Plastic Fantastic

So, I have an invention. I wanted to get a prototype made from my sketches and got a quote of $250 to have a one 3D printed. I thought that was pretty good and I was all set to commission the work. Then I got talking to a friend who is a designer and mentioned the prototype and the cost. He said he’d just bought a 3D printer for $300. Well that was enough to send me off in a totally different direction.

I purchased an entry level-3D printer and quickly got down to experimenting. The learning curve was quite steep (still is some days) but I was soon able to print things reliably. I made a mock-up of my design in a simple 3D program and printed it. It showed that I had a long way to go design-wise. So I engaged a designer to make it pretty, and it was a total success. And the cost? The printer was $300 and I printed dozens of models as I fine-tuned the design … so maybe $40 worth of plastic filament. Pretty good deal, I'd say.

In my research to learn more about 3D printing and prototyping, I came across a lot of websites with reams of 3D projects available free for the downloading. I discovered lots of drum oriented projects: drum keys, wing nuts, stick holders, and more. There are also replacement parts -- for all kinds of things, not just drums. I broke a fitting on my electronic set and was able to download and print a very effective replacement.

With my very modest skills on the CAD software, I decided I could make a spacer-slash-adapter to fit a new snare release to an old drum. It worked great and the drum looks like it was made that way. When I decided I needed my toms a bit closer than the tom holder would allow, I made colour-matching spacers to go between the drum and the tom bracket. These actually improved the tone of the drum as well!

I suppose you could call me a 3D hobbyist. It’s fun to create things and I often download and print toys and nick-knacks for family members (my favourite is a bunny that dispenses chocolate Easter eggs). But my most rewarding projects have been the custom parts and solutions I’ve been able to design and make for my drums.

Things I’ve created

• Bracket adapters and extenders
• Snare release adapters
• Hi-hat adjustment wheel
• Snare rash bumper
• Snare basket adapter
• Lug locks

Places to download

There are lots of web sites that offer downloadable printer-ready files. Many are free and there are paid services as well. Here are a few to get you started.

https://www.thingiverse.com/ 
https://cults3d.com/
https://www.myminifactory.com/   
https://www.printables.com/

Rudiments That Work Overtime

I have a habit of ranting against the rudiments. Of course I'm referring to the classic rudiments of military origin. The point I usually try to press home is that many of the ‘standard’ rudiments are rather hard to apply to the drum set and others rarely fit modern music. But that doesn't mean that I'm totally against rudiments. Some of my favourite stickings can be found in the Standard 40 (see below). So here are my picks from the classics.

Single-stroke Roll/Double-stroke roll/Multi-stroke Roll
I covered these a while back (you can review them online here: On a Roll). Let me just say that these techniques are very important, especially the double stroke roll. Even though it’s rarely needed, the required hand control is essential in much of what we do.

Single paradiddle
I play paradiddles any way I can think of: R on a cymbal, L on the snare; R on the BD, L on the snare; R on the HH, L on the snare; BD plays the R strokes, both hands play the L on snare and floor tom; add a rock bass drum pattern; play singles on toms … there are so many possibilities.

The permutated versions are also useful (see Stick Control page 5, lines 5-8). BTW, paradiddles are a great way to convey a sense of speed with less effort.

Paradiddle-diddle
This is definitely one of my favourites. In its basic form -- RLR RLL -- and played as triplets it's a great way to get a fast roll going as it's more efficient than single strokes. Permutations that I use a lot are RRL RLL and RLL RRL. I also like to play the single strokes as accents or on toms. Played ‘inside out’ (RLL RLR) it gives you a swing ride with the Right strokes playing the cymbal line and snare 'outlining' with the Left (See It's Just an Outline).

Flam
The Flam (rL / lR) is one of the most decisive sounds available to a drummer. It's a great way to start or stop anything. They're a lot of fun if you split your hands between two drums. They can also be used to create Dilla beats. Don't forget to try both closed and open varieties.

Swiss Triplets
This one is just plain fun. The sticking is a bit odd, but couldn't be simpler: fRRL / fRRL or fLLR / fLLR. The resulting sound is something like 'bluh-duh-duh / bluh-duh-duh'. No matter where you play it on the set, it sounds pretty awesome.

Four-stroke Ruff (rlr_L / lrl_R)
The usual way to play this one is to end it on the beat: d-d-d-BAP. Another way is to begin on the beat and finish on the half beat. I especially like playing them within quarter note triplets (A). The so-called Bucket o’ Fish (B) is a four-stroke ruff played SN/ST/FT/BD. And there other stickings that you can explore.

Singles rlr_L  lrl_R
Doubles llr_R rrl_L
“French Roll” rrr_L lll_R
Hmm... rll_R lrr_L 

Want to learn more about rudiments? Here are some sites to check out.

NARD - http://nard.us.com/Home.html
PAS - https://www.pas.org/resources/rudiments
Vic Firth - https://vicfirth.zildjian.com/education/40-essential-rudiments.html
Ninja Drummist - http://www.ninjadrummist.com/drum-rudiments/pas-rudiments/

Jazz Jam Rules!

When I volunteered to co-ordinate a jazz open-stage night at a local club, I sat down and drew up some guidelines to help me organize and execute this rather challenging assignment. I also set down some guidelines for my guest players as well as myself.  I titled it “Jazz Jam Rules!” which is more palatable than “Rules for Jazz Jam Sessions”. And let’s be honest, jazz jams definitely rule.

A jam session is a two-way street, or maybe three-way. While the onus is on the musicians to play and play well, the hosts of the jam also have obligations to the venue, to the guests, and to each other. And always remember that, as the host, you are working.

