Foot Pedals

[mydogsowner]

I am anticipating a need for a foot pedal down the road to accompany the congas. Something that would strike a clave or cowbell sort of thing.

Nothing too pricey would be best. Practicality and value are my mainstays. My feet just need to do something! Any suggestions for a set-up?

Thanks,
Lisa

[bongosnotbombs]

I built my own. I saved money by using a vintage pedal from ebay. It was very cheap, and more cool looking.
Foot pedals have clamps to clamp them to the kick drum and any brackets for a bell or block you get use those
clamps usually.
Building your own is more fun and you can get the sound you want, I don't really like those plastc jam blocks.
There is plenty of used stuff on ebay or on sale from online stores.

Here is the thread where we discussed these things earlier.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3949&hilit=clave+machine

There are are threads about technique too if you do a search.

[umannyt]

I am anticipating a need for a foot pedal down the road to accompany the congas. Something that would strike a clave or cowbell sort of thing.

Nothing too pricey would be best. Practicality and value are my mainstays. My feet just need to do something! Any suggestions for a set-up?

Thanks,
Lisa

Lisa,

I recommend the Hansenfutz Pedal system. I have one and it works well for me. I use it for playing the LP Jam Block (for clave) or my mounted tambourine with either my cajon or congas (while seated on my cajon), primarily at church during Sundays. Although I haven't personally done it, I'm sure that you can use it for playing a cowbell as well.

It's not pricey and it's very light, simple and handy. I prefer it over the much heavier, cumbersome and pricier drum pedal system.

Here's their company link: http://www.hansenfutz.com/

Latin Rhythm Traders (your Gon Bops Tumbao Pro seller) carries them. Also, Musician's Friend, Music 123 and Cascio Interstate Music.

Best of luck,

[vinnieL]

I would love to have a pedal setup but I cannot for the life of me play conga and the pedal! Ive tried it and it would take some time for me to develope he independance.

[mydogsowner]

Vinnie, if you ever played a drum set, it would be natural for your feet to want to move to the rhythm too. I am used to playing bass drum, and high hats (usually) with my feet. You can learn to do it. It just takes practice! Start with one foot, and strike on certain beats with it. Say, strike on the 1-2-3-4 beats. Then maybe on the 2-4 beats. Then maybe the 1-and-3 beats, etc. Then change it up once you get the synapses going. Then you start adding the other foot. It just takes time and patience.

BNB, I like your wood clave machine a lot. It looks like it has the tone I seek for my clave. Did you use the LP Gajate Bracket to put it together? I can really appreciate how it matches your home decor as well. That's most important for me too! LOL! I may have to find the matching stain for the wood floors.......

Manny, I did notice the Hansenfutz set-up on Rhythm Traders web site. It looked interesting to me, but I am used to the more traditional drum pedal already. I have also never seen it before. Can you elaborate on why you prefer it? Is it because it's lighter and cheaper only?

BTW, I actually changed my work week so that I could be home today. My Gon Bops babies are due to arrive via UPS! I can hardly wait any longer! Thanks again everyone for the helpful direction and advise with my purchase!

[bongosnotbombs]

BNB, I like your wood clave machine a lot. It looks like it has the tone I seek for my clave. Did you use the LP Gajate Bracket to put it together? I can really appreciate how it matches your home decor as well. That's most important for me too! LOL! I may have to find the matching stain for the wood floors.......

The bracket that attaches to the pedal is by Gon Bops, the other peice that attaches the wood block to the Gon Bops bracket is by Danmar.
Music stores are usually low on conga stuff, but they have tons of drum kit stuff, so there are lots of options. A tip is to shop at a store and see what could work with what you have in mind then try and find it used on ebay or wherever.
I ended up getting a better beater for it and now this thing sounds just right.

[umannyt]

Manny, I did notice the Hansenfutz set-up on Rhythm Traders web site. It looked interesting to me, but I am used to the more traditional drum pedal already. I have also never seen it before. Can you elaborate on why you prefer it? Is it because it's lighter and cheaper only?

BTW, I actually changed my work week so that I could be home today. My Gon Bops babies are due to arrive via UPS! I can hardly wait any longer! Thanks again everyone for the helpful direction and advise with my purchase!

Lisa,

I bought the Hansenfutz system mainly because it's (much) lighter, simpler and (above all) gets the job done--and done well. The volume of sound that it helps produce is loud enough for what I primarily use it for--church music. The resulting volume using the traditional drum pedal setup would have been too loud for my personal taste and that of my music/choir director.

Price is not the biggest factor for me; I always try to buy the best instrument/equipment that I can afford. Personally, I've consistently gotten the most product satisfaction this way. And as the great English poet John Keats profoundly wrote, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever".

Re: your Gon Bops Tumbao Pros, you're more than welcome! It's my pleasure to be of some help. I know only too well the feeling of waiting for your new babies. The seconds/minutes/hours/days seem to pass so agonizingly slow.

Let us know how it goes and do share with us some pictures.

[deadhead]

I'm currently working on a Shekere pedal project. I originally attatched a hi-hat clutch to the bottom of a gourd shekere I have and put it on the hi-hat pedal, but the results didn't turn out as I'd hoped. When I pressed the pedal down the beads wouldn't respond until the rebound, so if I was playing straight quarters on the pedal the sound was comming on the upbeat like: 1 chick 2 chick 3 chick 4 chick. The shekere I have has a lot of excess string where it is tied off at the bottom, so what I am planning on doing is attatching the string to the hi-hat rod and mounting the shekere seperately somehow, this way when I push down on the pedal the string will pull tight and force the beads into the side of the gourd and should put the sound on the down beat. It should sound pretty sweet if it turns out how I'm hoping.

[congamyk]

I'm currently working on a Shekere pedal project. I originally attatched a hi-hat clutch to the bottom of a gourd shekere I have and put it on the hi-hat pedal, but the results didn't turn out as I'd hoped. When I pressed the pedal down the beads wouldn't respond until the rebound, so if I was playing straight quarters on the pedal the sound was comming on the upbeat like: 1 chick 2 chick 3 chick 4 chick.

Meinl Foot Cabasa

http://drums-percussion.musiciansfriend.com/product/Meinl-Foot-Cabasa?sku=491231
Not a bad price at $160 complete. It's compact, veratile and works perfectly for this effect.

BTW, I actually changed my work week so that I could be home today. My Gon Bops babies are due to arrive via UPS! I can hardly wait any longer! Thanks again everyone for the helpful direction and advise with my purchase!

photos please.

[deadhead]

I thought about checking out that meinl cabasa, hadn't heard any reviews yet though. We'll see what happens with my shekere project.

[congamyk]

Here are a few really good videos demonstrating the Meinl Foot Cabasa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7U7TaGflnE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZGYapChiUM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ei-is0fRJY

[vinnieL]

well i'll give it a try i'll have to buy a used pedal etc i don't want to spend a lot of money on setting this up new pedals are expensive!

[deadhead]

Lots of cheap used pedals on ebay. Accessories don't require high end pedals like a kick drum, just so long as it works.

[mydogsowner]

Vinnie~

You can try just tapping your foot on time. You don't need to buy a pedal to practice the timing. If you think you may enjoy it, then purchase.

[akdom]

Hi there

I purchased a few years ago the cheapest kick drum pedal I could find (around 20 $). I then welded a plate to a rod and there it was.

Easy, cheap and reliable.

B