Bend And Snap

SONG TITLE: BEND AND SNAP

GENRE: POP
TEMPO: 113 BPM
q =113 Pop

y y y y
TECH FEATURES: BASS DRUM VARIATIONS

44 Œ
SNARE DRUM VARIATIONS A

㠜
RIDE CYMBAL GROOVE

COMPOSER: PETER HUNTINGTON

PERSONNEL: NOAM LEDERMAN (DRUMS)

JON MUSGRAVE (PROD)

RSL-152129022044 / 1 / Ritesh Khokhar / riteshkhokhar@[Link]

y y y y y
OVERVIEW and both artists have drawn inspiration from dance

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music throughout their careers. Madonna brought

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‘Bend And Snap’ is a pop track written in the dance an obscure dance fad from the New York clubs to
floor friendly style of artists like Lady Gaga, Madonna the world with her hit ‘Vogue’, and her constantly
and Rihanna. The song features bass and snare drum morphing image paved the way for the visual excesses
variations and a ride cymbal quarter-note groove of Lady Gaga.
among its techniques.
Modern pop is the domain of the producer. The
[3] legendary Quincy Jones masterminded Jackson’s
STYLE FOCUS record breaking albums Off The Wall (1979) and
Thriller (1982), the latter of which is the biggest-
Modern pop is influenced extensively by the many selling album of all time. Producers like Jones do use
permutations of dance music from soul to R’n’B and samples but they also call upon the services of top
hip hop. In the studio, most drumming on a wide session drummers. For example, John ‘JR’ Robinson,
range of pop artists’ singles and albums comes from the late Jeff Porcaro and the versatile Josh Freese.
samplers and sequencers, but when these artists go on These players play in the pocket with superb feel and
tour they often prefer to have live musicians on stage, never play a note more than is necessary for the song.

y y yœ y y
even if only to serve the purpose of creating the visual
impact of a real band. The beats are neither complex
nor fancy, so concentrate on keeping the groove B RECOMMENDED LISTENING

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steady and making your drums sit in the pocket.
It is the job of a pop drummer to give the singers a The Fame (2008) by Lady Gaga spawned the hits
rhythmic platform upon which to perform. ‘Just Dance’ and ‘Poker Face’, which exemplify modern
dance pop. The Saturdays have also caught the public
ear with their take on electro pop, and their single
THE BIGGER PICTURE ‘Higher’ tipped its hat to the sounds of Lady Gaga
Drums Grade 1

[5] and Rihanna. For a global perspective, try Korean

Michael Jackson and Madonna were the respective pop group Girls Generation and their Lee Soo Man
King and Queen of pop in the 1980s and 1990s, produced single ‘The Boys’.

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 Bend And Snap
Peter Huntington

q =113 Pop

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
4
A

ã4 œ Œ œ œ Œ œ Œ œ œ Œ

y y y y y y yœ y yœ œ œ
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[3]

B
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
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RSL-152129022044 / 1 / Ritesh Khokhar / riteshkhokhar@[Link]

[5]

y y yœ y y y yœ y y y y y y y yœ y
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œ œ œ œ
[7] J

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y yœ y
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[9]

y y yœ y y y yœ y y y œy y y y yœ
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[11] J
Drums Grade 1

C
y y yœ y y y yœ y y yœ y yœ
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[13] J J
10
© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 y y yœ y y y yœ y y yœ y yœ
㜠‰ œ œ ‰ œ
[15] J J

y y yœ y y y yœ y y yœ y yœ
㜠‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ
[17] J

y y y y y y y y y
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[19] J

RSL-152129022044 / 1 / Ritesh Khokhar / riteshkhokhar@[Link]

D
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y yœ y
ã œ Œ œ œ Œ œ Œ œ œ
[21]

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
ã œ Œ œ œ Œ œ Œ œ œ œ
[23]

y y yœ y y y yœ y y A Cœ y y y yœ y
ã œ œ œ œ œ œ
[25]
Drums Grade 1

y y yœ y y y yœ y y yœ yœ y
ã œ œ œ œ œ Ó
[27]