Always say Hi
People like to be acknowledged. More importantly, some of your jammers may be a bit shy, and your welcome will help them loosen up and reassure them that they're in the right place.

Don't rely on sign-up sheets
Jam sessions often have sign-up sheets, usually announced at the beginning of the night and then rarely mentioned again. Some people will leave in frustration because they didn't know about the list. Others may be uncertain or are just undecided. Encourage them to get involved and get them on your list. They can always say ‘No thanks’ later.

Take smarter breaks
Take five minutes for personal TCB, then get the jammers organized. Once you’ve lined up the next set, then you can relax and mingle. 

Work the room
It doesn’t take long to spot the people sporting instrument cases and stick bags. They are your supporters, and without them your jam will fail. Learn their names and find out their skill levels. Seek them out during the breaks. You can then begin to combine people with similar abilities, but be sure to also mix it up from time to time.

Ask your jammers to prepare
It seems like a basic thing to do, but too often jammers climb on stage with no agenda whatsoever. Ask them what they plan to play to get them thinking about their set before they get on stage. And now would be a good time to tune.

Be kind, but be firm
Some people may not suit the music style or skill level of the room. Give these brave souls a fair shot -- perhaps two tunes -- then you can suggest that they're not ready yet or that this is not the best venue for their 'gift '.

Same with show-boaters and stage-hogs. Be polite, but move them along efficiently. And never  allow anyone to dictate on the stage. Make sure your event is a positive experience for everyone.

And remember that a good host is always kind, tolerant, and supportive.

All About Sticks

Expensive, breakable, liable to fly out of your hand at the worst time … love ‘em or hate ‘em, drum sticks are a fact of life. While the leg of a chair or a stick picked up on a walk would work, modern drumsticks are high-performance tools that are tailored down to the finest detail to do the job required. The vast majority of sticks are made from wood -- most often hickory -- but there are other options to try. For a real dive into the details, check out the websites of a few drum stick makers.

Wooden sticks
Hickory is by far the most commonly used wood to make sticks. Hickory is very strong and has a good balance of weight and flexibility. Maple is often favoured by drummers who are looking for a lighter stick, softer attack or both. Oak is heavier and more rigid than hickory and is a good fit for heavy players who like the feel of a more solid stick.

A recent innovation is torrified wood ... wood that has been baked in an oven. This process hardens the wood, making it stronger and more rigid. It also results in a distinctive dark hue to the wood.

Engineered wood sticks appear occasionally. Think plywood. The theory is that a sandwich of wooden plies will yield more consistent sticks that will be stronger and less prone to the variances of natural wood. There doesn't seem to be anyone making these right now, but somebody's probably working on one.

Metal sticks
These have been around in various forms since the ‘60s. The most successful are usually made from aluminum tubing with some sort of nylon tip and shoulder added. Metal sticks are extremely consistent and some drummers just love them. There are also sticks made from solid aluminum and even steel. These are very heavy and are generally intended for “weight training” on the practice pad.

Other
Nylon and other plastics and synthetics have been tried and mostly ignored by drummers, though there have been a few successes.

Profile
A taper in the stick can enhance its rebound, articulation and feel. The majority of sticks have a taper that begins a few inches from the tip, some sticks have a longer taper, and some specialty sticks have a taper that runs the length of the stick. Some sticks have a second taper starting in the grip area and running to the butt, which enhances the stick’s power.

What about the tip?
Every type of wood has its own sound. This is further enhanced by the size, shape  and profile of the tip. The other choice is nylon. This stuff is strong (Kevlar is a type of nylon) and it combines hard-wearing qualities with excellent sound quality.

Signature models
Occasionally a drummer and stick-maker will work together to create a unique model. Mostly the mods consist of tweaks to existing models, but the changes can make a noticeable difference to how the sticks feel and behave. As well as the artist's signature, the sticks sometimes feature cool graphics. By the way, the majority of sticks these days are tweaks to the 5A and 5B models.

Drum Stick Sizing
Originally, different models were given a number to signify the stick’s thickness, and a letter to represent its application: A = Orchestra, B = Band, S = Street. Sizing runs from large to small, so a 1A stick is thicker than a 7A. There is little correlation between classes of stick; e.g. a 5A and a 5B are different in length and thickness, and have different profiles. Note that some companies have created their own codes for different models, e.g. RK, HD, etc.

There’s lots to choose from, so the stick of your dreams is likely out there, although it may take some time to discover it. 

The Forgotten Head

I'm happy to see that single-headed drums have been mostly relegated to the used equipment ads, and that double-headed drums have regained their spot at the top of the food chain. But with more membranes comes more responsibly. Tuning a two-headed drum means tuning two heads and getting them to play nicely together.

Before we delve into the methods of tuning bottom (or 'reso') heads, we need to understand a bit of the theory and mechanics behind them. First, bottom heads trap sound inside the drum, and when we hit the top head, some of the sound bounces off the bottom head and back into the drum and out the top. This interaction brings more of the drum shell into the picture. The bottom head also influences tone, pitch, resonance, decay, and even stick response.

So let’s look at the three standard bottom heads: snare, bass and toms.

Snare
The thinness and tightness of the bottom snare head controls tone and pitch, and also determines how quickly the snares respond. Tune the snare head low and your snares will respond slowly. This gives the drum a more "throaty" sound.  Tightening the head yields more of the shell sound, improves stick feel, and allows the snares to respond more quickly. I keep my snare head “as tight as a board”. Anything less and the snare drum, to me, sounds flat and sluggish, and it likely won’t project well.

