Background

 In the last article I discussed some of the basic approaches to jazz comping using the eight syncopation solos in Ted Reed’s book, ‘Syncopation.’  As we move forward, the variations on these solos will become increasingly more difficult.  It has been my experience as both an educator and student that there is not a universal learning curve for these exercises. 

You will likely find that just as you have become comfortable with the exercises, you suddenly hit a brick wall with a new variation.  When this happens, break the exercise down to individual notes, bars, and systems before tackling the entire solo.  Its not uncommon for students to tell me they struggled with a variation for several days or weeks before it finally clicked and all fell into place.

The variations below provide a means to develop a vocabulary of fills and more expressive comping. The main difficulty is that they all require visualizing notes that are not on the page.  In all of the variations below you will be required to fill in the missing partials of the triplets.  Remember that ‘swung’ 8^th notes are triplet based and that they fall on either the downbeat or ‘a’ of a triplet.  The example below shows the syncopated line on top of the staff with a steady stream of triplets below.  The accented notes correspond with the line while the bracketed notes are the triplet partials being filled in.

Fills and Advanced Comping Exercises

Below are descriptions of six variations.  I have included four bar examples of each variation.  As with the previous exercises, visualization is extremely important.  Some of these exercises can be frustrating at first so be patient and take them slowly at first.

1)    Play the line on the toms and fill in the triplets on the snare.  The floor tom plays notes on beats 1 & 3, the hi-tom plays beats 2 & 4.

2)    Same as above except all notes on the snare are double strokes.

3)    While playing triplets, accent all short (8^th) notes on the snare and all long (quarter) notes on a cymbal with bass drum unison.

4)    The ride cymbal and kick play the line in unison while the left hand fills in all triplets on the snare.

5)    Same as above except that the ride now plays time.

6)    The hi-tom plays all short notes and the ride / kick plays all long notes while the left hand fills in triplets on the snare.

History and Transcription

Many of the drummers mentioned in the last article played fills and solos using the first three variations above.  However, when looking for source material to understand how to apply variations 4-6, you should focus your listening on Elvin Jones.

In the early 1960s, Elvin turned jazz drumming on its head with his turbulent, polyrhythmic comping style.  The ride cymbal and hi-hat were no longer relegated to the simple task of timekeeping.  Elvin utilized all four limbs simultaneously to create a propulsive, highly syncopated style that interacted with and supported the musicians around him.

His work with the John Coltrane Quartet from 1960-66 highlights some of the best examples of this style of comping.  Particularly important are the instances when the rhythm section would drop out leaving Elvin and Coltrane to play duets.  Many of these passages were rubato (free time) and his style of playing provided constant momentum in the music even in the areas where it is difficult to determine a pulse.

Elvin appeared on several albums with John Coltrane as well as Wayne Shorter and Joe Henderson (among many, many others).  

Below are examples of the six variations and some transcriptions of Elvin Jones use of these devices.

/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/LHTripletsRHTime.mp3
/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/LHTriplets.mp3
/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/SnareandCymbals.mp3
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/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/TomsReadLinewithDoubleStrokes.mp3
/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/TomsReadLine.mp3

LH Triplets RH Time.mp3 | LH Triplets.mp3 | Snare and Cymbals.mp3 | Tom Short Ride Long.mp3 | Toms Read Line with Double Strokes.mp3 | Toms Read Line.mp3 | Printable Version

Chris Munson is currently the Director of Recording Arts at Eastern Kentucky University where he teaches courses in music technology and applied drum set.  He has been a professional musician and audio engineer for over 15 years.  Over that time he has recorded or performed with: Don Aliquo, David Amram, Darol Anger, Danny Barnes, David Carradine, Vassar Clements, Jeff Coffin, Joe Craven, Jerry Douglas, Tom Harrell, Jorma Kaukonen, Jon McEuen, Tim O’Brien, Greg Osby, Anders Osborne, Merl Saunders, Jamey Simons, and Trout Fishing in America.  Albums he has appeared on have earned numerous awards including two Grammy nominations.