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© Copyright 2012 Rock School Ltd. This music is copyright. Photocopying is illegal.
 Walkthrough

A Section (Bars 1–4) ride until you achieve a consistent pulse before putting it
The A section uses a breakdown type groove that leads to together with the snare and bass drum pattern.
the full groove in bar 5. In bar 4, there is a break on beat one
that is followed by a snare drum fill. Bar 14 | Offbeat bass drum
On beat three, there is an eighth-note rest followed by an
Bar 1 | Breakdown groove eighth-note bass drum. The bass drum is played on the
This groove consists of eighth notes on the hi-hat and a ‘&’ of beat three, the offbeat. Co-ordinating this with the
crash on the first beat. The bass drum plays on beats one quarter note hi-hat may be challenging at first. Counting all
and three as well as the offbeat of the third beat. Playing this the eighth notes in the bar (“1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &”) and using a
groove accurately and with a secure pulse requires practise. metronome should solve this.

Bar 4 | Break
In this bar there’s a break of one and a half beats after the D Section (bars 21–28)
initial snare/hi-hat/bass drum hit. Count all the eighth notes This begins with a four-bar breakdown groove then develops
in the bar and strike the snare on the offbeat of the third beat to a full groove from bar 25. The rhythmic phrase in bar 28
with conviction (Fig. 1). is played with the hi-hat, snare and bass drum.

Bar 26 | Open hi-hat

B Section (Bars 5–12) This is the only open hi-hat in the piece but the same
This is the first main section of the song, usually referred to principles apply. Your hi-hat foot should stay in contact with
as the verse in pop music. The groove is played on the hi-hat the pedal in order to maintain your posture, balance and
with some snare and bass variations. timing. Avoid leaning backwards, sideways or forwards.

RSL-152129022044 / 1 / Ritesh Khokhar / riteshkhokhar@[Link]

Bar 5 | Crash on beat one Bar 28 | Ending phrase
Playing the crash cymbal on the first beat of this bar This is a musical interpretation of the rhythmic phrase the
indicates the beginning of a new section. The crash is played other instruments play. The hi-hat plays the first four eighth
with a bass drum in order to make this statement more notes in the bar then rests on beats three and four. The bass
pronounced. Focus on moving your right hand in the most drum plays on the first and fourth eighth notes, and the
efficient way, ensuring it is prepared to play the cymbal snare plays on the second and third eighth notes. The half
indicated when needed. Co-ordinating the crash and bass note (minim) rest on the third and fourth beats applies to
drum accurately will lead to a more convincing opening to both parts of the stave, so the offbeat of the second beat is
the section. the last note you have to play.

Bars 5–12 | Snare / bass drum variations

The basic pattern that was introduced in bar 5 continues
to develop and vary throughout the section. Try practising
yœ œ œ
ã œ Œ ‰
J
the snare/bass pattern without the cymbals and ensure all
rhythmic values are accurate. When you feel ready, add the
cymbals and play along with the track or a metronome.
Count: 1 (&) (2) (&) (3) & 4 &

C Section (Bars 13–20) Fig. 1: Break

This is the second main section of the song, which is mostly
referred to as the chorus in pop music. The groove here
is played on the ride cymbal, which continually changes
between quarter notes and eighth notes. Bar 20’s drum fill
indicates the end of this section and the beginning of section
y y y y y y y y y yœ y‰ yœ
ã œ œ ‰ œ œ
D in bar 21.
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Bar 13–18 | Ride cymbal J J
Drums Grade 1

Apart from the crash hits, all the cymbal notes in this section
indicate that the ride cymbal should be played. The ride
cymbal pattern changes rhythm every bar, from eighth notes Fig. 2: Ride cymbal
to quarter notes and vice versa. Practise this pattern on the

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