Bass Drum
These days the majority of bass drums have a fair amount of damping, often with a hole in the front head. Still, having even 80-90% of a front head will give you more resonance, more boom, and more beater response. That's important for feel as well as sound. The audience can feel a boom, whereas a sub-sonic 'blat' will go almost unnoticed. Drummers who want a full, round sound will keep both heads intact and cut back on the damping. They also tune the drum higher … in the 'boom' territory.

Toms
The old rule of thumb was, tune the top head for feel and the bottom head for tone. It works, although you'll end up with a fairly high “jazz” pitch. A better starting point is to tune both heads to the same pitch. I like to go for as much resonance and possible, which is usually found around the middle of a drum's range. From there I tweak the bottom head to fine tune. Tightening the head will reduce resonance and sustain, and usually increases overtones. Loosening the head can add resonance, sustain and a sense of fullness.

So take some time to experiment with those forgotten heads to make sure you're getting the most from the top heads.

What Colour Is Your Metronome?

I heard an interesting drummer one night. He had good chops, good ideas, and served the music well.  He also kept messing up the time. Few things make me sadder than hearing an otherwise capable musician who is in dire need of some metronome practice. 

I know what some of you are going to say: Practicing with a metronome will mess up your natural timing. I have only one thing to say to that. I've never been faulted for keeping good time.

When I was at jazz school, I landed a gig alongside a bass player whose time was wretched (but the job paid well and had other perks). About a month after starting this gig, my ensemble professor pointed out that my time was, uh, messed up*. He concurred that playing with someone who has bad time can seriously mess with your sense of time. Fortunately it's not a permanent condition. In contrast, playing with people with solid time will also improve your sense of time. And, what could provide a more solid partner than a metronome?

The key to working with a metronome is to focus on the metronome. Too often we start the metronome and then turn our attention to the exercise. You need to listen to the beat of metronome and then put your strokes exactly where they belong. A real torture test is to play on a hard surface. You can't fudge this one.

Slow & Steady
Practicing slow tempos will help with slow tempos. No surprise there.  A tendency to speed up is bound to show up at 40 bpm. Slow practice also gives you time to really focus on what you're doing.

Pedal to the Metal
The metronome is helpful in regulating faster tempos and also with speed development. To play a fast jazz ride at 300, just set your metronome at 300. To play faster still, bump the metronome up from time to time (also see http://drumyoda.blogspot.com/2013/02/faster-faster.html).

Inside Story
One of the best exercises I've seen for really nailing things down is to put the click 'inside the beat'. If the exercise is 8th-note based, count the clicks on the '&'. For swing or shuffle, set the metronome on the skip beat, as in 1-trip-LET.  For a real challenge, have the click represent 'e' or 'a' or the middle triplet. I find these fun to do and not that difficult. Mark Kelso's DVD has an excellent overview of this (https://www.groovydrums.com/musician-first-drummer-second/.)

Spatial Perception
Another great challenge is to spread out the clicks. Begin with the click on all four beats, then on 1 and 3. Then let it be just on 1. Then let the click be the first beat of a two-bar phrase.

Just One of the Gang
People in the know (e.g. Bernard Purdie, Gavin Harrison, etc., etc.) treat the metronome or click track as just another member of the rhythm section. That should be your goal -- let the metronome be the clave to your samba.

BTW, I recommend spending no more than half of your practice time with a metronome (and only for the first 10 or 15 years). And don't worry. The music will 'breathe' just fine despite your excellent time.

* I heard a good one at a big band practice. The leader called out one of the trumpet players and said, “You're time's sort of all shot to hell.”

The Myth Of Independence

When I was at music school, we had a coven of enthusiastic drummers, and almost every week one of our members would see some note-worthy drummer at a club and dutifully report the next day that the player had '4-way independence.

 
But there's a problem with that assessment. In order to have all four limbs move truly independently, each one would need to have its own brain, and extra brains are pretty rare. Octopi have a separate 'brain' for each tentacle, and each can go about its business more-or-less unsupervised. But we poor humans have to make do with just the one brain to manage four disparate activities.

Despite evolution's short-sightedness, we've managed to get by fairly well in mono-brain mode. Take the old saw about walking and chewing gum at the same time. While these are completely independent tasks, they are simple repetitive movements that require almost no brain power. Once we start walking and chewing, we switch to auto-pilot and walking just happens! If we want to stop or change direction, the brain steps in and manages the change. Then it’s right back to auto-pilot.

We drummers take the walking-with-gum thing a lot further. We can keep a syncopated bass drum pattern going while playing a different pattern on a cymbal. We can then add some contrasting snare drum work. Throw in a hi-hat and it seems like 4-way independence. Four-way? Yes. Independent? Well, no ... not really! As with walking, one, two or even all of those actions are on auto-pilot most of the time. We can make little changes here and there, but then auto-pilot takes over once again, thanks to your remarkable nervous system.

Independence mainly relies on ostinatos and (so-called) multi-tasking. An ostinato is a set pattern that is repeated by one voice. Your ride rhythm, for example, is an ostinato, and it is played pretty much automatically, freeing the other limbs to do other things.

As for multi-tasking, humans can't really do this. What we actually do is quickly switch the focus of our attention, and our ability to do this is limited. We work on one thing, set it aside to work on something else, then put that task on hold while turning to a third or revisiting the first. For many tasks, we can switch in a microsecond. So I can leave that cool ride rhythm unattended while I do a bit of thing on the snare, and then my attention can go back to the cymbal.

