Different Strokes Part III - The “Other” Strokes

There is no theme here, just techniques that don't fit neatly into the previous groupings. Rather than fringe techniques, these are solid tools that you may already be familiar with.

1. Wrist Stroke

Down, up, and down-up stokes are executed using just the wrists, with the fingers holding the stick firmly against the hand. Wrist strokes should not be your stroke of choice. Although good for power, they tend to limit speed and articulation and can lead to wrist problems.

2. Finger Stroke

A stroke can be executed by simply "flicking' the sticks with the fingers, keeping the wrist and arm movement to a minimum. Bounce and dribble strokes are often done using just the fingers. (Also see Skip Stroke in Part I.)

3. Forearm Stroke

In general, forearm strokes are not very useful, but there are two situations where they’re indispensable. To do a military-style buzz roll or a scratch roll, press the stick down using the forearms while keeping the wrist steady and guide the sticks with the fingers to produce the buzz.
The other instance of forearm technique is the blast roll or 'free-hand' technique. Rather than attempt to describe it, here’s Johnnie Rabb on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw4vMV3EnRw.

4. Whipping Stroke (Gladstone Technique)

Billy Gladstone (1893-1961) brought this technique to the fore while on the job at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. Begin by lifting the stick to eye level using the entire arm, and then bring it down using a whipping or wave-like motion. Rebound is optional at the end of the stroke, depending on need. This stroke delivers maximum power and volume.

5. Skip Stroke

I’ve not seen any sort of documentation on this one*. While its main application is in a fast swing ride, it can be used elsewhere. Begin by throwing the stick tip against a ride cymbal with a slight rebound -- 2 to 4 inches only, opening the 2nd through 4th fingers on contact. Then pull the fingers back to quickly close your hand. with practice, you can ‘squeeze out’ two more notes (3 in total) using a 'stutter' motion and a snap: Duh-duh-Dum. The key is to use the fingers in a pulling motion to execute multiple strokes. So throw-pull-snap / becomes &-uh 1.

* There is an online video that presents it as the “Tony Williams Up-tempo Ride”, though the technique did not originate with Tony: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDu6w66F5dU

STROKE SUMMARY

* Use lift or rebound. Never pull your sticks up into position.
* When making a stroke, think stick velocity rather than force.
* Relax. Even when playing full tilt, keep your hands and arms as relaxed as you can.
* Tune and position your drums so they provide as much assistance as possible (for your preferred tonal range).

Different Strokes Part II - Combined Strokes

The combined strokes are your work-a-day strokes and are combinations of the basic movements outlined in Part I. There are no hard rules for these, so I've had to use something of a best guess approach when deciphering conflicting opinions.

1. Moeller Stroke/Method
Sanford “Gus” Moeller (1886-1960) studied old-school rudimental drummers and early jazz drummers to discover how they managed to combine power and speed. He noticed that, at the end of the first stroke, they kept the stick close to the head -- a down stroke. Then as they were lifting the stick, they'd tip it downward to play another note on the way up. So, a down stroke followed by an up stroke. This is ideal for playing 'diddles' when you need volume and/or speed and is also great for ride cymbal work.

2. The Pump
A pumping action is essential for playing sustained notes as in a ride pattern. Begin with a down stroke but keep the hand and fingers very loose and let the stick fly up. Then merely close your hand to execute a second stroke and a lift to facilitate the next stroke. This is a great way to lock in a pulse with little effort. It's also great for speed and articulation.

3. Jim Chapin's "Moeller Triplets"
This technique is a very efficient way to play multiple strokes. With a relaxed hand, begin with a throwing motion and allow the stick to rebound half-way or less. Next comes a bounce stroke using just the fingers. Finally, tap the head as you begin to lift the stick, so tap - bounce - lift. Note that you can add more bounce/dribble strokes in the middle (I like to warm up with 5s: down - bounce - bounce - bounce - up).

4. Push-pull
A.k.a. "Buddy's secret weapon", this one applies to the traditional left hand grip and enables impressive speed by controlling the stick between the first and third fingers. The first finger throws the stick down and the third finger quickly throws it back up with some assistance from the wrist, the idea being that the hand can throw the stick back up faster than a rebound can.

5. Two-finger Roll
A trick sometimes used by rudimental drummers is to play a roll with the left hand using traditional grip. The action is to play diddles with just the thumb and the forefinger, two bounces with the thumb and two with the finger. It can also be done with the first and second fingers. This can result in a very convincing roll that leaves the other hand free for other missions. It also looks very impressive.

