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Hi guys
I'm having difficulty incorporating swung 8th notes into my bass drum work. I hear them used all the time in a lot of contemporary R & B and hip-hop and would love to try and emulate some of these grooves.
I'm sure I just need to practice, practice, practice but any helpful tips would be much appreciated!
not sure what you mean, Gal. Do mean you find it hard physically, as in technical difficulties or that you are just not making it swing at the moment? I take it that you are listening to the type of music you want to replicate?
You HAVE to be able to hear the triplet subdivision of your quavers and not let them come out 'straight'.
Listening to Jeff Porcaro and his numerous shuffle grooves isn't a bad place to start. "If I ever loose my faith" by Sting, with Vinnie or" Still know nothin bout me" is also a good example of a solid shuffle. "Inside Out" by the Brecker Bros with Bozzio is a killing live track that you could also check out...
Hi Dazzler
Thanks for the reply, I was referring to more the technical side of playing the notes. I understand where the notes should go but have problems when trying to execute them - having large, clumsy feet doesn't help!
Jonathan
X
I see, well then we're getting into bass drum technique then, which I'm sure has been addressed on this site before. Heel up vs heel down an all that!
Personally, I play heel up (with the foot pivoting)and use the whole leg not just the foot. This I find helps with louder dynamics and fast double stokes as you can slide the foot up the bass plate and get two strokes with just one movement.
As far as your original question relating to funk shuffles and swumg hip hop beats, realise that the quavers (8th notes)are further apart than straight or rock quavers. They are dotted and have a different feel. If you are hearing what you want or should be playing, but are not executing it as such, slow the groove right down and make sure that your placement is accurate. The first BD beat is on the down beat and the second should be on the dotted 16th note or last semiquaver of the beat.
Funnily enough, the hi-hat can remain playing straight 8ths and doesn't necesarily have to swing. The whole shuffle feel can be dictated by what the bass drum and snare are playing.
Thanks Dazzler!
I also play that way, using the leg as well as the foot. Thank you for the tips, I'll be sure to slow right down and look at where I'm placing my notes.
It seems a logical problem to overcome as I guess our feet are just harder to control than our more nimbler fingers!
Thanks again!
Jonathan
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No worries Johnathan and you're right, the feet tend to have a mind of their own! The thing is as with all practice: there's absolutely NO RUSH with anything. Playing music isn't a race and even though we can debate who have the fastest hands or can do the most double reverse flmaddidles with cheese on top(!) the ultimate goal for a drummer is to make what he or she is playing FEEL good.
So with regards to the shuffle and hip hop grooves, I would say the most important thing is to keep listening to the music - that's everying. We must have a reference point in our heads and an understanding of the genre. Secondly, as you said, slow it right down and try to get that swung groove. Better still, find a track that has a slow shuffle on it "You might need somebody" by Randy Crawford springs to mind, with Jeff on drums. If you have some equipment that will allow you to slow a track down without adjusting the pitch then even better!
Good luck with it and keep swinging!
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I find using the Heel-toe technique works for me. It enables me to play quick and dynamically even doubles. I would recommend playing shuffle beats as much as possible.
Also, get some GO-GO music. The subdivision is 16th note triplets. They are counted 1-trip-let &-trip-let etc...
Then you can play FlamTriplets---joke.