The easiest way to achieve this is to have the same interpretation all the way down the line. Practice technique so it becomes so instinctive that you can concentrate on the music more. No one drummer should play louder or softer than the other drummers in any musical passage. Dynamics are always played within the context of the music. Strive to listen to the other players and balance your playing so that each part blends into the section.

Instrument Care

Resting instruments

If possible, keep the instrument on its carrier and rest the carrier on the ground, keeping the drum from making contact with the ground. Otherwise, carefully sit the instrument upright, resting the bottom of the drum. Extra care should be taken to sit the instrument on a clean, dry place and to avoid dirt at all costs. Inspect the drum bottom, sides, rims and lugs and clean carefully. Avoid sliding the instrument across concrete or other abrasive surface.

Bass drum rims are made of wood and are very susceptible to scratches. Moving the drum carefully, lifting as opposed to sliding, will reduce this effect, but some scratching can not be avoided. To maintain the appearance of the drum, each player should keep a black marker for touching up the rims of their drum.

Drum Heads

Bass drum heads are made of plastic. These heads are durable, but can break and eventually wear out. Care should be taken to prevent cuts or scratched and the drums should only be played with bass drum mallets.

BASS DRUM HEADS SHOULD NEVER BE HIT WITH SNARE DRUM STICKS. Snare sticks can dent bass drum heads very easily, thereby ruining the drum head and the tone of the instrument.

Mallets

Bass Drum mallets are covered with a hardened felt material. This material can become permanently  soggy if it gets wet. If it begins to rain during rehearsal or in the stands, protect the head of the mallet.

Mechanical parts

Lugs: Lugs maintain the tension on the drum heads. When the lugs become loose, the tuning of the head is affected. Lugs must be inspected to assure that proper tension is maintained.

Lubrication and dirt: All mechanisms must be properly lubricated to function properly. Lubrication is best applied with simple oil.

Dirt can easily get into mechanical parts. Dirt is abrasive and can cause parts to wear out quickly. All dirt or sand must be cleaned off of every part of the drum.

Cleaning the instrument

Before each performance, each drum should be thoroughly cleaned to remove fingerprints from all metal parts. Bass drums heads are very visible to the audience, so their appearance must be highly maintained. Brand logos should be clean and level when the drum is carried. Fingerprints should be cleaned off prior to all performances. Keeping the hands off of the drum heads will make this process easier.