Next: Other Strokes

Different Strokes Part I - A few strokes, but many names

Your job as a drummer is simple: Hit stuff. Usually you'll want/need to hit things in a more-or-less controlled manner. Below are the basic strokes from which all others flow. Note that for each type of stroke, the position of the stick at the end of the stroke is just as important as the start position.

FULL STROKES

1. Free Stroke

This full down-and-up stroke begins at the top of your range and, after striking, returns to the starting point using just the rebound. The grip should remain loose and there is no effort needed to get the stick back up -- the hand simply follows the rebound of the stick. The free stroke delivers excellent speed and power, and should be your goto stroke. Also called down-up stroke, open stroke, open-closed stroke, full stroke, legato stroke, and a few others. (The name ‘free stroke’ acknowledges the tension-free nature of the stroke when done correctly.)

2. Half Stroke

A half stroke is just a free stroke starting at and returning to a lower height.

3. Bounce Stroke

This is a series of lighter free strokes using mainly the wrists and fingers. Sometimes called a dribble stroke as the action resembles dribbling a ball. Bounce strokes are an efficient way to play quick multiple strokes.

CONTROLLED STROKES

1. Down Stroke

This one-way stroke starts at the top and finishes at the bottom. The key is to stop the stick after striking so the tip remains 1 to 2 inches from the drum or cymbal surface. This technique focuses on getting the stick ready for a light stroke following a strong one. Sometimes called a Mercatto stroke

2. Pull-out  (Up Stroke, Pull-up)

This stroke begins with the stick close to the drum or cymbal surface. After 'pulling' a quieter note from the down position, the stick is then lifted to a higher position to facilitate a stronger note or accent. Note that the action is lifting, not pulling (despite the moniker). Note that the tap can also be executed by simply dropping the tip of the stick, which some refer to as a 'free note' as you get an extra note with no additional effort.

Next: Combined Strokes

Turning Coal into Diamonds, or How To Turbo-Charge Your Practice Routine

A study conducted at Duke University of Texas at Austen (see below) uncovered some interesting things about practicing. While raw quantity remains important, the quality of practice can have a dramatic impact on results. Here are the main points the researchers pulled from the study.

Start out slowly
The study reinforces what some of us already know: Slow down if you want to speed up your progress. Then work steadily towards performance tempo.

Play it with feeling
The players who made the best progress adopted a musical approach as soon as possible during the learning process. It may help to play mechanically at first, but as soon as the kinks are worked out, start playing music.

Mindfulness is the single biggest factor
The study found that the students who intensified their focus during the challenging bits did better overall. They remained aware of the parts that presented a challenge, anticipated them, and slowed down and played them more intentionally. 

Prepare for and polish the boo-boos
The top students prepared for the boo-boos and they also learned from them. This suggests that, when you encounter a trouble spot, the best reaction is, "Aha, there's something I can work on". Isolate the problem, analyze what might (or did) happen, slow it down and work it through applying mindfulness and musical sensitivity. Seize the mistake as an opportunity. It will be time well spent.

It’s Not How Much; It’s How/Characteristics of Practice Behavior and Retention of Performance Skills; Robert A. Duke, The University of Texas at Austin, Amy L. Simmons, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Carla Davis Cash, Texas Tech University, Lubbock. Journal of Research in Music Education Volume 56 Number 4, January 2009 310-321.

For the original report, visit https://cml.music.utexas.edu/assets/pdf/DukeEtAl2.pdf

"Umm, it's still a bit loud"

It's a well-meaning bit of feedback, and it can be one of the most difficult to accommodate. We musicians are a noisy bunch. Some of us can't get enough of it (I once played with a fellow who said he couldn't sleep unless his ears were ringing). And we drummers are so used to making noise that we've spend virtually no time being quiet. 

Aside from practicing low-volume techniques, there are a number of things you can do to help lower the volume when the occasion requires it.

Start with the sticks. Go lighter ... as light as you can stand. If skinny sticks are too much of a turn-off, try maple. Maple is lighter and softer and produces a softer tone. Worn-out maple is quieter still. As for the bass drum, play flat foot and pick up a lambs-wool beater.

Brush up on brushes. There are also brush-like products and 'bundles' available that aim to give you lower volume while providing a variety of tonal options. Besides, playing with brushes is ultra-cool.

Big drums are louder than small drums. The difference can be minor, but a 13 or 14 inch floor tom will definitely put out less sound than a 16 inch one. Or maybe a micro-kit would suit your style.

Tune for sensitivity. Gut wrenching low sounds are great, but they require you to hit hard. You want your drums to respond to a light touch. That means tune higher -- and perhaps use thinner heads to increase sensitivity.

