Kick Drum

Kit & Gear

Also called bass drum, bass.

The kick drum is the big drum that sits on the floor in front of you and gets played with a pedal. It's the lowest-pitched drum on the kit, and it gives a groove its weight. When you feel a song in your chest more than in your ears, that's usually the kick.

In most grooves the kick works with the bass guitar. It marks the downbeats or pushes against them to make a pattern feel propulsive. Simple rock beats put the kick on beats one and three. Funk and pop move it around to create syncopation. Wherever it lands, the kick is the anchor that other players lock onto.

If your kick sounds boomy and undefined, the culprit is usually a loose resonant head and nothing damping the inside. Start with the batter head reasonably firm, drop a small towel or dedicated dampener touching the batter head, and tune the front head lower than the batter. You'll get a punchy thump instead of a tub of fog.

Beginner trap: mashing the pedal with your whole leg. Keep your heel comfortable on the plate or slightly raised, whichever feels natural, and drive the stroke from the ankle and hip, not a stomp. Let the beater bounce off the head instead of resting on it, or you'll choke the note.