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By Bill Stuhlly

 
In this article we’ll explore the accented triple stroke roll.

The key to achieving a triple stroke is the Down/Bounce/Up motion in the arm/wrist.  First play the Down Stroke, then let the stick bounce for the second note, and finally use the up stroke to reset. 

 
The following pictures illustrate each basic step in the process:

1)      DOWN STROKE

2)      Let the stick BOUNCE

3)      Then play the UP STROKE

Here are the 3 variations with the accent moving down the figure:

3A.

3B.

3C.

As you can see the accent dictates where the Down Stroke falls.

Try these combo exercises

3A w/3B, 3C

1)	2)	3)
4)	5)	6)
7)

The following example is a solo study using some of the combos above. These techniques have a surprising affect on your strength and speed:

Printable Version

Bill Stuhlly is a professional drummer in L.A Visit www.myspace.com/thedirges to hear his band The Dirges (Official Band of the movie Boondock Saints 2). They have 4 songs on the recently released “Boondock Saints 2” soundtrack and look for them on tour thought the year.

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As always, let us know what you like.

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A new book and a new video for the August 2010 edition!

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As always, let us know what you like.

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In this article we’ll explore the accented double stroke roll. The key to these is the Down/Up motion in the arm/wrist. The Down stroke is played, let the stick rebound while the arm is down, then pull the arm Up letting the stick hit the snare to get another note. It should feel like a dribbling motion. Here’s how the motions look:

Practice these 2 exercises then move on the combo study:

Try these combo exercises

2A with 2B:

Here’s a solo study using some of the combos above. These techniques have a surprising affect on your strength and speed:

Printable Version

Bill Stuhlly is a professional drummer in L.A Visit www.myspace.com/thedirges to hear his band The Dirges (Official Band of the movie Boondock Saints 2). They have 4 songs on the recently released “Boondock Saints 2” soundtrack and look for them on tour thought the year.

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Background

Chances are that if you have formally studied drum set then you have encountered Ted Reed’s “Progressive Steps to Syncopation.”  In the middle of this book (beginning on page 38) are eight, 40 bar solos.  At first glance these solos appear to be somewhat simplistic and concise.  However, hidden within them is the possibility for, as far as I can tell, a seemingly infinite series of 4-way independence exercises.

As a student, performer, and educator it has occurred to me that there is typically a bridge missing from learning and mastering these variations to applying them in a musical context.  I think that some of that has to do with the fact that, in recent years, jazz education has moved from the bandstand (oral tradition) to the classroom (written tradition).  Luckily for us, virtually the entire historical evolution of jazz has been recorded and is available for us to listen to, analyze, transcribe, absorb, and advance upon. 

In the next few articles I will present several of the Syncopation variations that have been created over the past six decades.  Additionally, I will include information about the preeminent drummers that these variations pay homage to.  This information will include transcriptions and vital recordings (among other things).  Putting your ears on recordings that inspired the exercises and assembling them in a somewhat historical order will help you recognize the evolution of this style of drumming, its influence on drummers of various genres, and get a grasp on how to apply the variations musically.

Basic Comping Exercises

Before you begin working on these variations, it is assumed that you have had at least some basic exposure to jazz independence.  That is, you understand the difference between swung 8ths and straight 8ths and have explored playing swing.  If not, I have included exercises that act as a primer for the Syncopation variations.  I suggest you spend a little time going through them, as they will provide you with the basic skills to conquer the variations.

When you look at the eight solos beginning on page 38 of Ted Reed’s Syncopation, you will notice two written lines.  The middle line is the syncopated solo while the bottom line is a constant drone of quarter notes.  Most students will immediately assume that the quarter note part should be played by feathering the kick drum throughout the exercise.  Wrong!  Do not play this line at any time.  Instead, use it as a visual reference for time so you can discern where some of the stickier passages lie in relation to the beat.

