...for the jazz cats ...

I just put up a new post on a simple but effective technique to use when trading 4's, passing ideas:

http://haredrums.blogspot.com/2012/06/trading-4s-passing-ideas.html

Passing ideas between soloists is a really simple thing to do, but I have found that if used tastefully everybody seems to be blown away by it. Is this something you guys do when trading? Do you love/hate it when people do this? What are some of your favorite examples of drummers doing this?

Thanks Andrew, another really clear, practical and helpful piece. You, 8Mile, Todd and Anthony are my jazz gurus :) The fours in the clip were great. Leaving space to allow others to contribute to your solo really added flavour.

I'd like to see how I can do that more in my Chitlins solo (attachment) ... done as a three piece late on Thurs ... you can hear our keys player packing up and leaving. (At the end you will also hear me "crying" and gently banging my head on the snare :)

Never thought of it like that but I can now see that I was soloing in my own "mental space", as you put it, and it would be good to open it up more to keep everyone engaged. Not sure how to, though. It sounds to me like "rock drummer trying to play jazz" ... lowering hands and keeping control at low volume is tough when you come from rock.
 

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Thanks for the recommendations guys, I'll check those albums out as soon as possible.

Hare, great post as always. Your blog is a treasure man, right now it's one of three blogs that I can always turn to for a source of inspiration (the others being The Bulletproof Musician and Cruise Ship Drummer). It's always a pleasure.

Polly, I listened to the tune and I thought everything sounded really good. I know what you mean tho, I'm on the same boat. I'm practicing Stick Control as low and softly and ppp as possible to get my overall volume down and I'm just listening to as many records as I can so that I get a sense of how to interact with other musicians.
 
I'm practicing Stick Control as low and softly and ppp as possible to get my overall volume down and I'm just listening to as many records as I can so that I get a sense of how to interact with other musicians.

I'm with you bro

being a rock drummer for most of my life the biggest hurdle for me is getting....and keeping my volume down

sometimes I'll get it down quite a bit....then my adrenaline gets pumping and before I know it I'm playing a bit louder than I should be

I am conscious of it....so I guess that is at least 1/4 of the battle

it's tough man.........but we will get there
 
Hey Guys,

Thank you all so much for the really awesome feedback! Knowing that I can count on you to actually listen to/read the stuff I work on is one of the biggest motivations I have to do the blog, so thank you again!

8mile- That was a beautiful example so some Sonny/Elvin interplay. I believe Sonny was also quoting "The Song Is You" there am I correct?

Polly- I thought you played with great touch and clarity as usual. Lovely dynamics and texture. Do you normally play this solo with the guitarist playing the line behind you? In my experience soloing over a vamp like this only works when there is a great deal of trust, cooperation, and listening between all the parties involved.

A couple of simple ideas for bringing the guitarist in more. First I would say, leave more space! Just play a note and then stop and listen for a while. This can be a scary thing to do at first when you feel the pressure of having to solo, but trust yourself and be patient. Just hit that note and then back off.

The second thing would be to play some simple repeated figures that the band can latch on to. I actually felt like you were trying to do this a couple of times, but the guitarist wasn't moving with you. Does your guitarist feel confident enough to get away from the vamp?

Numberless- Thank you as always, it means a lot to me. I haven't actually checked out the Bulletproof Musician so I will do that now!
 
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Hare, great post as always. Your blog is a treasure man, right now it's one of three blogs that I can always turn to for a source of inspiration (the others being The Bulletproof Musician and Cruise Ship Drummer). It's always a pleasure.

Agree with all of that but I've not heard of The Bulletproof Musician. Thanks!

I'm practicing Stick Control as low and softly and ppp as possible to get my overall volume down and I'm just listening to as many records as I can so that I get a sense of how to interact with other musicians.

Huge challenge, eh? Doing lots of listening too. That's what I love about jazz ... everyone says "You must do more listening". It's like being advised by the doctor to up your chocolate intake :)

My approach has been to repeat rhythms (including unaccompanied spangalang, from Andrew's ride video) to a met, from very soft to punchy (but not that loud). I keep the met at low volume to keep things down.

being a rock drummer for most of my life the biggest hurdle for me is getting....and keeping my volume down

sometimes I'll get it down quite a bit....then my adrenaline gets pumping and before I know it I'm playing a bit louder than I should be

Same problem here when I get excited. In rock you need to be up in the mix and driving, or everyone will think you're a wet dish rag. In other styles you embed and listen more. If I can't clearly hear the bass then I figure I'm getting carried away.

Do you normally play this solo with the guitarist playing the line behind you? In my experience soloing over a vamp like this only works when there is a great deal of trust, cooperation, and listening between all the parties involved.

A couple of simple ideas for bringing the guitarist in more. First I would say, leave more space! Just play a note and then stop and listen for a while. This can be a scary thing to do at first when you feel the pressure of having to solo, but trust yourself and be patient. Just hit that note and then back off.