Of course, all this wonderful co-operative activity is taking place behind the scenes in the brain -- what we often call muscle memory -- and for a lot of tasks it’s very useful. But for playing music, it's absolutely vital.

Listen Up And Listen Good

We've all heard of speed reading. Maybe you've even learned how to speed read. At the very least, you likely have thought it was a good idea. Reading is an important business skill -- many business leaders even pride themselves on their reading speed and comprehension.

Wouldn't it be great if we could take a ‘speed listening’ course, one that would teach us to hear 'faster'? That way we’d be able to catch just about any turn in the road and respond immediately. Alas, there is no comparable speed-up program for listening skills. But do not despair. While there doesn't appear to be a body of resources on speed listening, we can apply some of the principles of speed reading to our listening habits.

Just the Facts
Speed reading begins by examining the material with a focus on picking out the highlights while passing over the minor details -- articles, adjectives, filler, etc. That way you're only spending effort on the most meaningful bits. Done well, this can increase both reading speed and comprehension. 

Music too has important bits and less important bits. The lesser bits will usually take care of themselves. That leaves you free to concentrate on the more important parts: structure, chord changes, phrasing, unique or repeated lines, dynamics, energy levels, changes in direction, other musicians' contribution.

Focus on Focus
If you try to focus on everything, you'll be overloaded and will miss out on a lot. Instead, work with the 'gestalt' -- those features that rise above the milieu. That will make it easier to respond to the more interesting things when they happen. If the guitarist is wailing, you can direct your energy to supporting that and almost ignore the bass player for a bit.

Listen Actively
Practice moving your attention from instrument to instrument. Listen to see how each band member contributes to the whole. A simple exercise is to simply name the orchestration --  which instruments are playing? And don't forget to listen to yourself.

Do It Full Time
... not just on the band stand or during rehearsal. Actively listening to the house music at a busy coffee shop or shopping mall is an interesting exercise.

Use the Available Tools
Charts and lead sheets can help you identify what sort of things to listen for: melodic lines, sections, figures, etc. Listen to and analyze good music as much as you can. Take notes to help lock your observations into memory.

Will your improved listening skills turn you into The Flash -- dominating your drum set and responding in a microsecond? Likely not, but you’ll be better prepared to hear the things you need to hear when you need to hear them, and sometimes even before you hear them!

Know Your Metal

Cymbals have an interesting history that dates back more than 3000 years. And it all begins with a chunk of yellow metal. Cymbals are made from alloy -- a blend of two (or more) metals. The alloy we’re all familiar with is what is traditionally called bell bronze, but there are other alloys to consider. So here is a quick guide to cymbal raw materials.

Brass
Brass is an amalgam of copper and zinc (roughly a 65/45 mix). It's easily recognized by its distinctive yellow colour, pliability and rather neutral tone. Although brass cymbals are usually thrown in as freebies with beginner sets, they do have some uses.

B8
Often dismissed as a low-end metal, this blend of 92% copper and 8% tin is real bronze. The metal is somewhat easier and cheaper to make than bell bronze as it can be stamped from sheets of metal, but it's also the standard in a number of high-end cymbal lines. Easily identified by its coppery colour, the metal produces gobs of high end, which makes it ideal for rock. These cymbals are often bargain priced and can be an excellent sound choice.

B20 (Bell Bronze)
This is the benchmark for professional cymbals. The tin content is upped to 20% (with perhaps some micro-ingredients thrown in) and the result is a yellowish-gold metal that yields lavish low end, bright highs, and anything in between. Always made from cast ingots, these are among the most complex, musical and prized cymbals ever produced.

B12, B15, B23, B25
Whatever the tin content, in the right hands all these bronze variants produce excellent cymbals. The general rule is: the more tin, the more low end whereas less tin will yield brighter tones.

Nickel silver
The odd man out here is a mix of copper, nickel and zinc (60:20:20). These rather rare cymbals can be identified by their blueish-olive colour. The tone is similar to B8, with a little more bottom end. They were a popular and less-expensive option in the past, and are rather uncommon these days.

Stainless Steel
Some artisan cymbalsmiths have been experimenting with this metal, creating interesting sonic products. Stainless steel can produce a quality cymbal with unique sound qualities and always with a bit of ‘trash’ although the metal cannot take the kind of abuse that bronze can.

We’re Going to Need a Bigger Drum

I posted an article some time ago on how to play quietly but there is another side to the equation. So let’s have a look at  HOW TO PLAY LOUD.

Go Big
There are a lot of factors involved, but the first priority is larger drums. It’s just physics: A 24-inch drum has more vibrating area than a 20-inch one, which translates to more air moving, and that means more oomph and more volume. Larger drums can make the difference between struggling to be heard or being able to relax and just play. And let's face it, big drums do look pretty cool.

For Reference: Bonham Sizes 26 x 14 BD, 14 x 6 1/2 SN, 14 x 10 ST, 16 x 16 FT, 18 x 16 FT.

Carry a Big Stick
Even a small increase in stick size and weight can help you get more volume. If your go-to is a 5A, a 5B is a pretty easy upgrade. If you normally use maple sticks, consider switching to hickory or oak.

Tuning Up 
Lower tones don’t carry very well, so if you’re accustomed to tuning your drums in the low end of their range, then the drums won’t help you to project. Bonham’s over-sized sound was thanks to middle-of-the-range tuning.

Let ‘em Ring
Damping is almost essential on drums, but too much can interfere with volume and projection. When applying damping, use only as much as is necessary to get rid of any microphone-unfriendly ring.

