Jjotice that the hi-hat shyshm is played continually while the left stick strikes the snare only on the counts of two and four. This is the simplest, most basic pattern in rock umming. lementary Rock Beats 1e following group of exercises shows various possibilities for playing the bass drum, while the hi-hat and snare drum are played exactly as indicated in the last exercise Peewee ERTS mer Notes for the bass drum have their stems facing down, and the staff will now include a second line specifically for the bass drum part. count: 1 ’ ik a haa a an mn a a ta APARATO ITU UO roa aw* Rockin’ Bass-Drum Variations The following beats are all variations for the bass drum involving eighth rests. The hi-hat © part remains the same as always—you tap continual eighth notes on the cymbals (which ~ are locked together), while the snare is played on the counts of two and four. Being, well coordinated with the bass drum is at the heart (or should I say the “soul”) of rock drumming, and these exercises will help develop your ability to play different beats with quarter notes and eighth notes. count: deste) ea ye 1 ee eee) r fo ee ee eu Pie ise) eae ee The first exercise is the most commonly used beat in rock drumming. More Bass-Drum Variations Sf counts 2+ hibas Al i = Ee ouna ara) x) MI s = + 3 + z ae 2 2 > > 2 > > > ? ? > 2 ? ? > 2 > s » 9 9 ? 9 * y » 9 > 3 3 % x 3 2 79 2 2 a ? 2 2 9 n? 3 2 2 3 2 9 3 a1. a4 ele ee +eSry = Offbeat Bass Drum a oo) 3 os ‘The previous beats all contained a bass drum on the first beat of the bar. The following, variations may prove a little trickier because there is no bass drum on the count of one. 2: ieee /*% hat 9 wd ny oe ee Reeth as 3) oo 7p Fak ote flea pales G4 pier ep 25 SRS Eo THT? Cap acomen aS Two-Measure Rock Beats Until now, all the beats have been for one bar. The following beats are two-bar patterns. In other words, each exercise will be two bars long. A great deal of rock music is phrased with a two-bar feel -sount: 1 Be el (ren | va ri wae { E = bass a a A far. 2 Gs hi-hat oe e p al oe Syed, el ee ee ees? r aeair yp‘Sahat bass 4 E 21 ee ee oI pp |Basic Rock Beats with Snare-Drum Variations So far the snare drum has been played only on the counts of two and four. The following ‘onc-bar exercises will show some simple variations. At first these variations are shown ‘without a bass-crum part, but the bass will be included on the subsequent pages. count: 1+ hich OL ELL) 4 SLE wo ical ii cal Hs a eet aes: SS aS More Snare-Drum Variations coed + 2 + 3 vate Hf em fee (| m [ome a |e ie) Badee POLL y-SAG 2 MMMAVAHDANNDAAAAOOOHEH OHM OME EDM RNA NAN:Pac I COE UO Urea, 1 [ee a ) 1 1 1 ) 1 ) ) 1 1 1 ) FABRE FIREMEN TUE PPpart is not played simply on eer es | Ba Soe 5 cc -e ee x em mee el ie | I a ee ee x[ ee ee ee eee a ey ee ee ef she ey Disco Rock Beats \ \ ‘Until now, the hi-hat part has been played with the cymbals locked together. The sound of qT the disco beat involves opening and closing the cymbals at various spots. These next two Pages will focus upon opening and closing the hichat on offbeats. The snare part is played simply on the counts of two and four, while the bass drum is played on every downbeat. } E 2 | 3 p e ? e P 2 2 6 ? 2 2 2 > > ) ) Important: The letter “o” above a note means that the hi-hat cymbals should be opened ‘on that note, and that note alone. Be certain to keep your hi-hat cymbals together on all other notes. 1 J 1 me 4d 4 = + ae f 25~ | Jazz Rock Beat: a Py eq : — at aR a2 rg ioe | = al | po ye ek : Sean eel ened ei | po aes ies | ee =) eee Biore Disco Beats eee eee ee Back in the fiftvr wou ESO TIAMAT TS PTT OCP UU Here are some clapping exercises with eighth-note triplets pL pT yp Ly The actual jazz or jaz rock cymbal rhythm has the middle cighth note omitted, which gives a kind of skip feel to the rhythm. In fact, it might be helpful if you used the word “skip” in your count. Jazz Rock Cymbal Rhythm count: 1 2g skip 3 4 5 skip fod Jem er Play the following jazz rock beats which include the snare drum on two and fous, as well as bass drum variations. flip ee cymbal “onaler ae el Gospel Rock Beats The beats on the previous pages have all been in t time. A certain amount of rock music, however, is played with a € feel, which means there are twelve eighth-notes in every bar and each eighth note gets a beat. Understanding the precise meaning of a time signature might be a little confusing, but the exercises are casy to play. Notice that the twelve cighth-notes are grouped in threes. Since each eighth note gets a beat, you might count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. However, that can prove a little wordy, so