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Drum line composition (for non drummers)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoMmVlAvjmM

Elements

  • Groove
  • Form
  • Fill

Groove

Repeating frame for the rhythm of the music. It depends on the music genre.

For rock/pop music:

  • Beat:
    • Marks the beat of the music. Usually the drumbass in beats 1 and 3.
    • Drunbass are notated in lower space of the staff, with steams down to indicate that it is played with feet.
  • Engine:
    • Rhythm layer oposing the pulse that makes the beat to indicate forward motion.
    • Accents on snares or base drums on beats 2 and 4
    • Snares are notated in the second upper space of the staff, with steams up to indicate that it is played with hands.
  • Constant:
    • Continuous hit that binds alltogether
    • Hihat or ride cymbal playing on almost all beats: full notes
    • Often it marks the subdivisions of the beat: triplets, eighth notes, sixteenth notes...
    • Not getting attention
    • Notation:
      • an X just over the staff for the hihat (convention used by the video)
      • an X on the top line of the staff for the ride cymbal (convention used by the video)

The rock groove (pum chis pam chis pum chis pam)

xxxxxxxx
b.s.b.s.

The rock groove (pum pam pum pam pum pam pum pumpam, ignoring hihats)

xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxo
b.s.b.s. b.s.b.sb b.s.b.s. b.s.b.sb

Half time groove (pum pam, purum pum pam)

xxxxoxxx xxxxoxxx xxxxoxxx xxxxoxxx
b...s..b b.b.s... b...s..b b.b.s...

Other genres use other grooves, some with similar elements:

  • Jazz:
    • hihat foot engine (Notation: cross under the staff, steam down)
    • ride cymbal to mark the beat
    • the beat also provides the subdivision with swing because skip notes
  • Punk, ska, blue grass:
    • Each beat has a a pair beat upbeat.
    • Kick every beat, a snare every upbeat (in between beats)
    • Variation: alternate drums and combo drums/snare at beat
  • Metal:
    • Beat is market with a cymbal
    • Double kickdrum as the subdivision (triplet, sixteenths...)
  • Motown:
    • Snares mark the beat and kickdrum marks the upbeat (not in every beat)

Form

Form is what

Approaches and anticipations

Based on the basic groove we can use alterations to make it more expresive.

Approaches is delaying or duplicating a beat half the to accent the next note.

Example: delay the drum half a beat to accent the snare.

x...x...x...x...
b...s.....b.s...

Example: repeat the drum beat a sixth before the snare.

x...x...x...x...
b...s...b.b.s...

Anticipation is moving a beat one subdivision prior

  • Beats 1 3: Gives rhythm momentum

    x...x...x...x... ....s...b...s.b.

    x...x...x...x... b...s.b.....s.'.

  • Beats 2 4: Gives rhythm retention

    x...x...x...x... b.s.....b...s...

    x...x...x...x... b...s...b.s.....

Dynamics

The same form can be played with different dynamics. Playing always strong just saturates. But increasing or lowering the strength comunicates.

Fills

Out of groove notes that Usually at the end of an structure to lead to the next one.

Purpose:

  • Comunicates a change of feeling or structure
  • Marks the beat or fealing for the next part

Other resources

  • Crash cymbal is used to release tension, but do not overuse it (unless the genre demands, like metal)
  • Open hihat (notation hihat with empty circle) demands a closing hihat (notation hihat with an x above) and snare.
  • Drum roll (redoble): A way of making a percusion note longer by reiterated and continuous hitting
    • Notation: crosed parallel lines slantedly crossing the steam
  • Snare rush: in electronic music imposibly fast roll
    • Becomes a pitched sound when repetition exceeds 20Hz or 1200 ppm. (ie. 64th notes at 80bpm)
  • Buzz roll: alternate strokes

Beat (Pulso)