Is This Thing On?
Speaking of microphones, this may be your best option. Why risk your physical well-being trying to compete with a bevy of amplifiers. If they all get to use huge amps and P/A support, then so should you.

Let’s Get Physical ... Safely
An overly physical style of playing can be exciting, but keep in mind that there is always the risk of injury. Have a look at how Bonham attacks the drums. Actually, he doesn’t. He’s a loud and heavy player, but at the same time his hand work is quite relaxed -- almost gentle at times. Volume and excitement do not require hard playing.

So get drums large enough to do the job, tune for projection, invest in some microphones, and above all, relax.

That's Not What I Do

I'm listening to a friend's playing on an instructional CD. This guy is a great player, and his tracks here are very impressive. I absolutely love what he's doing. So I'm envious -- no surprise there. And I'm also feeling a bit guilty. Guilty? Now why would that be?

I have a couple of suspect responses when I hear playing this good. My first reaction is “I could never do that”. Perhaps it's just my sense of awe that immobilizes me since, upon further analysis, I realize that most of what he's demonstrating is within the realm of possibility for me ... with a bit of practice, of course.

Sometimes I come across a lick or rhythm that would be a good addition to my tool kit. In that case I may work on it. But most of the time, the things that catch my attention are not necessarily things I'm interested in learning.

My other reaction is equally suspect. I assume that I need to play like that. As a drum-set generalist, I’m motivated to continually learn more stuff and, in doing so, to try to cover all the bases. And over time I seem to have developed a vague sense that I should to be able to play anything and everything that comes my way. That's unreasonable by any standard. Nobody can do it all, nor should you or I even try.

As I was listening to the tracks, I realized that, not only did I have little use for that style of playing, that it really wasn't my thing. That is, I don't actually want to play like that. And I certainly don't need to. That won’t stop me from having a look at the material -- it’s good exercise and beneficial knowledge -- but in the end, most of the stuff is Just. Not. Me.

So while I can do a presentable job of rock, funk, Latin, country, and whatnot, there are limits to what I'm realistically able to do. And there are also limits on what I'm willing to do. You see, I’d much rather concentrate on “my music.” I enjoy playing all sorts of styles and try to play them as authentically as I can, but I prefer to spend my  time  on the stuff that really turns my crank.

The Most Important Sticking Ever?

Watch any drummer in any situation -- especially during a drum solo -- and you'll probably see a rather ordinary figure. And you'll see it a lot. That's because the sticking is simple, versatile, easily executed, and very effective … and it‘s a lot of fun to play.

It's this one: RLL (or LRR if you prefer). 

Seriously, Right-Left-Left. Count it as triplets and then just keep doing it: RLL RLL RLL RLL. Boy is that useful! And its variations -- LRR, RRL, LLR -- can be just as useful. Plus , it's real easy way to fake speed.

Buying Time
You probably don't think of diddles as strategic, but they are. The diddle cleverly gives the other hand time to move around, and you can use that time to good effect because it gives you time to move the single stroke around the set. Play the single stroke on a cymbal and the diddle on the snare. Move the single stroke from drum to drum. Do the Buddy Rich thing and play singles on alternate crash cymbals.

A Poly Approach
If you play the pattern as 16th notes rather than triplets, you end up with a cross rhythm with a 3-against-4 pattern: RLLR / LLRL / LRLL / RLLR. In this type of polyrhythm, an 'implied pulse' moves seductively in and out of the time.

Free Samples
There are a number of lines in books like G.L. Stone’s Stick Control that take advantage of this pattern, and many of the figures can be easily applied in a jazz or swing environment or any style of music. Here are a few lines to get you started.

Stick Control  
Page 7, lines 43-44 
Page 9, lines 65-68

---

Diddle - Two strokes with the same hand, e.g. the various paradiddles begin with single strokes and end with a diddle. Can also refer to interpolating a double stroke where a single stroke would normally be.

Devil In The Details

There are many factors that determine a drum’s sound: size, shell material, hardware, head choice ... there is a lot to consider, and it's easy to get bogged down and confused by the detail. I'd like to recommend my usual don't-sweat-it approach, but it’s still a good idea to become familiar with the factors and concepts that contribute to the final product and, ultimately, your unique personal voice.

Shell Diameter : Each drum's size has a useful pitch range, and that should help determine your choice of sizes. In general, small drums are quieter and higher pitched than large drums. The shell's diameter in relation to a standard head size will also have an effect on sound. A drum that is slightly undersized will have more resonance whereas a shell that fills the head to the edge will have a more robust sound.

Depth: Shell depth affects volume, resonance and decay. Deep shells typically produce a longer, fuller sound. Shallow shells speak quickly, with a short decay.

Material: This is a real can of worms these days. There are at least a dozen different types of wood available, and about as many types of metal. Then there are the synthetics, the exotics, and the so-called ‘hybrid’ shells. The differences range from minor to dramatic, so you need to do a bit of research.

Thickness: Thicker shells tend to have a greater pitch range and good projection. Thin shells often have a lower pitch range and are somewhat mellow sounding. This applies more to wood shells, but is valid for metal and other shell materials.

Plies: Wood drums are most often made of plywood. The plies are held together with glue, which is harder than wood. So the more plies, the more glue and therefore a harder and usually thicker the shell. The thickness of the plies also affects the wood-to-glue ratio and therefore the hardness of the shell.

Glue Rings : Also called re-rings, these strips or plies of hardwood affect the way sound bounces around inside the drum. The general result is a softer tone.

