JOHN RILEY here...new DVD: samples here....

Deltadrummer

Platinum Member
Just got John Riley's new DVD, The Master Drummer. It is filled with ideas and exercises for the jazz drummer. I think it's a great asset for the jazz student or teacher and makes a great addition for those working with John's books.
 
Re: John Riley's new DVD.

I've been VERY interested in checking this out when it came out. His books are GREAT for teaching students, and I've had much success in learning new ideas from them myself!

Wait, it's out now?!?!?!? *footsteps.....door slamming.......car starting.......screeching tires*
 
Re: John Riley's new DVD.

A double thumbs up for all the great teachers of our passion. I'll always check John Riley out
 
Re: John Riley's new DVD.

Has anybody been working with this DVD? I have and have found it a valuable tool.
 
Re: John Riley's new DVD.

Dang it, he told me about it like 3 months ago, and I'd completely forgotten. Time to check if it's out in Australia, and if not to order from overseas.

Anything John Riley does is gold in my opinion, I'd highly reccomend anyone check out his 3 books: Art of Bop Drumming, Beyond Bop Drumming and (i think) The Jazz Drummer's Workshop.
 
Re: John Riley's new DVD.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the material he has produced thus far( I still play along with the tracks on the Art of Bop on occasion!), so I believe this warrants a look.
 
Re: John Riley's new DVD.

I just ordered a copy and it will hopefully be here before the weekend. I'm looking forward to working with it.
 
JOHN RILEY here: new DVD

Hey guys,

I'm looking for some input regarding one of the articles in this book - I would PM Mr Riley himself but I would like your ideas too...hopefully he will chime in when he has the time.

I'm talking about the second chapter in the book, "Holding The Groove", in which John provides us with a series of RIDICULOUS independence exercises based on a small selection of 3 beat phrases, to be played under a ride swing. I'm not at the end of the exercises yet, but I would like to know if there is any particular system that can be used to expand on the ideas in this chapter, or even create my own? I've only got a grip on the first few at the moment, but I can see how helpful they are and would like to get my hands on more material like it.

If you haven't got this book I suggest you check it!

Thanks everybody,
Lloyd.
 
Re: Question Regarding "Jazz Drummer's Workshop" by John Riley

You could go about accenting, buzzing, doubling or muting (don't forget the bass drum!) one or more of the strokes. Also, try substituting the hi-hat for the bass drum or the snare drum. How about interpreting each snare stroke as a rim click? See if you can incorporate your ride hand in the patterns without messing up its own pattern. Work with various subdivisions underneath the quarter note pulse. Go nuts, but be smart about it!
 
Re: Question Regarding "Jazz Drummer's Workshop" by John Riley

John Riley Here:

Lloyd, those phrases are an out-growth of playing page 5 of the Stick Control book between my feet in quarter-note triplets and filling in the other 1/8 note triplets on the snare drum. Then moving the left hand snare - high tom - snare - floor tom, or moving the left hand either clockwise or counter clockwise around the kit. Once you do this, variations will dawn on you.

Another way to generate similar ideas is to take the 3 voice comping in Beyond Bop and loop any 3, 5 or 7 beats of any line and play it for 4 or 8 bars. Once that's comfortable, experiment moving you left hand around the toms.

These ideas are challenging but the effort will improve coordination, open up your phrasing and strenghten the center of your time.

Good luck,

John
 
Re: Question Regarding "Jazz Drummer's Workshop" by John Riley

John Riley Here:

Lloyd, those phrases are an out-growth of playing page 5 of the Stick Control book between my feet in quarter-note triplets and filling in the other 1/8 note triplets on the snare drum. Then moving the left hand snare - high tom - snare - floor tom, or moving the left hand either clockwise or counter clockwise around the kit. Once you do this, variations will dawn on you.

Another way to generate similar ideas is to take the 3 voice comping in Beyond Bop and loop any 3, 5 or 7 beats of any line and play it for 4 or 8 bars. Once that's comfortable, experiment moving you left hand around the toms.

These ideas are challenging but the effort will improve coordination, open up your phrasing and strenghten the center of your time.

Good luck,

John


That's the beauatiful thing about independence. Once you have liberated your limbs from each other then the fun only begins because you are liberating them to actually articulate different phrases at the same time. I've been working with the ideas in your books and DVD to do what you recommended, taking melodic phrases that repeat at odd intervals. It ain't easy, but it is very rewarding, and I haven't even added the left foot plays triangle wood block and high hat at the same time while beating out the clave, of course. :)
 
Re: John Riley's new DVD.

