Introduction to Jazz Drumming - Part 5: Solo Phrases
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- Double strokes begin at 4:12
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Check www.NKMDRUMS.CO... for the lesson guide, PDFs, play along bass lines, listening guide, recommended reading, worksheets and practice tips.
Introduction to Jazz Drumming Series:
Part 1: The Basic Pattern • Drum Lesson - Introduc...
Part 2: The Jazz Shuffle • Drum Lesson - Introduc...
Part 3: Basic Left Hand Patterns • Introduction to Jazz D...
Part 4: Comping Phrases • Introduction to Jazz D...
Remember to count out loud and take your time with each pattern. Focus on quality before speed. If you can play something simple and make it sound good, you are already playing at a high level.
The four patterns are first played at 60 beats per minute, then again at 120 beats per minute. The whole set is played again with double strokes for advanced students. After finishing A-D at 120 BPM as single strokes, I recommend beginning students move ahead in the series.
Practice on your own to work your way up to 120 beats per minute. I would recommend increasing your tempo by 2-10 beats per minute at a time. Only proceed to the next speed after you feel solid at a given tempo.
Please feel free to post any questions, requests or suggestions.
Thanks for these videos. This carpet is beautiful.
İs it a turkish carpet?
As a sax player that's having trouble with time keeping during solos, partly out of desperation - and partly out of "why not!" feeling - i decided to learn drums. I love your series so much and thanks to you, also drumming ! Btw, the double strokes were quite unexpected :)
Hey, if you're following these videos and would like to give some input on what to post next, I'd love to hear it. I have the series filmed for about the next 10 or 15 videos. I'm trying to decide on the order of the next few videos. After working on these 5, which would you like to see next:
1. Two measure comping phrase combinations, followed by two measure solo phrase combinations. Basically like parts 4 and 5 but now combinations of measures. Combining measures facilitates improvisational freedom.
2. Use of space and pacing. This lesson takes a single phrase (B is the one I use in the example because it is so common) and places it in a 32 measure form. Phrased in different parts of 4 measure sections. Basically an exercise in keeping your place and practice inserting phrases in time at any point.
3. All possible applications of the comping phrases on the drum set. This is where the kick drum stops playing quarter notes, and the comping phrases are played not just on the snare but also on kick and hihat.
My question is, which do you feel you need next? All three will be coming, but the order is flexible.
After those lessons there will be trading 4's and 8's, phrases in 3/4 time and melodic application exercises to lay the ground work for much deeper study. By the time you're done with these, you'll be primed to dig into Alan Dawson and John Riley's methods. Those are the goal basically. This series lays down fundamentals in preparation for those methods.
Thanks for your feedback!
-Niels
Thanks for the lesson. This is going straight to my practice routine :) As for what next, maybe combining comping and solo phrases seems like a logical next step, but really any of these would be great. Idk, what is more basic, would be better first.
For me this is coming at right time because I've started working on Dawson's book "The Drummer's complete vocabulary", and is damn hard. I'm self-taught so these lessons are gold.
Hey Milan,
I'm glad it is helpful. You're definitely on the right track with Alan Dawson's book and yes it is hard! Alan Dawson was teaching at college level and that book is the set of exercises students worked through at Berklee.
A drummer at that level would have a solid background in rudimental and big-band drumming. They also would have many years of listening exposure, as jazz was the popular music up until the 50's/60's.
The set of exercises in parts 4 and 5 of this series are warm-ups designed to fill in the gaps before tackling the Dawson book. I use these with my private students along with lots of listening, playing along and possibly big-band charts from their school bands.
The last half of this video, with the double stroke triplet rolls is designed specifically as a warm up for the Dawson book.
Have you checked out John Riley's book The Art of Bop Drumming? It is much much easier than Alan Dawson's. None of the phrases require high level rudimental snare drumming (double stroke rolls) or melodic sight reading drum set interpretation gymnastics. I usually have students in the Riley book pretty soon after warming up with the exercises in these videos.