Bearing Edge: The bearing edge is to a drum what a bridge is to a stringed instrument. There are a few factors to consider, but the critical one is trueness.  Dips, bumps or dings in the edge can even render a drum untunable. 

Head: Choice of drum head can have a dramatic effect on a drum's sound, often over-riding all other factors. There are dozens of drum head styles to choose from. The best approach is to experiment with different heads until you find something that works for you.

Rim: The choice of rims (hoops) is nearly as complex as any other option. Triple-flanged steel rims, either welded or spun-cast, are available in different weight, thickness, height, and material. You can also find brass and stainless steel versions as well as single and double-flanged. You'll find die-cast rims on many high-end drums, while the true connoisseur may opt for solid wood.  Each type of hoop will have a different effect on the drum's sound, ranging from subtle to profound.

Bottom Head & Rim: A simple yes or no answer here -- take away the bottom head and you're essentially removing the drum shell from the equation. Single-headed drums produce mostly the drum’s fundamental tone, with little resonance and almost no sustain, whereas a bottom head will trap sound inside the drum where it generates complex tones and resonance.

Finish: The finish on the outside of a shell contributes little a drum’s sound. Drum shells today tend to be thick and heavy, so the presence or absence of, for example, a sheet of glittery plastic will add little to weight, mass or tone.

Attachment(s): The general idea is to avoid attaching anything extra to a drum shell which, it’s argued, will diminish resonance and tone. Each attachment adds more mass, potentially altering the drum’s sound. So-called floating shells have nothing attached directly to the shell.

Putting it all together: The level of care during assembly can make or break the project. An artisan drum maker might meticulously tweak every bolt to ensure it’s properly tightened. A factory booting out low-end instruments will use whatever method is fastest and cheapest. An otherwise good drum that was poorly assembled can be frustrating. The good news is that you can fine tune any drum yourself to bring out its total potential. 

Practice vs. Rehearsal

Q: How do you get to Carnegie hall?
A: Practice, practice, practice -- attributed to violinist Isaac Stern when a passerby on a street in New York asked him for directions.

Q: So how does your band get to Carnegie Hall?
A: Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!

 

A number of such reminders have come across my computer screen lately, so maybe it's time for a review of these two processes. Here’s the gist of it: Practice and rehearsal are not the same, although the nature of either can change according to need.

Practice
Practicing is something you do on your own to maintain and enhance your skills. It’s when  you play the same thing over and over until you're quite tired of it ... not the sort of result you want from a band rehearsal. BTW, practice includes studying music and learning new tunes.

Just Part of the Job
Few things are more aggravating than dragging your butt to a rehearsal only to find that one or more members haven't done their homework. As a member of a team, we each have a responsibility to make our rehearsal time as productive as possible, and you can't do that if you're waiting around for someone to figure out their part or them waiting for you. Make sure you are well prepared when you hit the rehearsal hall.

Not All By Myself
I used to belong to a number of rehearsal bands. These bands consist of musicians who want to enhance, polish or at least maintain their playing skills. Some bands have firm schedules: every Tuesday from 7 to 10. Others may be very casual. The goal of these bands is to work on new tunes and develop techniques, especially ensemble parts and improvisation.

Sometimes people join rehearsal bands just for fun. I belonged to an 18-piece big band, which helped me with my reading although we never had a gig. I also worked out with a Dixieland band. I'd never played Dixieland before, so it was a nice diversion, nd a lot of fun. I think we played one gig.

Sharpening the Tools
Learning tunes is the job of both the individual and the band. You've all learned your parts and now it’s time to put it together. Your rehearsals should be for polishing old tunes, trying out new tunes and creating your own arrangements. It's OK to take a few minutes to work on a part, but it's important to get on with the business of rehearsing the band.

Run-through
Our jazz band likes to do a quick run-through before a gig. We get together regularly for 'band practice' but personal schedules tend to interfere. So we make a point of playing through the entire set list within a week of an upcoming gig. It's amazing how much we can forget when we put our minds to it.

"Rehearsing is a Privilege" - Carole Kaye
With all the demands and pressures in our lives, having the time and a place to rehearse with the band can be pretty special. Don't waste it by showing up unprepared. While you're at it, don't make it too 'worky'. Our band has a lot of fun at rehearsals. Sometimes we grumble and may even argue but mostly we smile and laugh. And when we've done our homework, we can direct all our energy into the music and into our connections with each other.

Is It Time to Come Clean?

If you'd like to get an interesting discussion going with a group of drummers, ask them how often they clean their cymbals. You're bound to get a plethora of opinions, and possibly a few dirty looks. There are four principal modes of cleaning -- Wash, Scour, Strip, and Grind -- plus the option of going au naturel -- and which direction you opt for is a very personal choice.

It'll Come Out In The Wash
The majority of commercial cymbal cleaners are designed to remove surface dirt and nothing else. If your aim is to preserve some of the cymbal's patina and tone, then any of these cleaners will do the job. You can also use household soap or detergent. Keep in mind that cymbals can't perform their best if caked with dirt.

Scrub-a-dub-dub
Heavier dirt and other contamination can be removed with light scouring. Products such as Ajax Cleanser, Barkeeper's Friend and other scouring formulas will take care of the accumulated detritus without removing precious metal. You can make your own scouring powders that include washing soda or borax as a scouring medium. Note that these powders can be used dry as well as wet. A dry scrub will remove more deeply whereas water will activate the powder's dirt banishing ingredients.