Cymbals are the worst culprit. In general, you want smaller, thinner cymbals. Look for smaller crash cymbals, medium-thin hi-hats, and perhaps a low-volume ride such as a flat ride. Sometimes a broken cymbal fits the bill.

Here's a technical option: Place a microphone near your drums where it will pick up the entire band. Feed that into headphones that you control. This will give you a better idea of the front-of-house mix and in real time.

Of course you could just get an electronic set and let the house set the level while you crank up your headphones.

Tessi-what?

Tessitura! There's a catchy word for you. It refers to the useful pitch range of a musical instrument. In some cases it's fixed, as in a piano -- unless you arrange to have extra keys installed, you get what you get. In wind instruments, tessitura is determined by the instrument, aided by the skill of the player (check out Nils Henning Orsted Pederson at the low end and Henry Red Allen at the top end). A guitar works best in the ‘guitar range’, and while you can play around with other tunings, you can't go more than a few tones either direction. Same with the rest of the string family: too high or too low just doesn't work.

One would think that drums, with their broad tonal range and facility for different tunings, would have an almost unlimited tessitura. They do not. For any drum, there are points at the top and bottom of their range where they just stop producing a quality tone. Tune too high and you lose tone, body and resonance. Tune too low and again, no tone and no resonance ... and no stick response.

A drum's tessitura is determined by shell construction, diameter, depth, weight, and head choice. Lighter (i.e. thinner) drums tend to have a lower and more limited tuning range than heavier drums. A heavier head can be tuned lower than a lighter head. Large drums tune nicely to lower pitches and smaller drums are better at higher tunings. While a 10" tom can be tuned fairly low, below a certain point it will stop working. Same with that 18" floor tom. Tune it too high and it's character will collapse. Higher still and you might break something.

Most drum companies are hip to the tonal range of various drums, hence the wide range of shell sizes on offer. DW goes a step further and inscribes a shell's resonant pitch on the inside the drum. You don't have to tune to that pitch, but it's not a bad starting point.

I tend to tune drums to the upper-middle of their range. I find that tone quality is maximized, as are resonance, punch, projection, and articulation. This tonal range also blends very well with other instruments.

There are lots of ways to tune drums and lots of theories on how to proceed … no wrong answers here. But if you find that a drum just isn't giving you what you want, maybe you're trying to tune it outside its tessi-thingy.

Sometimes Less Really Is Less

A local band were doing a worthy rendition of Pink Floyd's “Comfortably Numb”. The drummer sat at a borrowed 4-piece, 3-cymbal set. As the tune progressed, it was obvious that fills, comping and interpretation lacked the colour and interest of the originals ... no melodic transitions on the toms, no deep rumble from massive floor toms, the same crash tone on every accent. The drummer did a great job of accommodating, but even one or two more sounds would have helped tremendously.

Look at any prog-rock group on stage and you'll see a major real estate development toward the rear. That’s where the drummer/percussionist sets up. Starting with perhaps two bass drums (though not required), the setup includes lots of rack toms, 2-3 minimum and as many as 5 or more. Floor toms may flank the set, 1 or 2 on each side, and perhaps a secondary snare. And flying overhead, a raft of cymbals. And maybe tymps, bells and gongs behind it all.

I've tried it both ways ... and found out that I don't have the discipline for an 8-piece set. But I also don't feel ‘fulfilled’ on a minimalist set. I prefer a fusion set: two mounted toms and one floor tom. The addition of that single tom adds at least a half-dozen tonal combinations that weren't available before.

Cymbals are another area where more can be better. Some of the old jazzers made do with 2 cymbals. But they always chose cymbals that had flexibility. It was common to say every cymbal was a ride cymbal and every cymbal was a crash cymbal. This to me is a musical choice par excellence. I've heard too many extended sets with a plethora of crash cymbals that sound virtually the same.

I guess what I'm leading up to is that your drum set must match your music and your playing style as well as what it is you're trying to accomplish with your playing. If your music calls for melodic toms, then maybe a fusion kit won't provide enough tonal variety. And if you're in a cover band that does top 40 from the ‘50s & ‘60s, then a 12-piece set is not just overkill, it’s just plain wrong.

"You Can Observe a Lot Just by Watching"

Indeed, as Yogi Berra so wisely pointed out, all it takes to 'observe' is to watch, or in our case, listen and watch. If you're serious about your craft, you probably listen to music all the time. And you listen carefully to how your favourite drummers do their thing. You want to know how they get things done, how they create those sounds. Actually seeing how it's done it can help a lot, and the best way to do this is from a seat near the band stand.