I suggest you count as indicated: 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1,2, 3,1, 2,3 ee) ge ee ae eee Le] oo) es eae ae ana) 6 [eee eee [esi aie | o (SO ea) Shuffle Rock Beats ‘The shuffle is another fecl chat is commonly heard in rock music, and itis closely related to the jazz beat because the shuffle rhythm is based upon eighth note triplets with the middle triplet omitted. Here’s the basic cymbal thythm by itself 1 skip 2 skip 3 skip 4 skip 3 g o 3 The following five beats include bass drum variations, with the snare part being played on the counts of two and four, as usual. “ell aad 7 3 ; 1 7 2 r ii ets Unidad nnn nrines ¢ AOE UU dda’ eas Notice that in the last two beats the skip feel is played on the bass rather than the cymbal, Ac this point you might well ask, “Just what beat should I use?” The question is reasonable enough, but the answer is not so simple. In fact there's no definite answer because you don’t necessarily play one beat throughout a song, In most instances a drummer falls into playing a pattern that fits the tune, breaking away from that pattern every once in a while in order to accent cestain portions of the music with the band. You ‘can never go wrong by keeping steady time and playing simply. However, if you're |. capable of coordinating your bass drum with different thythmic variations, then by all means do so. In short, you can play whatever you feel as long as it fits the music, and as long as no one else in the band objects. A good idea is to work closely with the bass player so that your bass drum variations are similar to the rhythm that he’s playing on his electric bass. You could, of course, work out patterns that are exactly what the bass player is playing, If you're not actually in a band, practice along with records or tapes. Turn the volume up as much as possible so that you're engulfed by sound. Fantasize that you are the drummer with the band on the recording. If you have nervous neighbors (or parents) you'll have to tone it down, but playing along with tapes and records is the best way I know to develop your ear in order to play with a band. Sixteenth Notes ‘You have now reached a point where the possibilities for playing rock beats with quarter notes and eighth notes have been explored to the limits of this book. In order to go further you must be able to play the next subdivision of rhythm—sixteenth notes. ‘The sixteenth note looks just like a eighth note, but it has an extra flag on its stem: 3 Each eighth note equals two sixteenth-notes (J'=.'4) so four sixteenth-notes are equivalent DHS - J 29When sixteenth notes are grouped together, i’s common to see them joined with two beams, S The following clapping exercises will help you gain a better working knowledge of sixteenth notes, which is absolutely necessary for inderstanding the subsequent rock beats. Remember that four sixteenth-notes have to be clapped in the time af one quarter-note, Maintain a slow and steady tempo, counting out loud as indicated Clapping Sixteenth Notes count: 1+ 2 1D See Oe oe diet 2h chad see More Clapping Exercises The nexc series of clapping exercises combine eighth notes and sixteenth notes, Featured first is the following rhythm: eee Notice the relationship between these three notes and four consecutive sixteenth notes. 1 tl i Clap the exercises at a steady tempo, and count as indicated. count: 1+ GS See! ee qs eee acl + ec AG oye ‘ ‘ t t ‘USED ICC OI ORICA AICI 7 * el ay 4 x > * | 2 7 a | “ a ’ iF at | 7 f 3 ? 4 th eo ee ee ee ee 1 ¢£@2-¢2+2423 444 jC yor i Featured below is the reverse ehythmn [The sixteenth notes now begin on the beat rather than on the offbeat, and this is how it lines up with consecutive sixteenth notes. Clap the following exercises count: 1+ e 3 ee Se ye ee ee, ce eter wer it eel Sot ml epee! Bl tcucnd atch Wect 2iectedi3 ce + atom d pe ee ey ete ecm teers dee 1Goee oe) ced og pO So Sa eyThe clapping exercises on this page combine the ehythms from the previous pages. ping, Scone CeCe eee ed) aires ecco ete $0 ye a, COB oe 4ead ade ceeds pO AD AS 4 COLERR t my ded Oo ad ce 2 ek aces) poo ALT A A eS meLSSr ao iI \ Sixteenth-Note Variations for Snare Drum DN fey eas Now we can move right along and learn some variations for snare drum that include sixteenth notes. This frst set of exercises will show the variations without a bass drum | Part. The next set will include a part for the bass. count: 1e + 2 eS ie! pak 2) tote A =e fi {pL ELA A ‘l Pah mn ceire iene A cee =2 o ea Lae CR CR dp ch fb oR cp Goi A oy A ee 1 tee Ho IE oom J en paaE sas a ch Oy [= a Ae oees : Te ee) dnc 1 1 PP on AOA DRRAD AS RAR LUNAN AN ITE aasabticanadihoas