A Strip Routine
This group of cleaners is made up of chemical strippers -- i.e. acids, alkalines and other volatile chemicals. That lovely surface patina is mainly oxydation, and to get rid of it you have to remove the outer layer of metal. It's just a few molecules, but repeated over time it can be enough to affect the sound. These products include Brasso, Peak, and the like. For a milder acid bath, you can try lemon juice, Coke or ketchup (yup, Coke and ketchup).

Back to the Grind
Heavier abrasives will remove not just surface dirt and patina but also a significant amount of metal. Heavy polishing with a buffing wheel will accomplish the same thing. If this is your goal, pick up some Turtle Wax Polishing Compound (or similar) at the local auto supply and grind away. Just be sure to not let the metal overheat. This, by the way, is how you create a 'brilliant' cymbal.

So which to choose?
I guess the main question here is whether you prefer a well-aged patina, a radiant shine, or something in between. A cymbal cannot vibrate fully if it has layers of grime on it, and removing the offending crust will make your cymbals sound brighter as well as look brighter. If you prefer a darker sound, you may want to just let nature takes its course. Many old-time players would never think of cleaning their cymbals. 

From there it's really a case of how much gleam you want to see on stage. My view is that cymbals, like any quality instrument, will age, often improving in the process. If that isn't what you're looking for sonically, then regular cleaning may be in order. 

IMPORTANT Cleaning a rare or vintage cymbal will most likely reduce its value ... a lot.

A Heads Up about Heads

With the triumph of plastic heads over calf-skin, we now have a near-infinite variety of options. Plastic film comes in a number of thicknesses and materials. The heads can be layered, coated, dampened, even ‘chrome-plated’ ... and more. And each drum head innovation has either cured a problem, created a new sound or both. 

Now, about finding that ideal drum head: Here is a basic guide to plastic drum head characteristics.

Thickness
Ranges from 1 mil (1/1000 of an inch) for orchestra snare-side heads to 15 mil for heavy duty batter heads. Thinner film has faster response and more high overtones but is not as strong. Heavy film is mellower and can be tuned lower than thin heads. 

Number of Plies
Usually just one or two. A second ply removes a lot of the high overtones while deepening the low end and adding both sustain and ruggedness. Two-ply heads can be made from any combination of ply thicknesses to yield heads as heavy as 30 mil. Heads can also incorporate a tone ring and reinforcing dot. 

Coating
A sprayed-on coating softens the tone, bringing the sound more in line with calf-skin, and provides an excellent surface for brush work. Some heads are treated to a texturing process that looks much like a coating (e.g. Remo's Suede heads), with a sound that is mid-way between clear and coated heads. 

“Donuts”
Drum heads can incorporate a variety of tone-modifying rings. Many bass drum heads have an added "tone ring" at the perimeter. The Evans EMAD system for bass drum has a mounting system for damping rings. Donuts mainly affect sustain (increase) and ring (decrease). 

Reinforcement
The first 'dots' were added to the centre of drum heads to counteract some of the abuse drummers were inflicting on them. It turned out that these heads produce a tone that is desirable in its own right. Dotted heads are loud and hard wearing, and can provide very good stick response.

The Works
In theory a drum head could have more than three layers plus other features, but there are practical limits. Many combinations simply do not work.  Too many layers kills the sound, as does a head that is too thick. And a thicker head may not even fit the drum shell properly. So you won't find a 3-ply coated dotted head with a donut. Fortunately, the makers know what works and what doesn't. 

Coming to Grips With Grips

You’ve no doubt heard about the various alternatives for the lead hand (both hands in the case of matched grip): German, French and American. You may even have gotten into arguments about it. These variations are relevant to tympani and mallet players, but should drum set players be concerned as well?

First, let’s see what we’re actually talking about.  The different styles of grip are differentiated by the orientation of the stick relative to the palm and forearm. If the butt juts out to the side, that’s the German style. Held like a rapier -- thumb on top -- is the French style. And the American is in between, with the back of the hand parallel to the floor and the butt of the stick in line with the forearm.

And how do these grips stack up?

The German style relies on rotating the forearm to make a stroke. That can be good for volume, but it’s a poor choice for articulation and speed. Also, it doesn’t allow for much wrist or finger control. The French grip is great for control and articulation, but it's limited in the amount of power it can deliver. The American grip appears to have all the desired positives and no obvious weaknesses.

Does that mean the French and German grips are inadequate and that we should always choose the American style? No, not at all. In fact, drum set players tend to use all three grips (and then some) regardless of their training and background.

Here’s a test that you can try. Sit down at your set and, while keeping your elbow close to your side, reach for your ride cymbal with your lead hand using as natural a motion as you can. Chances are you turned your forearm and landed in something very much like the French grip. This is exactly what you want when playing, for example, a fast ride pattern.

Now bring your stick back and put the tip in the centre of the snare, again using a natural motion and with your elbow glued to your side. Did you automatically rotate your arm and slide into the American grip? Good. American is what you want for most snare drum work.

And what about the German? Starting from the American grip on the snare, it's very easy to move your stick to the hi-hat with a slight twist and there you have the German grip. You can also rotate the arm to address the floor tom … also German grip (and yes, it's upside down).

There is no one right grip for the drum set. They all work, and unless you force them to do otherwise, your hands will move naturally -- and comfortably -- between the styles and degrees of rotation according to need. My advice is to adopt the American grip as your basic technique, and then slip into the other grips whenever it makes sense. 

 

Should We Bring Back The Internal Tone Control?

