A x i s P e d a l s R e v i e w e d |
Drum forums seem to be full of questions and answers regarding Axis Pedals. A huge number of the great players in extreme metal use them. However it's not necesarily a quick and easy switch. If you've read the forums you've probably heard about something along the lines of 'Axis New Buyers Syndrome', reports from people saying they tried them and didn't like them, couldn't play them, endless questions on how to set them up etc. Hence I decided to write a review of the pedals and write about my experiences.
First up, I was lucky enough to be able to spend a couple of hours playing on a pair belonging to Nick Barker, set up exactly as he uses them and has used them in Dimmu Borgir - a perfect opportunity i thought to get stuck in and try them for myself and see what it was all about. As it was I was in a lesson and Nick had to go and pick up his kid, so left alone for with a set of Axis was an opportunity not to be missed.
At first playing - very difficult. The tension was way high, such that i really needed to hit them hard. After just a few minutes I was suffering fatigue. But after an hour of pushing things a bit, I had noticed something - i was sure that i was playing faster even if only in short bursts - it really seemed that I was breaking my own speed records. But my legs felt very fatigued - probably due to the very high tension. After that I couldn't resist anyway, got straight onto Axis and ordered a set.
First thing I did when I got them was up the tension on the springs to MAXIMUM. Hard as it would go. Put them on the kit, and off I went. And I have to say, what came out was crap. Out of time, horrible, tiring. I read the instructions, spent a day on the internet looking for advice, scratched my head, and persisted without really changing anything else. The beaters were pretty much centered on the bars, just shy of a 45 degree angle off the drum skins - pretty much factory settings. And on I went.
I'd say it took about a month to return to my standard of playing with DW5000 pedals regarding speed double bass drumming, and perhaps 2 months to start breaking some personal speed records comfortably. After about 3 months I was happily playing faster and for longer periods of time than ever before - get this - with very little fatigue in comparison. I went right back to basics and retrained my legs - on the metronone, slowly upping the BPM.
6 months on, I was playing like I knew I never could on my old pedals. Fast, consistent. I'd learned a different technique, as the thing with these pedals set up in this way is that you just get into them and roll with them. What was still hard was the broken drumming like triplets and short sharp on/off bursts of speed - the sort of thing I like to do a lot. This was one area I really had to practice on a lot to get back up to speed.
So my honest opinion on the pedals is that if you're into serious prolonged speed playing - get them, dont expect miracles overnight, and stick with it. Up the tension slowly at first if you need to, but do keep pushing it, and you will get there. I honestly believe they are streets ahead of the chain and felt drive pedals.