The first six variations are relatively straightforward.  For each variation play the basic jazz time keeping pattern on the ride cymbal while stepping the hi-hat on beats two and four.  If the hi-hat is part of the variation then play the ride pattern only with nothing else playing a steady two and four.  Resist the urge to move on to the next variation until you are comfortable with the one you are currently working on.  Also, play through the entire exercise mistakes and all.  It is important to maintain momentum.  You can go back and isolate problem measures after the fact.

You will notice that I did not write the ride and hi-hat part with the variations.  Visualization is an important element of these variations.  It crucial to feel, hear, and play parts that are not necessarily written out for you. 

Variation 1 – Snare reads the line

Variation 2 – Kick drum reads the line

Variation 3 – Hi – hat reads the line (stepped, not struck)

Variations 4-6 – Short / Long. Snare plays 8^th notes and kick plays quarters or tied 8ths.  Revoice this for snare / hi hat and hi hat / kick.

History and Transcription

This style of comping really came to prominence in the early 1940s as Bebop was being worked out in clubs like Minton’s Playhouse and Monroe’s Uptown House.  Prior to this, time keeping had typically been played on the hi-hat with a constant ‘four on the floor’ on the bass drum. Papa Jo Jones (Count Basie Band) was the first prominent drummer to move away from this approach in the 1930s.  He began keeping time on the ride cymbal while the hi-hat played on beats two and four.

Drummers Kenny Clarke and Max Roach are typically credited with advancing on Papa Jo’s changes by adding highly syncopated hits on the snare and kick (‘dropping bombs’).  They came up with this style of comping to correspond with the fast tempos, syncopated / dissonant lines, and expanding harmonic language of the emerging Bebop style.  Other drummers such as Art Blakey, Philly Joe Jones, and Roy Haynes can also be credited with serious advances in the role of the drummer.  These guys propelled the role of the drummer from a simple timekeeper in the background to a musical, melodic, and rhythmic force to be reckoned with.

Included are some transcriptions of Max Roach using the variations listed above as comping patterns.  If at all possible, try to listen to the recordings listed at the beginning of each excerpt.  This will give you a better idea of how these patterns relate to what the rest of the musicians are playing (complementing, supporting, interjecting, etc).  I have also include a short list of recordings from this era that spotlight these types of comping.

/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/ShortLong1.mp3
/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/ShortLong2.mp3
/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/ShortLong3.mp3
/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/SnareReadsLine.mp3
/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/HiHatReadsLine.mp3
/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/KicksReadsLine.mp3

Short Long 1.mp3 | Short Long 2.mp3 | Short Long 3.mp3 | Snare Reads Line.mp3 | Hi Hat Reads Line.mp3 | Kick Reads Line.mp3 | Printable Version

Chris Munson is currently the Director of Recording Arts at Eastern Kentucky University where he teaches courses in music technology and applied drum set.  He has been a professional musician and audio engineer for over 15 years.  Over that time he has recorded or performed with: Don Aliquo, David Amram, Darol Anger, Danny Barnes, David Carradine, Vassar Clements, Jeff Coffin, Joe Craven, Jerry Douglas, Tom Harrell, Jorma Kaukonen, Jon McEuen, Tim O’Brien, Greg Osby, Anders Osborne, Merl Saunders, Jamey Simons, and Trout Fishing in America.  Albums he has appeared on have earned numerous awards including two Grammy nominations.

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Back for more! Another video for the June

2010 edition!

Printable Version

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Percussion Sessions^® is a bimonthly online magazine exploring various facets of Percussion music. Each month, this “webzine” will feature articles by composers, teachers, or performers. Visitors to the site can learn about the featured authors’ publications, background, or performance/workshop schedule. A free printable music sample will be included in at least one of the articles each month.

As always, let us know what you like.

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