A wonderful invention that permeated the drum industry for decades was the internal “tone control.” The name is somewhat optimistic. The devices were there to minimize ring, but if applied too liberally they could really mess with the sound ... and sometimes they rattled. After the rock heyday of the ‘60s, internal tone controls began to fade away and are now rather hard to find. (A lot of the vintage drums I’ve seen have had them removed -- and too often lost.)

Contending with ring is always an issue for drummers, so let's examine the field of available damping* options.

From Down-under
The original factory-installed tone controls press a soft damping pad against the drum head from inside the drum. They are simple to operate and do a fairly good job. However, when you strike the drum you push the head into the damper, which can increase its damping effect. A strip of cloth under the head is much the same.

Take It From The Top
External dampers affix to the drum’s hoop and lower a pad onto the head. When you strike the head, it moves away from the damper, which reduces the damping effect and lets the drum 'speak'. When the head returns to rest, the damper once again engages fully. Wallets and such on the snare fit into this category.

Ring Around the Noises
Narrow rings of drum head material that sit just inside the drum's rim are very effective at removing ring. Because they’re not pressing against the drum head, they allow the drum to be expressive when struck while eliminating a great deal of ring. Damping 'donuts' also come in foam or other material, and are sometimes integrated into the drum head at the factory.

Stuck On You
Stick-on dampers (tape, gels, exotic putties) do two things: they reduce ring and they provide ballast. Because they ride along with the head’s vibration, they neither increase nor decrease their damping effect. They also add weight to the head, which can increase a drum’s depth, body and resonance while reducing unwanted ring. Stick-ons are cheap, easy to use, and infinitely adjustable.

So Which Method Is Better?
I find that no one solution covers all situations. Some drums need a lot of damping, and some sound great with little or none. You might find that you need more than one damping tool to do the job. The key is to try the different options and find what works for you (I have one raucous floor tom that requires a tone ring, an external damper and a gel pad!)

* Damping vs. Dampening
There's a case to be made for using the word damping when referring to reducing ring. Dampening suggests wetting something whereas damping suggests muffling. A common trick with hand drums -- and with all drums in the old days -- was to dampen the leather head with water to lower the tone. So in theory, one might first dampen the head and then dampen it, or vice versa. So dampen a head using water and damp a head by putting some tape on it.

Take the 'N' Train

As I put the over-long article away I said to myself, “Did I really just read 10 pages on rhythmic entrainment?”

Entrainment is simply the ability we humans have of synchronizing with a rhythm. . The concept seemed somewhat interesting at first, but the more I read about it, the more pervasive and important it appeared to be. And so I kept digging.

Oddly, there may be only two species that are able to 'entrain' to music:  humans and parrots! While other creatures may enjoy music and will often attempt to move in time, parrots are the only sub-humans that can truly move to the groove.

There are some interesting aspects to entrainment. For example, if you set a few metronomes at different tempos and then put them on a surface that can move a bit, the metronomes will entrain to one tempo regardless of the tempo setting (don't know if anyone's tried this with parrots).

We also see entrainment in everyday situations. People in close proximity often synchronize their breathing, and people living together may entrain their sleep (and other) cycles. Entrainment seems to be everywhere.

A central focus of the above-mentioned article was how entrainment might even apply to ethno-musicology.  Rather than inundate you with details, let me focus on two aspects.

Societies tend to have culturally-specific rhythms, which are ingrained from an early age. It’s even possible to determine someone's cultural background by what rhythms they are more comfortable with. For example people who grew up with polyrhythmic music -- as can be found in parts of Africa and India -- can join in instantly, whereas polyrhythms might mystify someone from a western music culture.

There's also the issue of identification. There's a good chance your social group likes the same sort of music. This isn't surprising -- it's the music that people of a similar age and social background grew up with.

Musical preference can also serve as a test for who belongs to the tribe and who is an outsider. My own generation thrived on music, and to this day we seem to be of one mind when it comes to the music of our teens. We lucked out and lived in the golden age of rock, but if you ask around, you’ll likely find that every tribe is pretty sure their music is also the best .

 

A Curmudgeon's Guide To Blast Beats

 My tastes lean toward lighter music styles, so thrash metal -- the domain of blast beats -- is not on my short list. But when I see a player like Joey Jordeson or Thomas Pridgen or Derek Roddy, I'm a little envious of that speed, control and raw energy. It's hard to not be impressed when someone's feet are slamming out 16th notes at 200+ bpm.

I'm not about to try out for a metal band, but I thought it might be interesting to work on some simple blast-style beats. The techniques aren’t difficult and they are terrific strength builders. The main issue is speed, and that comes about gradually over time. The other issue is, uh, speed. Because of the control required, the rhythms should be practiced ... no, not fast but very slowly. That's hardly an auspicious start to a career in speed metal, but trust me on this.

Let’s start with the basic beat: alternating strokes with the feet (shown here with bass drum and hi-hat) and straight ‘bang bang bang’ with the hands. Here it is as 8th notes and then as 16th notes.

This is the core blast beat, and it's usually done with double bass pedals and a ‘wash ride’, which just means play the lead hand on a crash cymbal. Play the exercises at a comfortable speed for 5 minutes. Next day, move the metronome up a notch. Keep working up the speed scale -- gradually -- until you reach your personal goal (see "Faster, Faster").

I call this next one 'Running on all fours'. Hands and feet just play the same thing, rather frantically. Also try the reverse. 

Challenge
Once you’re comfortable with some speed, try different stickings against the standard blast foot pattern and vice versa. A great source of ideas is Stick Control (check out pages 5 through 7), although any book with lots of hand patterns will work just fine.

I've committed a number of these exercises to paper and would be glad to send you the PDF.