Bag of Tricks: Simple Jazz Fill

Here's a simple idea to get you going. This fill isn't exactly subtle, but if you really lay back on it, it's pretty swingin'.

Try to keep the unaccented snare drum notes down (soft) as much as possible. You can then use the accents to develop the "melody" of the movement around the kit, and you don't have to play loudly. Remember that, in terms of dynamics, the more you can whisper, the more a normal voice will sound like shouting. It's all about contrast.

And, finally, the sticking. I like to play the first triplet alternating, starting with the right hand (so R L R), then play L L R the rest of the way.

Happy drumming!

Groove of the Day

Try out this 12/8 groove. It's deceptively simple.

Some tips:

1.The diamond-shaped note heads above the staff are the ride cymbal bell (alternating with hi-hat). 


2. Remember that a hi-hat note with an "o" above it is to be played slightly open, but make sure you get it closed for the next note. 


3. The note on count 10 (or 4, depending on how you're counting) is the floor tom.


4. Yep, right hand is moving all over the place while the left stays home on the hi-hat.

Happy drumming!

Buying a First Drum Set - Part 1

The Christmas season is just around the corner, so it's time to talk about getting that first drum set. Before you go on, though, read this post I wrote a while ago.

Buying a drum set is not complicated, but it's worth considering a few things before you drop a bunch of cash. Here are a handful of considerations to get started:

SIZE
Think about the size of the drums and the size of the drummer or drummer to be. "One size fits all" has been the motto of the entry-level drum world for a long time, and it simply isn't true. For example, I'm 6'1" tall, and a standard size drumset (22" bass drum, 12, 13 and 16 inch toms) is pretty hard for me to set up in a comfortable, ergonomically friendly way because it's just too big.

Check out this post for more info about drum size and player size.

Especially if the player is younger or smaller, make sure to get drums that fit. While the sound of the drums will be nominally affected by their size, today's drum makers are making great sounding drums in a variety of sizes.

Imagine a pee-wee football player wearing NFL sized pads, helmet and shoes. The equipment won't protect them, and may actually get them hurt if they go out to play in it.

Developing good technique and enjoying drumming is a lot easier when the drums are set up right and you can get to everything in a natural, easy way.

BUY USED
Consider buying used. Purchasing a new kit can be expensive, but buying used - especially from an individual - is an entirely different story. Once I was able to buy a "bulk lot" of drums and equipment from somebody who was moving and just wanted to get a little quick cash. I paid $225, and as I inventoried and researched the items, what I had purchased was worth well over $1,000. Score!

Online sites such as ksl.com and craigslist.com are great places to shop. I'm a little obsessive about it, but I skim online ads a few times per week, and there's always at least one good deal on a drum kit.

Other sites, like eBay, allow you to list items that are within a certain geographic area, so that you can actually go to pick up the kit (and examine it) after you purchase it. Guitar Center lists used gear on their website, and you can purchase it online and have it shipped to your local store or to your home.

In Part 2 we'll discuss how to get the best value for your dollars, and how to decide what's worth buying.

Slow-Fast Workout

The way our brains work is really interesting, especially when we're learning to do something new with our hands.

Since music is a language, we want to be able to "speak" without fumbling or having to think about what words we're going to use. The Slow-Fast workout gives your brain a way to have a lot of repetitions on one specific thing, alternating from slow (like spelling or sounding out a word) to fast (like saying it normally). It looks like this:

You can use any sticking pattern. I use the patterns from the first section of Stick Control, but you really can put any sticking in. Just make sure it's the same in both measures(but twice as many times in the second measure).

Remember to start as slowly as you need to in order to play the whole thing with no mistakes. Then, gradually speed up (one or two clicks at a time) until you reach your goal tempo.

In order to master a pattern, I play for a full minute at a given tempo with no stops or mistakes. If you can go for a full minute, you can be pretty sure the pattern is mastered at that tempo. Then, speed it up again!

Don't know what to practice? What?!

So, I'm with you. I really am. When you finally do have the time, what do you spend those precious few minutes on? Well, tonight I took less than five minutes to look on one of my favorite drumming sites, and here's what I found:

http://www.drummagazine.com/lessons/post/six-handy-notes-patterns-to-use-around-the-kit/

Make sure you take some time to really smooth out the sticking and accents on the snare drum before you move around the kit.

Then, as always, apply it with the click first, then with some music, and then just have fun!

The real lesson here is that you can find a million things to practice if you want to. Find something, and go after it!

Happy drumming.