Hey drummers. OK so i am in my school's Jazz Band and my song to play is "Brazil", almost exactly like the one here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCT_CMfh_NM&feature=related . As usual, my teacher passed out the sheet music for the song, but as we began playing he told me that he didn't like what i was playing and to come up with something else: a real Samba (in juxtaposition to the rather bland beat i was playing before). I was excited to be able to play such a beat, and over the next couple days i practiced it and was able to play it at a somewhat slower tempo than played in the Drummer's Bible. I was glad to have learned the beat, but as i played the beat for him in class, he asked me if i could play it double time!
Now, as you probably don't know, the tempo for Brazil is pretty fast, and my teacher was asking me to play an extremely fast foot pattern ("bass, hat bass bass, hat bass bass, hat bass bass, and so forth, in 16th notes resting on the "e" of all four notes). This is a task that i doubt i can do, for my feet are not so developed and my coordination is not the greatest. I mean, i am only a drummer with less than 2 years experience and i am asked to play these fast 16ths along with a ride pattern and the partido alto snare pattern!
I would LOVE to be able to play this beat perfectly, but the Samba is such a difficult pattern, even when played at slower tempos. I would hate to let my teacher down, (he's a saxophonist, so he doesn't realize how hard it is) but i am probably not ready for this song at such a tempo.
So what should i do? Should i ask him if the whole band could play it at a slightly slower tempo? And do you have any suggestions for making the best improvements to one's foot speed and control to play the samba beat?
Please tell me if some things are not clear because i feel i am just rambling on with this post. Please try to help me if you can!
Now, as you probably don't know, the tempo for Brazil is pretty fast, and my teacher was asking me to play an extremely fast foot pattern ("bass, hat bass bass, hat bass bass, hat bass bass, and so forth, in 16th notes resting on the "e" of all four notes). This is a task that i doubt i can do, for my feet are not so developed and my coordination is not the greatest. I mean, i am only a drummer with less than 2 years experience and i am asked to play these fast 16ths along with a ride pattern and the partido alto snare pattern!
I would LOVE to be able to play this beat perfectly, but the Samba is such a difficult pattern, even when played at slower tempos. I would hate to let my teacher down, (he's a saxophonist, so he doesn't realize how hard it is) but i am probably not ready for this song at such a tempo.
So what should i do? Should i ask him if the whole band could play it at a slightly slower tempo? And do you have any suggestions for making the best improvements to one's foot speed and control to play the samba beat?
Please tell me if some things are not clear because i feel i am just rambling on with this post. Please try to help me if you can!