Sabtu, 18 Oktober 2008

How To Play Reggae Drums

How An Introduction

Learning how to play reggae drums involves thinking differently regarding the primary pulse of the beat. In reggae the emphasis is on the third beat in the measure as opposed to the 2 and 4 in popular music. The grooves can be played straight or with a triplet swing feel.

The bass drum played with the snare on beat three enforces this backbeat. The kick and snare can be placed anywhere you desire within the pattern. Just make sure the emphasis is on the third beat. These are just general guidelines to base your patterns on.

One Drop - Rockers - Steppers

When learning how to play reggae drums there are three main drum beat styles to master: One Drop, Rockers and Steppers. The One Drop beat, places the emphasis on the third beat of the bar with the snare and bass drum played together. Beat one is not played which is the opposite of most popular music. Carlton Barrett drummer of The Wailers is credited with inventing this style.

Check out "One Drop", by Bob Marley and the Wailers to hear him play this beat. Barrett often used an unusual triplet figures on the hi-hat, as heard on the song "Running Away" from Marley's "Kaya" album.

The Rockers beat, has the emphasis on beat one and beat three as heard on "Night Nurse" by Gregory Isaacs. The Rockers beat can also include syncopated counter rhythms such as the Black Uhuru song "Sponji Reggae".

In the Steppers beat, the bass drum plays four solid quarter notes giving the beat a strong driving pulse. "Exodus" by Bob Marley is a good example. Stewart Copeland of Police fame mixed syncopated rock and reggae rhythms to create a distinctive style that influenced many drummers.

In the Steppers beat, the bass drum plays four solid quarter notes giving the beat a strong driving pulse. "Exodus" by Bob Marley is a good example. Stewart Copeland of Police fame mixed syncopated rock and reggae rhythms to create a distinctive style that influenced many drummers.

The triplet or swing feel gives reggae drumming a jazzy feel. Playing straight tends more toward rock or a heavier sound. Reggae drummers often play drum fills that do not end with a cymbal crash.

A standard drum set is commonly used with high a pitched snare sound. A timbale or second snare with the snares off adds tonal variety to the beats. >Rim shots and side stick techniques on the snare are common in reggae. Toms are often used within the beat pattern itself, not just for fills.

A variety of other percussion instrumentation is used in reggae. Bongos, congas, claves, cowbells and shakers are often used to add counter-rhythmic flavor to the grooves.

Always remember that drum styles and beats are always evolving. Rules are made to be broken when it comes to music of any kind. Try to take these basic principles and create your own hybrid reggae beats.

Reggae originated in Jamaica and Bob Marley is recognized as the artist that made it popular around the world. If you want an education in Reggae drumming add a Bob Marley compilation CD to your collection and learn the drum beats.

Learning how to play reggae drums is really fun and adds another great style to any drummer's library.

(http://www.drummuffler.com/how-to-play-reggae-drums)
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How To To Make Your Drum Life Easier

  • A positive attitude makes all the difference in musician to musician relationships.
  • Practice everyday to keep loose - 20 minutes is better than nothing.
  • Always arrive at the gig earlier than you're supposed to.
  • Carry a spare snare head and snare cord.
  • Learn your drum parts completely before rehearsal.
  • Playing in between songs is really amateurish sounding.
  • Never argue about anything on stage.
  • Getting drunk and playing drums at a gig is NOT the cool thing to do. Having a friend or cab drive you home after getting drunk at the gig IS the cool thing to do.
  • Keep the breaks at gigs precisely the time agreed upon.
  • Have plenty of drumsticks, especially if you play loud.
  • Use a personal monitor that is easy to hear and portable to set up.
  • Compliment band members for playing well.
  • Refrain from mentioning band members mistakes.
  • Listen carefully to the other musicians and play to compliment them.
  • A bass drum mic is essential in most band situations, except very low volume playing or rehearsals.
  • Wear very comfortable bass drum friendly shoes when possible.
  • Bring a small "pocket practice pad" and warm up a few minutes before the the show.
  • A drum gear checklist is a good idea if you break your equipment down into smaller pieces.
  • If you always transport your own drums consider quality drum bags like Beato or Humes and Berg instead of hard cases.
  • A heavy duty baseball bat bag can be a very light and affordable drum hardware bag.
  • Keep your cymbal hole protective seating and washers in top shape to prevent cymbal damage.
  • Look sharp (as Joe Jackson would say) for the gig or show.
  • Remember your brushes, mallets, and breath mints - just in case.
  • Keep a small powerful fan in your trunk just in case your drumming gets too HOT! (sorry, couldn't resist)
(http://www.drummuffler.com/drumming-tips.html) Read More...

Kamis, 09 Oktober 2008

Brass Lip Slurs

Producing a lip slur on a brass instrument involves moving smoothly between two notes using the same valve combination or trombone slide position. In other words, the player moves to another pitch within the same harmonic series using his lip muscles and air support alone. The tongue is not used! Because the embouchure has to tighten when moving to higher pitches, it is usually more difficult to execute a lip slur properly when moving upwards rather than downwards.

Practising lip slurs is an important means of building embouchure strength and flexibility. Unfortunately, exercises involving lip slurs are also among the most erroneously played! All too often, students who are asked to practise etudes involving lip slurs simply tongue the upper notes notes, thus negating the purpose of the whole exercise. With the full ensemble playing the sort of etudes found in the standard band method books, it is easy for young players to tongue the notes without being spotted. Rehearse the brass players in small groups - or one by one if necessary - in order to spot the laggards. Insist that they make the necessary effort to play the exercises properly. While doing this, it is also a good idea to remind the ensemble not to apply more mouthpiece pressure in order to reach the upper notes of a lip slur. A lip slur should be executed by the lip muscles!

Playing lip slurs correctly involves:
  • Maintaining a steady airstream throughout the slur.
  • Ensuring that there is enough flesh of the lower lip in the mouthpiece to begin the slur.
  • Contracting the muscles at the corners of the mouth to obtain the upper note.
  • Arching the tongue upwards when moving to higher pitches and flattening it when moving to lower pitches.
  • Ensuring that the tone does not become excessively pinched.
Playing lip slurs on a brass instrument is not easy for beginners or even many moderately experienced players. Unfortunately, many standard band method books do not give the subject the careful attention it deserves. The following graded exercises are intended for use with cornet or trumpet players who are having real difficulty. Suitably transposed, they can also be used with other brass instruments. Practise these exercises in consecutive order: open (no valves depressed), 2, 1, 12, 23, and 123. Once they have been mastered, the student should be encouraged to attempt more advanced lip slur etudes.





(http://www.theconcertband.com/brass_lip_slurs.htm)

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