Drum Set
For the School Jazz Ensemble
Jim Catalano
Objective
This is not to teach you how to play drum set.
• Goal is to give you tips on how to guide drum set players.
• Understand the equipment of drummers.
• Understand a drummers role in the jazz ensemble.
• Basic beats or patterns for most jazz ensemble music.
• Coaching drummers to listen and fit in with rhythm section.
• Enhancing the jazz ensemble experience and performance.
Components of a Drum Set
Snare Drum
Crash Cymbal
Ride Cymbal
Hi-Hat
Tom-Tom
Floor Tom
Bass Drum
Drum Set Configurations
Jazz Configuration Rock Configuration
Cymbals
• 20” Ride Cymbal (Medium Heavy Weight)
• 18” Crash Cymbal (Thin Weight)
• 16” Crash Cymbal (Thin Weight)
• 14” Pr. Hi-Hat Cymbals (Medium Weight)
• Brands (best tone and response)
• Zildjian
• Sabian
• Paiste
• Meinl
Drum Set Accessories
Hardware / Stands Cases / Bags / Carpet
• Snare Drum Stand • Drum Cases – Hard Shell
• Cymbal Stand • Drum Bags – Soft Padded
• Boom Cymbal Stand • Trap Case – Hardware
• Hard Fiber Case on wheels
• Hi-Hat Stand • Padded Bag with wheels
• Bass Drum Pedal
• Drum Throne • Drum Carpet
• keeps drums from sliding
Drum Set Accessories
Drumheads Sticks / Brushes
• Bass Drum • Drum sticks
• Remo Powerstroke • 5A – recommended
• Ringed Heads front and Back
• Wood Tip
• Muffling “BOOM”
• Nylon Tip
• Toms
• Medium White Coated Heads – • Big sticks sound bad on cymbals
Jazz • Brushes
• Heavy Clear Heads - Rock
• Nylon
• Snare Drum
• Medium White Coated • Wire
• Brands: Remo, Evans, Aquarian
Drummer’s Role
• Time – Drummer must have solid tempo
• Forward motion – Energy flow
• Accents – Drums can accentuate band figures (Rhythms)
• Set-Ups – Drummer must anticipate band rhythms
• Fills – Filling in blank spots in the music
• Rhythmic ostinato
• Shading / Coloring / Textures
• Most drumming is improvisational
• Support the other musicians
Best advice ever received:
“It’s Not About You.”
Common Drummer Problems
• Volume control
• Playing bass drum too loud
• Unsteady tempo (Rushing / Dragging)
• Choppy fills
• Unfinished Fills
• Show Boating – Over playing – Too many chops
• Not locking in with the rhythm section / especially bass player
• Not following dynamics
• Overplaying when backing soloists and singers
• Not familiar with style
• Not listening to their overall sound in with the whole band
Two Hands First / Then Feet
• A drummer that cannot play well with two hands on a single
surface like a snare drum, will not be successful on the drum
set.
• A drummer must have a level of independence between:
• Right hand – Ride Cymbal
• Left hand – Snare Drum
• Right Foot – Bass Drum
• Left Foot – Hi-hat
• Each limb plays a different instrument (Drum or Cymbal) at the
same time.
Jazz on the Drum Set
Ride
Cymbal Hi-Hat
W/ Foot
80%
Snare
Bass 20%
Drum
Drum
Swing Beat
3
V
7
Ride Cymbal
Beat 2 AH Beat 1
Beat 4 AH Beat 3
V
7
“Chick’en Bones” 2 AH 1
4 AH 3
Jazz Beats
1 2 3 4
3 3
7 7 Ride Cymbal Pattern
Hi-Hat w/ Foot
Light Bass Drum
“Feathering”
Rock on the Drum Set
Bass Drum Snare Drum
80%
Ride
Cymbal Hi-Hat
W/ Stick
20%
Rim Clicks (Basie Chop)
Butt End of Stick
Place hand in center of
Drum Holding Stick
Drum Set Notation (Key)
Swing Style
Rock Beat
Rock Beat
Swing Beat
Swing / Jazz Bass Drum
• Key Word - “FEATHERING”
• Soft
• Subtle
• Match with String Bass or Bass Guitar
• Bass Drum Bombs
• Accents
• Set Ups
¾ Waltz / Jazz Waltz
Brush Beat
Brush Beats (Sweeping)
• Fast Tempo • Slow Tempo
Right Hand Right Hand
2
a1 a1
2
1 1
2
Left Hand Left Hand
2
Latin Beats (Bossa Nova)
Afro Cuban Beat
Drum Fills
• Keep in style of music
• Triplets are always a great option
• Do not over play
• Avoid a flurry of notes
• Leave space or breaths in fills
• Keep tempo steady
• Mix tones between snare, high tom, low tom & bass drum
Rudiments on the Drum Set
• Flams
• Flam Accent #1 & #2
• Single Paradiddle
• Double Paradiddle
• Rolls – All Types, 5, 7, 9 Stroke
• Getting around the drum set is all about sticking.
• Use sticking to help facilitate quick changes to other drums.
Resources
• IReal Pro App
• Drums can be silenced to play
along.
Listening for Drummers
• Count Basie Orchestra – “Basie Straight Ahead”
• Frank Sinatra / Count Basie – “Sinatra at the Sands”
• Dave Brubeck (Joe Morello) – “Time Out”
• Buddy Rich – “Big Swing Face”
• Miles Davis – “Kind of Blue”
• John Coltrane – “Blue Train”
• Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – “Moanin”
• Stan Getz / Joao Gilberto – “Getz/Gilberto”
• Bossa Nova (Latin) - Girl from Ipanema, Desafinado, Corcovado
Thank You
Jim Catalano
[email protected] 574/329-1923
