Talk me out of a foot cowbell

Yup...really no downside to getting one. I have one that I actually should get more use out of. Learning to play clave with my foot would be a good independence exercise but I know I would never use it live.

I've incorporated my Gajate bracket with percussion a lot. I've mounted different things on it; cowbell, tambourine, Stanton Moore pandeiro, etc.
 
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Duck Tape said:
To mix things up over the past few years I’ve bought a few cowbells and jam blocks and dedicated a small amount of time each week to playing a few patterns. I don’t want to be Horacio Hernandez, just play some basic things like quarter notes on upbeats/downbeats and some bossa’s etc, I have found it really enriches my playing.

I have been tossing up whether to get a foot cowbell mount, I think they call them a “gayjate” so I can play 1/4 notes while playing the ride or something just to vary a section but I’m worried it will be one of those pieces you buy but it ends up collecting dust, like a cable hihat I bought.

is it worth the spend? If so, would you recommend one model over another?

Some pictures below if the LP, LP pro, Gibraltar and the pearl

View attachment 158048View attachment 158049View attachment 158050View attachment 158051
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Check the Meinl version:

www.thomann.de

Meinl PM-1

Meinl PM-1, Pedal Mount, Kuhglockenhalter zum Spielen mit Standard Fußmaschine. Für alle Kuhglocken, Tambourine, etc. (zweites kürzeres L-Stück incl.), Spitzen lassen sich zum besseren Halt herausdrehen.
www.thomann.de www.thomann.de
 
My friend Mike who died recently had a cowbell pedal in the mid 70’s but had to make the attachment himself. It was heavy with a steel plate under it but it never broke. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. My feet weren’t good with it but his were. I’d get one myself if I thought I could actually play well enough to use it.
 
I got one as a gift.. tried it for a bit at home… but never used it again. It.s heavy.. so its like carrying another kick pedal. Also I have a cowbell clamped to my hihat with a uniball spike that positions my LP Chad Smith cowbell firmly above my hat cymbal.. in perfect striking distance.. and close to a mic.
Sometimes I play it in alternating patterns with the hat and CB with my right hand.. or a left hand pattern on CB and right hand playing the drum kit pattern.. eg Honky Tonk Woman is perfect for that.. or Gimme some Lovin etc.
 
caddywumpus said:
How do you swap out the instruments? Can you do it with your foot?
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Tamboreter said:
It requires lifting up on the center post and turning it to the desired instrument.

Here's a short video demo...sorry it's not in English, but still clear in terms of how the mechanism works.

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This triple donger idea is a bit silly if you ask me. It appears it would take half a second longer to swap whatever cowbell or percussion block you had on there.

There’s one going half price at a store in my region but I think it looks like it might not fit under my hihat as well as some other models.
 
I think it seemed these were at least initially developed for a standing percussionist,
So standing, the triple-headed one would not be a problem to reach down and turn
 
jda said:
Yes!!' Horacio "El Negro" Hernanadez'

the bomb@


he should have went 'straight to the top (which he did) and stayed there for 10 years..but sort of disappeared +/- something
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I would argue that Horacio, BAR NONE, is the best Afro-Cuban player on the planet.

Feeling sporty? Check out his book, 'Conversations in Clave.'
 
Yea but he kinda disappeared and didn't get to be "Birdman"..
 
Well I came across one at a drum fair for just $30 Australian so I bought it and tried it today.

The jam block I tried was too quiet so I put a cowbell on it. Using a felt beater, I’m not keen on breaking anything.

I kept 1/4 notes on and off the beat like I do on the hihat and it’s a really interesting sound to substitute, and the action is closer to playing a kick pedal Than a hihat so maybe that will pay dividends in the double kick dept (which I never practice anymore).

It’s hard to fit under the hihat leg, but I’ll find my method eventually.
 
Duck Tape said:
Well I came across one at a drum fair for just $30 Australian so I bought it and tried it today.

The jam block I tried was too quiet so I put a cowbell on it. Using a felt beater, I’m not keen on breaking anything.

I kept 1/4 notes on and off the beat like I do on the hihat and it’s a really interesting sound to substitute, and the action is closer to playing a kick pedal Than a hihat so maybe that will pay dividends in the double kick dept (which I never practice anymore).

It’s hard to fit under the hihat leg, but I’ll find my method eventually.
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Gonna call that. a Victory
good going.
 
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