Thanks!
Niels
Cool, thanks Ian! The first step is to play A-F on the bass drum instead of the snare drum (hi-hat stays on 2 and 4).
Nice! I was just going make this request. I'd ask the same thing for the left foot, but I'm guessing, A-F on the Hi Hat?
Hey James,
Exactly! I just started putting together the next video which will be applying and combining phrases on snare, bass drum and hi-hat. The "prerequisite" would be that you have the phrases down to the point where you can freely mix and match them, you can play them on bass drum (while hi-hat stays on 2 and 4) or on the hi-hat. There are thousands of phrase combination possibilities but the focus will be on 4 measure call and response phrasing. Such as BACA, where A is the consistent response, B is call1 and C is call2. You can refer to Moanin', So What and Blue Train if you'd like to hear a musical example of that type of phrasing. I hope that helps! This is A LOT of information to work through if you are new to drumming. In my teaching experience it may take some weeks just to work through the basic comping phrases in part 4. So if it seems like a wall of information, take it slow and mix it with playing by ear, listening, etc. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks!
Niels
What an absolutely amazing series. Thank you so much for this outstanding content. Much love from Brazil
I appreciate the positive feedback. There’s much work to do! American drummers are students of Brazil. Thanks for stopping by!
Great Educational series you've created here, Niels. I really appreciate it.
I probably learned more about Jazz in these 5 videos and reading the comments section than in 5 years with a drum teacher.
I repeatedly asked him to show me some jazz drumming but except for technique there wasn't much to learn from him and other teachers were not available (small town in Germany).
So thank you very much, your videos taught me a lot!
PS: What are the drums you play, especially the snare? Any tips on tuning the snare? I haven't heard a more perfect snare sound on the internet yet.
Hey, thanks! That's really nice to hear! I have another ten videos filmed and recorded for the series. It takes some time (peak teaching season locally so very busy) to edit and publish them but they are on the way! The drum set is a Canopus RFM with a custom snare drum made by a local guy here in the San Francisco area. Canopus is a small drum maker in Japan. They make great sounding drums-high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail. I'm happy to hear they sound good because the mic set-up is very simple and the room sound can be a bit harsh. I'm using one overhead and one kick mic. I did work hard on the tuning. Tuning is a long lesson in itself! I'll try to post a lesson here eventually... until then, if you want to send an email I'll try to answer some tuning questions: nielsmyrner@gmail.com Thanks!
I startet 2 days ago with ur lessons and its so much fun! Also thank u for the free transkcribtions.
Nice to learn thx👍🏼, i watch also SmallsLIVE verry intresting live jazz from NY .
Yeah Smalls is great!
Thanks for these ideas Niels !
Thanks for watching Vek!
Thanks niels!
Any time SP! Thanks for watching.
Great !!!!!
Thanks !
Sorry about the re-upload-just fixed a little A/V error. Thanks!
-Niels
the pdf file doesn't seem to work for me
Thank you clc, I had updated the PDF but had to refresh the link. Much appreciated!
I'm glad I could help
Hey niels! First of all great content I have been learning from it alot so far.
Could you please also show an example of how to write the notes for the double stroke rolls?
you can put a line through each doubled note like this / except a little less slanted
These videos are absolutely priceless. Thank you so much for producing them. I have two questions, if you don’t mind. It seems like you tend to play closer to the 2:00 position on the snare, rather than dead center. Do you prefer the tone and response of that part of the snare? I’m just curious. I’m also wondering if it’s best to start out (I’m still a beginner when it comes to jazz) with the steady quarter note pulse on the kick? It’s not clear to me if that should always be used when keeping time, or should I be working on incorporating the kick as part of my comping. Or is it just a personal preference thing and is based on the vibe of the song?
