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What ya workin' on today?

Jason_ - Sat, 12/12/2009 - 19:36 | 5,840 views

Sometimes I get behind the kit for my daily practice and can't come up with any new ideas to work on. A thread like this would be a great reference for practice material when we're stuck like that. It could be a song or Drum Connection play-along, a new technique, rudiments, fill idea, solo structure, ANYTHING! Let us know what it is and what helped you in the process. WHAT DID YOU WORK ON TODAY?

Today I'm trying to focus on not changing the feel of a tune too fast. Seems I get bored with feels too quickly and change it up long before it really digs in. I'll go from a 2 feel on hi-hats to a 4 feel using rim click and ride and then right at 8 bars switch again to the snare and ride to ramp things up. Changing dynamics is great, but changing them too quickly can make a performance seem rushed and frantic. I guess patience is something that even helps in playing drums. This is going to take more than a day I think.

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Jason_ Says Re: What ya workin' on today?

Submitted On: Tuesday, Apr 13, 2010 - 1:48 AM

I'm working on using the hi-hat as an individual voice and not just "time keeper". So many options. I seem to come back and focus on it often.

Jason_ Says Transcribing Max Roach's

Submitted On: Wednesday, Feb 10, 2010 - 4:01 PM

Transcribing Max Roach's "Big Sid" routine. Lot's of fun and a great way to understand bop solo phrasing. Next will be his hi-hat routine!

Reuben Says Re: What ya workin' on today?

Submitted On: Monday, Jan 18, 2010 - 2:45 PM

What I've been working on lately, in fact what I start each session with is working with my metronome. Back in 92/93 while living in Dallas, TX I studied with Tom Van Schaik, incredible drummer best known for his stint with the Dixie Chicks and now Robert Earl Keen. He told me as drummers we all have this "golden tempo" within us that enables to learn new things quickly. He taught me that the real work begins when we get out of our comfort zone and play grooves below what is comfortable and above, so...slower then faster. So what I like to do is play something like 8th's on the hi hat, 2 & 4 on snare, 1 & 3 on bass drum - at very slow tempos then very fast tempos, slow could be 70 bpms, fast for me would be 116 bpms. I then play that groove for 10 minutes - no fills, no crashes. I then apply internal dynamics, so for instance I'll focus on playing the bass drum very loud, but keeping the hats and snare at low to medium volumes, and I switch that up on the voices and play the snare loud, but bass and hi hats low. Trust me - you will zone in and foucs like never before! And as Purdie once said, "It's the 2 & 4 that pays the rent!"

Jason_ Says Re: Re: What ya workin' on today?

Submitted On: Wednesday, Feb 10, 2010 - 3:59 PM

Sweet practice routine. Internal dynamics are a great thing to polish up.

- - D - - Says Re: What ya workin' on today?

Submitted On: Monday, Dec 14, 2009 - 9:45 AM

Man i wanna work on my feet, but i feel like i haven't had enough time to really sit, focus and exercise you kno. Im trying to increase speed in a paradiddle-diddle excercize between the hands and feet.