Double-drumming

[3] Accomplished through close positioning of the bass and snare heads,[4] the cymbals were played by tapping a foot pedal called a "low-boy".

[5] This style is best exemplified by early New Orleans Jazz/Second Line bands,[1] and Baby Dodds has been called the master.

The illustration in Blades and Dean (2002) implies that the low-boy started out as a stick laid over two cymbals ("sock cymbal") and that the positioning of the snare and bass was facing each other, nearly touching at the bottom, achieved through use of snare and bass drum stands,[5] while Nicholls describes the snare drum as being, "tilted alarmingly close to vertical.

"[3] Hessler and Famularo (2008) argue that the bass drum pedal must have come first, due to its less sensitive action.

[1] This process also contributed to the standard drum kit layout and arm position, as most drummers chose to play the bass pedal with their right foot.