Is this DVD suitable for beginners? I'm still working with "Art of Bop".

Yes, acutally it makes a nice companion to The Art of Bop Drumming.
 
Re: Question Regarding "Jazz Drummer's Workshop" by John Riley

ANOTHER QUESTION:

Hopefully John will chime in here too, or maybe DeltaDrummer if you can mate.

Another article that has really helped me out (with almost immediate results) is the "Time Matters" chapter. Again, I'm interested in expanding the ideas used in this one, particularly the first part of the exercise where we are given a few basic comping ideas and told to sing the rests with certain syllables. Now I've tried getting Syncopation and Art Of Bop Drumming and writing my own syllables in the rests but it never seems to work out. Are there certain syllables that are supposed to be used at certain points in the phrase? Is it even nesecerry to expand on this section, or can the same brief material be practiced over and over with fresh results each time?

Thanks in advance = ]
Lloyd.
 
Re: Question Regarding "Jazz Drummer's Workshop" by John Riley

John Riley here:

Hi Lloyd,

Glad you like that chapter. The idea here is to use 5 way coordination to deepen one's sense of pulse and to reduce the friction between the limbs. Gary Chester's New Breed has similar themes in the funk area.

The specific syllables are the same syllables horn players use when they sing phrases to each other in order to convey the correct flow and articulation.

You can use these syllables to fill in the spaces in The Art of Bop or Syncopation but I think once you've gotten the basic phrases in The Jazz Drummer's Workshop flowing, you've gained 90% of it.

Have you gotten my DVD yet Lloyd?

Best,

John
 
Re: Question Regarding "Jazz Drummer's Workshop" by John Riley

John Riley here:

Hi Lloyd,

Glad you like that chapter. The idea here is to use 5 way coordination to deepen one's sense of pulse and to reduce the friction between the limbs. Gary Chester's New Breed has similar themes in the funk area.

The specific syllables are the same syllables horn players use when they sing phrases to each other in order to convey the correct flow and articulation.

You can use these syllables to fill in the spaces in The Art of Bop or Syncopation but I think once you've gotten the basic phrases in The Jazz Drummer's Workshop flowing, you've gained 90% of it.

Have you gotten my DVD yet Lloyd?

Best,

John


Alright cheers mate. I have The New Breed, but it doesn't help me swing like your exercises.

I haven't got hold of the DVD yet, but I think you'll be pleased to know that Beyond Bop Drumming came through my door the other day. I also think you'll be pleased to know that's it's frustrating my limbs heavily. It really is a phenomenal text. After one quick blast through the first chapter, I now finally understand Elvin's whole approach to the "one instrument" concept. I can't thank you enough.

Regarding the DVD, I looked for it a while back and couldn't find it on any UK sites - I could only find Region 1 imports, which are no good. I'll look for it again. I do really want it.

Kind regards,
Lloyd.
 
Re: Question Regarding "Jazz Drummer's Workshop" by John Riley

Hi Lloyd,

Yes, Beyond Bop is challenging. Stick with it and there will be more revelations...

Regardless of the way amazon and some sites list the DVD, there is only one version of the DVD and it is in fact "all" region code 0.

Best,

John
 
Re: Question Regarding "Jazz Drummer's Workshop" by John Riley

there is only one version of the DVD and it is in fact "all" region code 0.
What?! Why didn't anyone tell me?!

*Buys*


OK that should be here soon, hopefully :D


By the way, just out of interest - is this an Alan Dawson thing by any chance?:

Lloyd, those phrases are an out-growth of playing page 5 of the Stick Control book between my feet in quarter-note triplets and filling in the other 1/8 note triplets on the snare drum.

I read somewhere that you studied with him...
 
Re: Question Regarding "Jazz Drummer's Workshop" by John Riley

Hi Lloyd,

No, I never studied with Alan. I stumbled upon this while varying some of the many coordination approaches Joe Morello taught me to Stick Control. I recall doing it in a practice room at North Texas in 1972 or 73. As I was practicing it, my teacher there, John Gates, knocked on the door and asked me if I was practicing the 4-Way book - it sounded like that to him - but I had not seen Marvin's book at that point.

I wonder if Alan was a student of G.L. Stone at the same time Morello was...

Best,

John
 
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