Books for Independence

True, but some of the other books are specifically designed and offer more material for that purpose. Much of the book other than page 37 (in newer editions page 38), just won't work for Jazz interdependence.

I also think that interdependence and reading are interrelated. In the real world, he'll have to just read the figures and figure out the interdependence to play them on the spot. To me, I'd rather not have to work first from Syncopation, then out of another book. I'd rather build both skills at once. Of course, if someone reads very slowly, or doesn't have a teacher, Syncopation can soften the difficulty until they're ready to take the training wheels off.

Don't forget about "Beyond Bop Drumming" by Riley. Takes things to a whole 'nother, disgusting level. [img]cool.gif[/img]

For the jazz side of things 'The Drummers Complete Vocabluary as taught by Alan Dawson' by John Ramsay has some challenging and very cool sounding ways to approach Syncopation. Of course you could use another reading source to do the same exercises.

I would think a person would benefit from going through the Chapin and Riley books first as some of them are preeeety tricky (well they are for me anyhow! [img]redface.gif[/img]

When I was teaching I would challenge students to write out as many single line rhythms they could come up with, initially in quarter and eighth notes and rest combinations. Then I'd bend their brain to come up with 2, 3 and four limb exercises with a variety of static parts against changing parts; some written things, others with one part written the others from memory, or a line written out as a "solo" or even an improvised part. They not only got a handle on reading by writing but learned how to mix reading and improvisation and wrote their own book in the process.

Now I know this is not a progressive methodology so this is one of those fun things they would do as a part of their lesson that supplemented the step by step things that came from other sources. I wanted my students to be able to get their nose off the page and create. I'd have them write out one bar of random quater-eighths in 4/4 and then get them to come up with as many different ways to create an exercise from that one bar. For instance, I'd get them started by having them play the rhythm in the LH, Straight 8ths in the RH and four on the floor. Then switch parts around. Before long they were breaking the rhythm up around the kit, adding more complex static parts, filling in the rests in various ways and playing the pattern as a linear exercise, playing the pattern in one hand and imrovising a BD line etc...culminating in using that one bar of rhythm as the theme for an improvised solo. Once they wrote out enough one bar exercises I'd have them begin to combine two rhythms and go through the same process. Starting with one rhythm in the LH the other in the RF then adding static parts in the RH, LF and creating other things from there. There are no right or wrong ways to approach this and the student is only limited by his or her imagination. I found this to be a great tool for lumping independence, reading comprehension and improvisation into a fun, creative exercise.

There are at least 3 aspects to independence: rhythmic, motion and dynamic.

Rhythmic independence is what "Advanced Techniques" is concerned with. It is the Bible of rhythic independence. It is very versatile and the figures can be played against any combination of ride, bass, high hat rhythms, not just the ones written. "The New Breed" is like the New Testament of dynamic independence.

Motion independence deals with having your hands (or feet) moving in diffrent directions and patterns at the same time. I don't know any books that concetrate on this skill but it is essential when playing sophisticated afro-cuban songo's and mambos. It's also important for drummers who use multiple pedals and move their feet in different patterns amoung the pedals at the same time.

Dynamic independence deals with being able to play independent accent/ghost note patterns with different limbs at the same time. This is the most challenging aspect of independence for me. It's what separates the men from the boys when it comes to having that DEEP, funky groove. David Garibaldi would be the ultimate master of dynamic independence that I know of. His book "Future Sounds" concentrates on this skill.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 20, 2005 04:15 AM: Message edited by: Henry II ]</font>

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Henry II:

Motion independence... I don't know any books that concetrate on this skill but it is essential when playing sophisticated afro-cuban songo's and mambos. ..

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AS LONG AS WE NEVER FORGET TO PLAY FOR THE SONGO...

(sorry [img]wink.gif[/img] )

[quote]Originally posted by John Blackburn:

Quote:

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Originally posted by Henry II:

Motion independence... I don't know any books that concetrate on this skill but it is essential when playing sophisticated afro-cuban songo's and mambos. ..

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AS LONG AS WE NEVER FORGET TO PLAY FOR THE SONGO...

(sorry [img]wink.gif[/img] )

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Alrighty then! [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img]

Yeah, Henry nailed it on the head! I remember a lesson I took with Gary Chaffee where he touched on the idea of Motion Independence. He and Ed Soph both encouraged me to go beyond books and write out my own stuff, to get creative and think in unorthodox ways. It wasn't so much about what you would write out but how far you could take it in your imagination. Chaffee was big on getting mobile around the kit even with things like going to two different sound sources on double strokes. These things really open drumming up to a new polyphony. Soph talked about developing an "inner dynamic" where nothing is dynamically static; it goes beyond accents and becomes more of an artistic shading.

Taking books like "Advanced Techniques" at face value will do no one any good. It's only when you take an open approach to books like this that you will see real results. It's all about nurturing one's creativity. How far can you stretch it?

Quote:

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AS LONG AS WE NEVER FORGET TO PLAY FOR THE SONGO...
(sorry [img]wink.gif[/img] )

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I think JB was just making a little joke there, H2.
"AS LONG AS WE NEVER FORGET TO PLAY FOR THE SONG [-O]"... see? [;oP

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 27, 2005 03:09 PM: Message edited by: got_a_match_grip? ]</font>

has anyone mentioned gary chester's 'new breed' book yet? i remember weckl championing this book years ago on his first instructional vid. though not specifically meant for jazz, i'm sure one could benefit from it, even in jazz context. i guess one just needs to 'swing' the excercises.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ August 27, 2005 03:46 PM: Message edited by: Da Chooch ]</font>