Saturday, January 01, 2022

Subtractive patterns for jazz snare and bass

Continuing to develop this subtractive method, here are some good patterns for snare drum and bass drum in a jazz feel. I'm digging the system. It allows me to put whatever part I want consistently in rhythmic places that don't happen regularly in the other common Reed methods. The density of the rhythms in Reed has also been an annoyance— this method allows me to break them up between parts of the instrument in ways I like— in a jazz feel, I can get a level of snare drum density I like.  

Use pp. 10-11, 30-32, and 34-45 in Syncopation. Play the regular jazz rhythm on the cymbal, plus hihat on 2 and 4 with the foot. The patterns below represent one measure of 8th notes; you play the top line book rhythms on the drum indicated for the corresponding note in the pattern. There is a fuller explanation here. 

For example, here's how you would voice the first two lines of Exercise 2 (p. 39), using the SSBS SBSS combination pattern below:


Warm up patterns:

BSBS BSBS
SBSB SBSB
 
SSBB SSBB
BBSS BBSS

SSSB SSSB
SBSS SBSS

BSSB BSSB 
SBBS SBBS

SSSS BBBB
BSSS SBBB


Combination patterns— similar alternates are on the same line: 

SSSB SSBS / SSSB SBBS
SBSB SSBB
SSBS SBSS / SSBB SBBS
SSBS SBSB
SSSB SBSB

We don't need many combination patterns. The possibilities are endless, but the real practical range is limited. The differences between patterns will be most apparent on the denser one line rhythms, and the horrible Exercise 2 on p. 39. 

And note: it is easiest to write these systems as sticking patterns, but when you're practicing it may be easier to think in terms of a verbal rule. For example: 

SSSB SSSB = bass drum on any & of 2, & of 4, the rest of the rhythm on snare drum

SSSS BBBB = first half of the measure on snare, last half on bass drum

The verbal rules are complicated to read, but easy to think. The sticking pattern form is easier to read, harder to think. With the more complex patterns you'll have to figure out your own strategy for thinking your way through them. It's easier than it seems, once you've done the warm up systems.  

As always, the idea is not just to pile on more stuff to practice, it's to have a thorough concept of a system, so you know how to work on what you want to work on, whenever you actually want to do it. So at whatever point in the next 30 years it occurs to you man, my bass drum doesn't hit the & of 2/& of 4 very well, you can break out the SSSB-SSSB pattern and really work that out. 

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