Hey Stephen, thank you! Yes, I’m playing at the 2 o’clock position for tone and rebound. You can play anywhere on the snare, and adjust to taste. Quarters on the kick are a starting point, rooted in the jazz tradition. Swing era and earlier jazz will often have quarter notes on the kick. Learning to play this way builds the roots of the jazz tradition into your physical approach to the kit. Bebop era jazz will rarely have quarters on the kick. The kick will be used as a free voice for comping.
@@nielsmyrner Great information. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Niels. Cheers!
Any time, thanks for asking!
Niels,
First, a huge thank you for putting such a comprehensive and clearly explained course online. I’m thoroughly enjoying it!
Second, a quick question on the rolls in the solo section. Is the double stroke still following the triplet pattern, as per the single stroke, or is it a simple double stroke roll? I can’t quite tell from the video or notes?
Many thanks,
Steve (from Ireland)
Bruh those doubles tho
Hey man I love your videos. I only have one question, what is the name of the drum heads in the video including the bass?
Hey Carmat,
The heads I'm using on the toms are:
1.Aquarian Deep Vintage II on the top (batter). Those give that thick almost calf-skin sound. They are great.
2.Remo Coated Ambassador on the bottom (resonant). That is an unusual method I picked up from Ari Hoenig. It traps the sound in the shell, bringing out the tone of the wood, muffling the high overtones, warming and quieting the drum.
The heads I'm using on the snare drum are:
1. Aquarian Modern Vintage II on the top (batter).
2. Aquarian Classic Clear on the resonant side (bottom).
The heads I'm using on the bass drum are:
1. Aquarian Deep Vintage II on the beater side (batter).
2. Aquarian Deep Vintage II on the front side (resonant).
3. 1 1/2" felt strips on both sides.
I hope that helps. Have fun and thanks for asking!
-Niels
Hey again Niels, I was wondering if you had any suggestions for a good first jazz drum kit. What is a good attitude towards the learning process? I have never played before. Thank you!
Hey Francis, Regarding learning approach, my advice would be to listen, listen, listen! Jazz is a language and there is no better way to learn than immersing yourself in it. Humans learn in strange, subconscious ways! Supplement listening with formal study, material in these videos, etc. As far as sets go, look for something used in 18" kick, 12" and 14" toms, 14" snare. I don't know what is available where you live... if you want to send me an email checking anything out, feel free. I'm at nielsmyrner@gmail.com Thanks!
I would like to know how to get my toms to sound like yours - tuning- type of head - etc -- really enjoying the lessons
Hey Maddy!
Tuning is a deep subject beyond the scope of a comment response, and it is also best learned through doing. I can't tell you how many hours I spent putting heads on and taking them off again, reading, listening to recordings and trying to mimic the tuning of the drums, retuning to the room at gigs, trying different heads, muffling, etc. It drove me crazy trying to get my drums to sound right for the first few years. Eventually I found a way that worked for me after trying many different methods. A lot of it is by "feel." The feel of the head, the way the drum resonates, the way the top and bottom heads resonate together and the way the drums sound together. What works in one room, might not work in another, as with one style of music or playing situation.
The Vic Firth website has some nice simple tuning tips I've found useful to refer students. Just google "vic firth drum tuning" I like their approach because it is straight forward and easy to learn. There's an old Baby Dodds recording where he talks about tuning his toms, how the drums have to sound like a family and how he tunes in 5ths. There are only a few recordings of him available so that might be an easy one to hunt down.
The heads I'm using on the toms are:
1.Aquarian Deep Vintage II on the top (batter). Those give that thick almost calf-skin sound. They are great.
2.Remo Coated Ambassador on the bottom (resonant). That is an unusual method I picked up from Ari Hoenig. It traps the sound in the shell, bringing out the tone of the wood, muffling the high overtones, warming and quieting the drum.
I hope that's helpful. Good luck to you and Happy Thanksgiving!
Best,
Niels
Thanks so much
Does anyone know some good jazz bands I should listen to, I want to get into jazz but I don't know where to start
There’s a recommended listening list on the lesson guide for this series at nkmdrums.com/jazz :)