  • Beat: basic subdivision of time for the piece
  • Division: is the subdivision of the beat that every onset match it
  • Downbeat: First beat of the bar
  • Upbeat: The last beat of the bar (precedes the next downbeat)
    • Important because usually leads
    • At the start of the piece pickup or anacrusis
  • On beat: In 4/4, 1 and 3 beats, which are usually empasized
  • Off beat: In 4/4, 2 and 4 beats, which are usually not empasized
  • Back beat: when the off beats are emphasized
  • Cross beat: A beat pattern that mixes with a different main beat pattern
  • Hypermeter: pulse within the pulse (usually a meter)

Drums rudiments

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_rudiment https://drummingreview.com/drum-rudiments/

Short phrases that can be used to learn hand coordination and rhythm. Also can be used as base for a piece or to communicate with other drummers.

Many are centered on snare drumming. They are different depending on the country.

Rudiments are composed by even small elements:

  • Single stroke: Just that (R or L) alternating hands between single strokes
    • Basic:
      • Full stroke: The tip goes from high position (20-30cm), strikes and rebounds back to high position
      • Down stroke: The tip goes from high position strikes but rebounds at low position (2-3cm)
      • Up stroke: The tip starts at low postion, strikes and rebound to high position
      • Tap: start and end at low position
    • Advanced:
      • Push/pull Stroke: dual fulcrum strokes with alternated wrist and finger motions [2]
      • Moeller Method Strokes, the same 4 basic strokes as above, but with a dual fulcrum whipping motion.[3]
      • Gladstone Free Strokes, with a completely uninhibited rebound in full, half, or low varieties.[4]
      • Freehand or Gravity Strokes, a dual fulcrum stroke using the rim for alternating up and down halves.[5]
      • Ghost Notes, basic taps or up strokes played at a lower volume than the surrounding notes, the inverse of an accent.[6]
  • Double stroke: Two strokes with the same hand (LL or RR)
  • Diddle: Double stroke played within the prevailing speed of the piece.
  • Paradiddle: LRLL or RLRR (often used to change the leading hand)
  • Mill stroke: RRLR or LLRL, inverse paradiddle with accented first note
  • Flam (mordente): Two single strokes, the first (grace note) softer and pretty close to the next (primary), so that they sound together like a enhanced single note lR or rL
  • Drag: Double stroke played twice the prevailing speed of the piece.

Single stroke roll rudiments

  • Single stroke roll: just alternating hands at 16th, same rhythm
  • Single stroke four: 1 16th triplet + 1 8th, twice, alternating hands each stroke, can start with either L or R, the 8th looks like a pause
  • Single stroke seven (3 16th triplets + 1 8th, once) can

Keyboard drums

Technique on how to play (General MIDI) drums with the keyboard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxD30s4jvcw

Notas clave

  • C1 kickdrum (often B0 A0 are variations)
  • D1-E1 snares (E1 harder for rimshots)
  • C#1 Sidestick
  • D#1 Claps

Hihats in black keys

  • F#1 close hihat 1
  • G#1 close hihat 2
  • A#1 open hihat

Trick: Most libraries makes them exclusive, so an open hihat stops when playing a closed one

  • Toms: White keys F1 to D2 sorted by pitch
  • Crash cymbals: C#2 A2
  • Ride cymbals: D#2 F2 B2

Fingering:

  • Middle left finger in the drum
  • Left index and thumb in the snares
  • Right hand over the cymbals (pinkie over crash)
  • Right hand moves to whites when tombing
  • Right hand moves octave for ride cymbals

Learning Progression:

  1. Kick-Snare
    • Use just the left hand
    • Basic rhythm, slow
    • Don't go for speed, first keeping tempo even slow.
  2. Slow with hihats on the right hand
  3. Slow combining both hands
  4. Slow introduce variations (crash, forwarded and delayed snares and kicks, breaks)
  5. Speed up (next excercies start slow and then speed up)
  6. Introduce a switch on toms
  7. Switch to rides instead of hihats
  8. Repetitions (two hands and single handed)
  9. Dinamics: controlling strength up and down (toms and snares)
  10. Accents with toms and snares
  11. Ghost notes