Welcome to 2024! We inaugurate the year with two exercises to develop jazz drum set independence based on quarter note triplets. We start with the basic preliminary pattern. Once comfortable, we add accents: accenting the left hand every three notes, starting with the first and then displacing the accent to the second and third notes. … More Jazz Independence: Quarter Note Triplets Accent Combinations
In this sixth episode, I’ll share a massive 8th-note triplet linear drum fill. The idea is similar to the drum fill of the second episode of this series; both are interchangeable and can be combined. As indicated in the notation below, the linear approach occurs between the floor tom, snare, bass drum, and rack tom. … More A Fill for Every Season #6
The drum fill for this episode incorporates a 16th-note linear idea between the hi-hat, bass drum, snare, and toms. Unlike most drum fills, this one is conceived over two bars, starting on the fourth beat of the first bar and developing on the second bar. The key to mastering this idea is memorizing the sticking … More A Fill for Every Season #5
In this fourth episode, I introduce a new drum fill I developed. The drum fill is based on sextuplets, starting with two notes on the bass drum and moving with an alternate sticking between the floor tom and rack tom. We start off playing the drum fill slowly to memorize the orchestration. Once comfortable, we … More A Fill for Every Season #4
In this third episode I’ll share two drum fills I developed myself, which you can apply in various styles. The drum fills are primarily based on 16th and 32nd notes, starting from the second beat and ending with an accent on the snare at the end of the fourth beat. I arranged the drum patterns … More A Fill for Every Season #3
In this lesson, I introduce a series of exercises to develop coordination and independence. We will apply rudiments to create hand-foot combinations and play jazz comping ideas inspired by Elvin Jones’ drumming style. We start with a preliminary exercise, playing a single stroke roll, double stroke roll, and paradiddle-diddle in 8th note triplets on the … More Jazz Comping Ideas – Hand/Foot Combinations: single, double, paradiddle-diddle
In this quick lesson, I introduce a variation in 16th note triplets of the drum fill idea shared in my previous article A Fill for Every Season #2. Just changing the subdivision, keeping the same sticking, we open up the fill to new applications. Compared to the initial idea in 8th note triplets, we have: … More 16th Note Triplets Drum Fill Idea
Here we are with the second episode of this new series, something I’m sure will inspire you. With the first episode, I shared a drum fill played by Carlos Vega on “Oasis” by Dave Grusin. This time I’m glad to share a drum fill I developed myself, which can be used in a great variety … More A Fill for Every Season #2
The hi-hat is the element of the drum set that with subtle variations and embellishments can greatly affect the groove. Drummers like Stewart Copeland, Jeff Porcaro, Dennis Chambers, and Steve Gadd, to name a few, expanded the rhythmic possibilities of the hi-hat playing timeless grooves. With this lesson we explore the one-handed 16th note hi-hat … More Beyond the Beat: One-Handed Hi-Hat 16th Notes – Accent Combinations
Some of the main rhythms in West Africa are based on 6/8 feels and the essential concept of clave. The application of Afro-Cuban 6/8 on the drumset opened the way for new rhythms and ideas, involving coordination, independence, and polyrhythms. With this article divided into two parts, I introduce a lesson to develop your coordination … More Exploring Afro-Cuban 6/8 Vocabulary Using Ted Reed’s Syncopation
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