The second thing would be to play some simple repeated figures that the band can latch on to. I actually felt like you were trying to do this a couple of times, but the guitarist wasn't moving with you. Does your guitarist feel confident enough to get away from the vamp?

Thanks for the good advice, Andrew! At first I played the solo alone but it seemed a bit naff ...everyone dropping out for the "drum star" to strut her stuff. If I could play like you guys, okay ...

And yes, I've been afraid to leave more space, especially in the first half, which is where I think some stops would be to greatest advantage.

I'll tell the others I'll be trying something different beforehand or I'll scare the horses, which comes back to what Numberless said about interaction. I don't think I'll plan what I play ... just listen to the guitarist and try to pick stops that work with what he plays so he'll feel natural in filling the space (that's the theory, anyway :)

It's a fun challenge. We're mostly playing our singer's preferred genres and the band is playing catchup, but loving playing at a volume that doesn't hurt. I personally think drum and cymbal tones are more beautiful at low volume.

Sorry this is so long but this is the kind of thing I most want to learn ATM
 
Numberless, I'm just checking out the Bulletproof Musician blog. Love it. It's going to be helpful for sure - thanks for that :)

This, Andrew's and Todd's blogs are fantastic for rock players who are trying to learn some jazz. I feel a bit exposed without the big rock sound and not being able to swing freely, so some extra confidence will be more than helpful!
 
Just reading this thread has made me want to play traditional grip again for a minute. :) (Every few years I come back to it, especially when playing Jazz, but these days what with making the new drums and practicing and writing, there are only so many hours in a day, so have decided to stick primarily to matched.) Apparently just reading about Jazz drumming and you guys approaches can make me want to get back to it :)
 
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Just reading this thread has made me want to play traditional grip again for a minute. :) (Every few years I come back to it, especially when playing Jazz, but these days what with making the new drums and practicing and writing, there are only so many hours in a day, so have decided to stick primarily to matched.) Apparently just reading about Jazz drumming and you guys approaches can make me want to get back to it :)

great to see you here brother

been a while

...yeah get back at it Ami....I would love to hear a bad ass like you play some swing
 
Agree with all of that but I've not heard of The Bulletproof Musician. Thanks!



Huge challenge, eh? Doing lots of listening too. That's what I love about jazz ... everyone says "You must do more listening". It's like being advised by the doctor to up your chocolate intake :)

My approach has been to repeat rhythms (including unaccompanied spangalang, from Andrew's ride video) to a met, from very soft to punchy (but not that loud). I keep the met at low volume to keep things down.



Same problem here when I get excited. In rock you need to be up in the mix and driving, or everyone will think you're a wet dish rag. In other styles you embed and listen more. If I can't clearly hear the bass then I figure I'm getting carried away.



Thanks for the good advice, Andrew! At first I played the solo alone but it seemed a bit naff ...everyone dropping out for the "drum star" to strut her stuff. If I could play like you guys, okay ...

And yes, I've been afraid to leave more space, especially in the first half, which is where I think some stops would be to greatest advantage.

I'll tell the others I'll be trying something different beforehand or I'll scare the horses, which comes back to what Numberless said about interaction. I don't think I'll plan what I play ... just listen to the guitarist and try to pick stops that work with what he plays so he'll feel natural in filling the space (that's the theory, anyway :)

It's a fun challenge. We're mostly playing our singer's preferred genres and the band is playing catchup, but loving playing at a volume that doesn't hurt. I personally think drum and cymbal tones are more beautiful at low volume.

Sorry this is so long but this is the kind of thing I most want to learn ATM

Hey Polly,

You are too modest! I just did a short post about soloing over a vamp that has some relevant ideas:

http://haredrums.blogspot.com/2012/07/soloing-over-vamp.html

The gist is that the source of tension/release in this type of drum solo comes from playing against the vamp (tension) or with the vamp (release). So finding the right balance between the two is the key to success in this kind of solo. I think based on what I heard in your solo that you could afford to get a little further from the vamp (and produce more tension), perhaps by leaving more space, or perhaps something entirely different. In any case, I hope this helps and I would love to hear some more recordings!
 
Hey Polly,

You are too modest! I just did a short post about soloing over a vamp that has some relevant ideas:

http://haredrums.blogspot.com/2012/07/soloing-over-vamp.html

The gist is that the source of tension/release in this type of drum solo comes from playing against the vamp (tension) or with the vamp (release). So finding the right balance between the two is the key to success in this kind of solo. I think based on what I heard in your solo that you could afford to get a little further from the vamp (and produce more tension), perhaps by leaving more space, or perhaps something entirely different. In any case, I hope this helps and I would love to hear some more recordings!

Thanks Andrew. I really like the idea or breaking away and touching base at times to keep the band engaged. Will also muster the courage to leave space!

