Double bass drum techniques have increased the repertoire of drummers, both in playing beats and soloing. Here are some ideas which can give a player with a single bass drum setup the opportunity to effect double bass drum sounds.

By alternating between the floor tom and bass drum, a drummer can play 16th-note patterns such as these:

Simulated Double Bass 1

Now, let’s incorporate these rhythms in beats. The following exercises are to be played with left-hand lead on the hi-hat, and the right hand moving between the floor tom and snare. Make sure that the right hand makes a strong accent on beats 2 and 4. (Left- handed drummers will reverse the hands.)

Simulated Double Bass 2

Simulated Double Bass 3

In the following example, the left hand moves between open and closed hi-hat and snare, while the right hand and foot play continuous 16ths.

Simulated Double Bass 4

The next two beats are shuffles. In the first, the left hand plays quarter notes on the hi-hat, while in the second, it moves between the hi-hat and snare.

Simulated Double Bass 5

The following examples are odd-meter beats.

Simulated Double Bass 6

The same concept can be applied to soloing, as in this two-bar example, in which the left hand moves between the snare and the high tom.

Simulated Double Bass 7

These examples demonstrate that, with a little imagination, drummers with smaller kits can simulate double bass drums, thereby adding additional color and excitement to their playing.