Best Heel-Toe Technique Drummers — Who Plays It | MetalForge
Discover which pro metal drummers use heel-toe technique. Gear setups, videos, and tutorials for heel-toe technique players.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Heel-Toe Technique?
Heel-toe technique is a bass drum pedal method that produces two beater strokes from a single downward leg motion, using the ball of the foot for an initial toe stroke and a quick heel-drop rebound for a second stroke immediately after. Rather than driving every note with a fresh leg lift, the foot rocks forward-to-back across the footboard, doubling the strokes available per motion and unlocking bursts of double bass speed well beyond what pure ankle-driven playing can sustain on its own. It is most often layered on top of a primary footwork style rather than used for an entire performance - many extreme metal drummers rely on heel-up ankle technique as their endurance baseline and drop into heel-toe only for short, demanding passages that call for an extra gear of speed. Because the technique depends on the heel having room to rock without losing contact with the board, it is closely tied to pedal choice: a short, standard-length footboard limits it, while a longer plate makes the second stroke far easier to control.
How fast are heel-toe techniques played?
Heel-Toe Technique is typically played around Any.
Who is the best heel-toe technique drummer?
George Kollias (Nile) is among the most cited Heel-Toe Technique drummers, alongside Derek Roddy (Hate Eternal), Gene Hoglan (Death/Testament).
What gear do you need for Heel-Toe Technique?
The gear requirements for Heel-Toe Technique vary by drummer. Browse MetalForge for complete kit specs from pros who use this technique.