I'd not spent time working on my hands with a coach, so I started working out with a local pipe & drum band. I'd always admired pipe drumming, so I eagerly attended the weekly sessions. This group brought in a world-class pipe drummer, Doug Stronach, for a lesson every other week. As well as following along with the exercises, I watched Doug's hands carefully. You see, this guy was a world champion player, and had studied and worked with champion players for decades, and his hands were about as good as they get. So I concentrated on his hands and tried to make my motions and positioning match him completely. Time well spent!

One thing Buddy Rich could count on was drummers watching him like a hawk. And not just drum students. Even the greats would watch Buddy to find out how he did things. Mel Tormé had this story to share:

"Johnny [Carson] related how, when Buddy was appearing in the south of France, Carson saw drummers Shelley Manne and Bobby Rosengarden standing way off to the side of the stage. "What’re you guys doing, standing over here?” he wanted to know. Shelly looked at him and said, quite seriously, 'We’re watching Buddy’s foot'." (As quoted in Mel Tormé’s Traps The Drum Wonder)

And if observing is good enough for Shelly Manne ...

Doug Stronach: http://www.dougstronach.com/

Traps the Drum Wonder, by Mel Tormé
Published by Hal Leonard
ISBN-10: 1888408030
ISBN-13: 978-1888408034

Why I like Emanuelle Caplette

I love watching drum videos. But there's something about many of them that perplexes me, especially with many of the “academic” type videos. Some of these people don't seem to be having much fun ... or no fun at all. I know that we need to take our craft seriously, but I’ve seen videos that almost seem like the presenter is in some sort of pain. A few take such a reverent stance that you'd think they were playing in a monastery.

And on the other hand, there’s Ms Caplette. In every one of her videos she seems to be having the time of her life. And there simply is no defence when her enthusiasm hits you full-on. I love it! If I were to create a video, I hope I'd be able to express even a fraction of this kind of joy. Doesn't mean I'm not serious about drums -- at times I'm as serious as a heart attack.

It's Not Rocket Surgery
Or as Cher put it, "We're not discovering a cure for cancer here." Yes, what we do is important in a lot of ways, and we need to take it seriously, but that doesn't require a funereal atmosphere.

No Fun, No Gain
If pain is nature's way of telling you to slow down, then 'fun' must be nature's way of saying, "This is good for you”. I'm very serious about this having fun business. Numerous studies have shown that we learn better and perform better when we're having fun with -- or at least feeling pretty good about -- the task at hand. In my own teaching, I want to see smiles from time to time --  'cuz if it's not fun, it'll show in the results.

Bonus Points
Fun has many benefits. It lowers stress, improves learning and retention, and enables you relax and play better with less effort. You're more receptive to input and your enthusiasm can help build group cohesion. Plus it’s way more fun.

www.emmanuellecaplette.com

The Bobby Hackett Method

When asked if he did anything special to prepare himself for a performance, the great jazz coronet player Bobby Hackett said, "I just go out there and try to do it right."

 

Hmm ... doesn't seem like an overly difficult job description. We could assume that the cornetist just hoped to make no outright mistakes. But for a musician of his calibre, mistakes are pretty much a non-issue. So what, then, did he mean by do it right?

Deciding what's right can be difficult. The difference between good and not-so-good is often subjective, and the interpretation can be very personal. And doing it right can include knowing what not to play.

Then there are the times when doing what's right isn't the right way to go. I'm sure you've been in a situation where the theoretically correct thing didn't work for that tune. It's also possible to miss opportunities when trying to play something 'by the book'. Playing with correct technique may not suit either. Then it's time to do it wrong, and that can be a great stimulus to creativity and discovery.

Here's the list I use to help me do it right:

• Be as competent as I can be: Continue to grow musically and never stop learning
• No mistakes or clunkers: Know the material inside-out
• Right style, tradition: Assumes I've done my homework
• Right energy, feel and passion: It has to work for the song and the context
• No extraneous crap: Always be tasteful
• Creative: Try to bring something new, fresh
• 'Busyness' level: I've played too busy and also not busy enough!

A simple and always valid goal is to try to do it 'better than last time'. And if you are keeping all these other things in mind, then you're ready to go!

Know Your Limits

... and then plow past them as hard as you can.

We're not talking about a gambling habit here. If you're serious about drums (and life in general) you'll put some time into identifying both your personal strengths and weaknesses.

Working with our strengths is easy because it's self-rewarding. If you try something new and it works out well, you're rewarded and are therefore more inclined to try it again. Our weaknesses? Well we'd rather not even think about them, or maybe we're more comfortable denying them altogether.