As an accompanist, my first instinct is to just play alternative rhythms and imply the melody a little rather than "speak", which I guess is the next step ... into the abyss without a parachute :)
 
Hey Polly,

You are too modest! I just did a short post about soloing over a vamp that has some relevant ideas:

http://haredrums.blogspot.com/2012/0...over-vamp.html

The gist is that the source of tension/release in this type of drum solo comes from playing against the vamp (tension) or with the vamp (release). So finding the right balance between the two is the key to success in this kind of solo. I think based on what I heard in your solo that you could afford to get a little further from the vamp (and produce more tension), perhaps by leaving more space, or perhaps something entirely different. In any case, I hope this helps and I would love to hear some more recordings!

Phenomenal playing Andrew!

And as always a great post, I transcribed a Brian Blade solo over a vamp some weeks ago and it is pretty much like you said. He sometimes plays outside the vamp but then comes back to it which produces a very strong almost cathartic experience.

Here's the solo in case anyone is interested --> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/68704262/Impossible%20Question%20drum%20solo.pdf


And this is the song, the solo is around 6:35 --> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/68704262/02%20-%20Impossible%20Question.mp3
 
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Phenomenal playing Andrew!

And as always a great post, I transcribed a Brian Blade solo over a vamp some weeks ago and it is pretty much like you said. He sometimes plays outside the vamp but then comes back to it which produces a very strong almost cathartic experience.

Here's the solo in case anyone is interested --> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/68704262/Impossible%20Question%20drum%20solo.pdf


And this is the song, the solo is around 6:35 --> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/68704262/02%20-%20Impossible%20Question.mp3

Wow!

Great transcription, that could not have been easy. Thanks again for the recommendation, I am loving this album! Brian is certainly one of the greatest living drummers at this kind of soloing, so graceful.
 
Phenomenal playing Andrew!

And as always a great post, I transcribed a Brian Blade solo over a vamp some weeks ago and it is pretty much like you said. He sometimes plays outside the vamp but then comes back to it which produces a very strong almost cathartic experience.

Here's the solo in case anyone is interested --> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/68704262/Impossible Question drum solo.pdf


And this is the song, the solo is around 6:35 --> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/68704262/02 - Impossible Question.mp3

Holy crap, Num. That is really impressive! I can't imagine trying to transcribe something as loose and organic as that but you nailed it.

That's a beautiful solo by Blade, too.
 
Thanks guys, yeah it was challenging, especially trying to listen to the drums over the vamp but it has been a tremendous help, I find some of the ideas seeping through to my playing already. I love how Brian seems to have total command over the barline and can start a phrase anywhere he wants, it's ridiculous jajaja

Now I'm working on transcribing some comps by Frankie Dunlop, Philly Joe and Paul Motian, hoping that it will help me develop more authentic vocabulary in my playing.
 
Thanks guys, yeah it was challenging, especially trying to listen to the drums over the vamp but it has been a tremendous help, I find some of the ideas seeping through to my playing already. I love how Brian seems to have total command over the barline and can start a phrase anywhere he wants, it's ridiculous jajaja

Now I'm working on transcribing some comps by Frankie Dunlop, Philly Joe and Paul Motian, hoping that it will help me develop more authentic vocabulary in my playing.

Incredible!!!!

The one thing I'm terrible at the most (and there's lots) is transcribing. I've done it and can tell you beyond passion - I'm sooooo bad at it. Ironically I can read like mad... Just can't transcribe.

Sure glad people like you exist to make my life easier.
 
Hey Gvda!
Nice one, thanks! I don't get to hang out here as often as I'd like since making the new drum brand is soaking up all my time. As soon as that is ready I'll get some music happening, (hopefully some of it will be "Jazz"), and post it here as well, would love to hear what you guys think. I met some amazing musicians here (in Athens) so can't wait to get something going! :)

great to see you here brother

been a while

...yeah get back at it Ami....I would love to hear a bad ass like you play some swing
 
Okay, I've decided to put the free jazz links I promised Polly in this thread, just because I can't think of a better thread to put them in. We were derailing some other thread with this discussion, so at least now it can continue in a semi-relevant thread.

Polly, I was trying to find you some good links to the European collective improvisation, only to discover there are precious few clips online. The FMP label (I recommend you read about it here: http://www.fmp-label.de/index_en.php or via Google search) had an impressive artist stable of both European and American artists. I wanted to start you out with Peter Kowald's excellent Was Da Ist, but I can't find anything online.

Here's something from Alexander von Schlippenbach, the pianist. http://youtu.be/Kv7nls6ur9k

And a version of Take The A Train by Matthew Shipp: http://youtu.be/HfZmJSVAPQY

Okay, are you feeling nervy? When you are, let's see if you're ready for this classic. The slightly terrifying Machine Gun by Peter Brötzmann: http://youtu.be/27CpT79NMhQ
 
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