You Better Slow Down

There are times when a song doesn't seem quite right. Everything may appear to be correct, but things just seem out of sorts. Perhaps the tempo was counted off too fast or too slow. But what if the tempo is correct and it still seems at odds with the feel or mood of the tune? The tune may seem a bit rushed no matter what? Maybe it lacks the energy that a faster tempo would provide. There are tricks you can use to help align the mood with the tune regardless of tempo.

OK, It Really Is Too Fast
It happens: somebody counted the tune off too fast (or too slow) and now you’re stuck with it. Correcting a tempo on the fly is technically easy but philosophically tricky. You can't arbitrarily change the tempo mid-song to 'fix' things. I sometimes try to adjust an ailing tempo without anyone noticing, which sometimes works. BTW, The worst thing you can do is stop and try again; better to just live with for now.

Play More Notes, or Fewer
The number of notes you play can have a big effect on mood. Creating space by playing fewer notes can make a tune seem more stable. For example, playing quarters on the hi-hat instead of eighths can help make a tune feel more relaxed, less frenetic. Or you can increase the energy level by filling up some of the space ... busy implies energy. Playing a 16th-note ride pattern rather than 8ths can help create a sense of movement. You can also increase or decrease the snare or bass drum work to bolster or lighten the feel.

How Does It Feel?
An easy way to change the mood is to play half as fast, or twice as fast. Actually, a double-time or half-time feel is what you're looking for. Try playing a double time swing ride to perk up slower rock tune. Or you can allude to a half time feel -- bass drum on 1, snare on 3 -- to simulate a more relaxed pace. 

Half Time? Double Time? How about both?
The ‘Bonham shuffle’ is a wonderful example of mixing and matching half and double time: the bass and snare play straight time and the hi-hat plays a double time feel (or vice versa). In this case, neither the half time nor the double time pattern would have worked. This trick can be found on a number of recordings.

Be Up Front About It ... Or Behind
Playing on top of or behind the beat can be tricky, but it can help increase or decrease the energy level. A technique I like to use is to work with just the snare and not be concerned about the other bits. I can place the back beat a little ahead or a little behind. That way I can micro-manage the energy with just the snare.

Conclusion
Fixing a nervous or lifeless tune is not always possible. Some tunes simply won't settle down or “get off the ground” no matter what you do.  Well, that's music for you!

Pick Your Targets

One thing that I always admired about Buddy Rich was the way he set up figures. He had a way of announcing and drawing attention to horn lines that was absolutely beautiful. It’s also good illustration of how important it is to know not only where you are, but where you’re going as well.

More Than Hitting The Shots
Orchestrating a setup means you have to know where you're headed and then work your way toward that goal. We're sometimes inclined to focus on what we're doing in the moment and may not always be aware of where we need to end up. If you're not paying attention to landing point, you might play something that ends awkwardly ... or worse.

Mentally Organize Your Physical Space
There’s a lot of movement required in drumming, and knowing where you're going physically is vital. If you set out to do a roundhouse fill, for example, you need to prepare your body to move all the way from one end of the set to the other. Visualize the movements as you go. Think about the body movements you need to make so you can 'see' where you need to go before you get there.

You're Always Going Somewhere
When you play the last note of a phrase, you should be targeting the downbeat of the next phrase (you don't need to emphasize it; just land on it perfectly and you'll be fine). When doing a fill, you need to keep your eye on where you're going to resolve the fill. Pick your target, keep your focus on it, and let it guide your playing every step of the way. And listen.

Turn-arounds/Transitions
Phrases begin and phrases end. You can add interest and 'escort' the music from one phrase to the next with what's called a turn-around. For example, in a 32-bar tune, there are four 8-bar phrases. At the end of each phrase, drummers will often do something interesting to wrap up the current phrase and set up the next one. These transitions can be a simple shot or a dynamic two-bar fill. More common, though, is something in between, perhaps change the beat slightly for that last bar or a subtle two-beat fill. This also reassures the band that you (and they) are in the right place.

Starting, Stopping, Changing Gears
Take any sticking, any pattern. Where does it begin and where does end?  If it's a two-beat pattern that starts on ’3', the landing point would be '1' of the next bar. Start thinking about that end point and then adapt your playing so you reach it reliably and consistently.

By all means concentrate on what you’re playing, but also know where your targets are and always aim for them.

Also see:  https://drumyoda.blogspot.com/2016/05/adaptive-anticipation-or-what-comes-next.html