Bass Drum Technique?

[SBdrumz]

72-

One technique I used with my students (when I was lucky enough to teach!) was to have them go through the first 3 pages of Stick Control as written, but play the desired bass drum part along with the hands. For example, #1 would look like this:
RLRL-RLRL-RLRL-RLRL
F-------F-F-------F

To get a little funkier, have them accent beats 2 and 4, as follows:
----->--------->---
RLRL-RLRL-RLRL-RLRL
F-------F-F-------F

(Forgive the '-' marks...I couldn't get the letters to line up properly!!)

Once the first 3 pages are mastered, they'll NEVER have a problem with that kick drum pattern again! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Once they get this down, their playing may sound a little stiff (or quantized, so to speak), so you'll have to get into concepts such as "playing behind the beat", "pocket", etc. Hold On is a great example of that concept.

Hope this helps!
-Scott

[Brett Lobben]

Thanks, guys! All great ideas, very hepful.

[got_a_matchgrip]

Great suggestions.

Also, for the beginner, have them practice the obvious, obligatory, slow-to-moderate samba [& pseudo, or "half"-samba] pattern, perhaps...

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ June 10, 2005 03:38 PM: Message edited by: got_a_match_grip? ]</font>