Confronting our weaknesses will often make us stronger. The mere fact that we're tackling the issue can give us confidence and a feeling of competence. Acknowledging and working on a weakness will also help to minimize its impact on our lives and can even open up opportunities and discoveries.

I believe I've mentioned before that I have a poor memory. It's pretty hard to ignore because something or someone will point it out to me just about every day. And so I've worked on various techniques to help me remember, or at least to not lose track quite so badly. For example, I analyze tunes extensively to help me remember them. I chart them, make cue cards and sometimes even transcribe them. These exercises and systems have resulted in some respectable improvements.

Sometimes a simple work-around will get the job done when things just aren't coming together. Having trouble playing fast tempos? Find some stickings and patterns that give you a fast sound with less stress. Can't get your head around some complicated beat? Reduce it to its essential components:  pare it down, eliminate some of the complexity. Have trouble remembering things? Keep a notepad handy. Trouble identifying tunes? Create a database of first lines and keep it on your cell phone.

No matter what 'limit' is giving you trouble, you can probably find a solution. So don't be afraid to acknowledge your stumbling blocks, and then look for creative ways to overcome them.

Holding it All Together

The band was about to play their final number and the leader was introducing the band members one last time. It was a bit redundant because the line-up was a who's who of Canadian jazz players. Finally the MC announced the drummer, adding that he was the glue that held it all together, and all the band members nodded in agreement.

That struck me as a bit odd. These were simply the ‘best of the best’, so why would any glue be required? These musicians could do anything. Still, the consensus seemed to be that the drummer was the one who kept things on track.

It's both a flattering and an intimidating assessment. It's nice to have someone say you're such an important part of the ensemble, but its also a lot of responsibility.

In a way, the drummer is the ‘floor manager’ of the music. While the leader may pick the tunes, set the tempos and kick things off, successful completion of a tune requires someone to take care of how it all develops. And the drummer is the ideal choice. A good drummer, one with the right skill set, helps to illustrate the time, solidifies the rhythmic structure, marks the different points in the tune, and manages the energy level during solos and different sections of the tune.

A drummer has quite a bit of power. Even in a high-volume situation, the drummer can usually compete, and our drive (or lack of) can have a big effect on the music. We're like the tiller of a ship. We can determine the direction with a simple adjustment. We can also make things a bit scary if we're too heavy-handed on the tiller.

A drummer is a go-between. We communicate the time and energy to the other band members. For example, in a jazz band, the bass player's job is to lay down a steady bass line. The drummer can then help communicate the time to the other players. This will also give the bass player more freedom and lighten his/her load.

And we’re arbiters. If you have two musicians pulling in opposite directions -- guitar player plays on top, bass player plays behind, for example -- the  drummer can find a spot in the middle and help these two work together.

Sure it's a big job, but somebody's got to do it.

Re-visioning the Snare Drum

It's somewhat ironic that the snare drum is the centre of a drummer's universe and yet it’s not often exploited for the rich assortment of sounds it can produce. Here’s a quick guide to some of what you can find in a well-adjusted snare drum, and where to find it.

The Rule of Thirds 
Think of the playing area as a target. The bulls-eye sounds the driest is and usually the loudest. The very middle of that region -- a spot about the size of a quarter (see Fig. 1 below) -- gives the fattest, driest sound. It’s also the least interesting, but move slightly off centre (Fig. 2) and the sound begins to liven up with lots of oomph and very little ring. The middle band of the target is your sweet zone (Fig. 3). Hit anywhere in that area and it will usually sound good, with a nice balance of volume, resonance and overtones. The majority of your playing will likely be in this zone

The region near the rim (Fig. 4) is the quietest and also the ringiest. It’s where we put tape and other stuff to control the ring. But ring can be a good thing -- this area is great for Latin type sounds.

That’s four potential sounds. But wait ... there's more!

Special Effects 
Stick Shot: This is not a rim shot. It’s when you put the bead of one stick on the drum and hit it with the other stick.

Cross Stick: This is not a rim shot either. It’s when you lay your stick across the drum and click one end of it on the rim. This can yield a lot of different sounds depending on where the stick meets the head, where you hit the rim, and whether the stick is butt first or tip first.

Rim Shot: There are three types of rim shot. The basic rim shot is played by striking the rim and the head at the same time, in this case, within the sweet zone (as in Fig. 3).

Gock Shot: This requires a bigger bite with the stick. Play a rim shot, but extend the tip of your stick past the mid-point of the drum for a very fat sound (Fig. 5).

Ping Shot: This is the one you hear a lot in Latin music. It’s a rim shot played in the outer third of the drum, producing a cutting, high-pitched, timbale-like sound (Fig. 6).

There are more possibilities, but this should be enough to get you started.