See zi§ ' Sixteenth-Note Variations for Bass Drum So far the variations with sixteenth notes have all been played on the snare drum. The following few pages will demonstrate sixteenth-note variations for the bass, while the snare is played on two and four. The rhythms for bass drum will contain sixteenth rests, which look like this: ¥ Although these rhythms may look a little unfamilias, the bass drum part is lined up exactly with the hi-hat part, so you should be able to determine exactly when to strike the bass count: 1 a =) a es : ce = ae ee) a en a ee More Sixteenth-Note Variations for Bass Drum count: ae aS 1 imei = ia ae eae i Pato 1 “0 30% Beid Gos feet cc eee poo, oA, ee Cie ies hichat peal 34eH te ALAA ap A i A aaa aaa LS ae a eae : ee Fe 3 : ee eae as s ee ee oe ee ot + le 2 Ce ae ee Oe 4 +d Pons poo A t = eee = een) ty ie Var = Poso nop Pr tae rap pe eee eames : ee Tht ee 7‘The beats below are combinations of sixteenth notes between the bass drum and snare. SS Ia P| atte! oe Ser eee ee a ae) ere ieee eee eee ea mia “on fantalaeeeae | pees FAO Poe aka P= eee two and fous, or wit seen nore Ao eee Deere hie ee 2s 3 kee ees (same o ||ee ee eyes ca ocean a oo ee Hordes 1 aoe es cee dn) (7444500, ,4 45505 mee aaa: ara I “y ee le 2a ees ek one 1020 eS elie? Tez cases) PAL OL aah es i a cal aT i ame rp re TT Pe oe oer i Teale ees Riese ececeece erezhes) ees ethene) _ SS FP fd STITT bere ge nian rotor 4 4 i 5 iRock Beats for Slow Tempos A great deal of rock in time is played at exceedingly slow tempos so that eighth-note rhythms on the hi-hat are not totally appropriate. This page, therefore, will offer some [basic rock beats which can be used when the music is too slow to play simply a cighth-note rhythm. Notice that all the beats employ a steady sixteenth-note rhythm on | the hi-hat, played with the right stick. | owe, SSS SS AS He reeds ff af ie Pg ph ay tec epee oor or toe te ‘The next group of beats continues with steady sixteenth notes on the hi-hat. This time, however, the rhythm is played with an alternate sticking rather than just the right hand. In other words, play right stick, left stick, right stick, left stick, etc. This allows a steady sixteenth-note beat to be used at moderate tempos instead of just slow tempos, as was ~ shown on the previous page. The beats here are extremely useful in disco drumming. Play the hi-hat rhythm on closed cymbals. After you become familiar with cach beat, try [oes ED OPeROROnn ne acca: cei. te oe | Opening and closing the hi-hat in different spots. Notice that the snare and hi-hat are no € | longer played together. ¢ count: Le +d2e+d3e+d4e+d le+d2e+d3e+d4erxd ie Mie gS TEL ECOL ETTL ET 1 TLL § J bass AUP RERLRERERERERLRL? 38 | a Beha tat me ¥Dicer cde emer esieradiditer ea] Lo eda Air Rea fee tee a Lo on ee eee ee) E +t é adedge +d4ead Rock Breaks By this time you have played through a wealth of material, If you mastered each of the beats on the previous pages you will be able to play along and keep time with just about any rock group. Pages 39 through 41 will be devoted to rock breaks or fill. Each break is presented on the third or fourth beat of the bar, and in order to keep the page as uncluttered as possible T have omitted a bass drum part, You can play the bass in any way you feel comfortable. One other point—I suggest you play one bar of an ad-lib rock rhythm before each of the written bars containing a break. This will mean chat the break will come at the end of every second bar, which is much more realistic as far as actual performance is concerned. All the breaks are to be played on the snare drum, VOOVOTLOLOLEVELOLLLELLEECLUUE D 1 kk kk WW wk lh Wh eh Wt a WW sot eo. cm DVO LVOLEVE break “2. 4) a) VASA NDA St yet eae dAAd-0-0-. 0 break break Bet eee Vee ioe 3 ee ea dees eee eee fol gH AH Re Gear aL TR Te See emeOT a ot decided cee 39More Rock Breaks Remember: Precede each count: 1+ hi-hat break with one full bar of an ad-lib rock rhychm, sg 2 Ses dsssdss R R i Oe Ree nia eenerr break break i Cees meer ari een Tie qiidies Wem aueeecerd — ay J) ESS ET LE esi === Sees testes Stat tat Hae eee eee erie Fs ee ear eee ea break break eer ee eee eee + ? . ee — J Ee} a imi os = 41 Joe 3 sito] LRL RLRL break break Ibe) rea ae ‘ ieee per a RLRLRL TRL ReTeRS eR ars Rock Breaks around the Drums { have selected some ofthe breaks from the previous page, and notated them between the playin fom toms. This page merely provides a taste of some of the posses far playing breaks between the var n your own, Remember to 40 ious drums, and I suggest you try ro create some patterns Play your bass in any manner you choose.41 ad Note: T-T. means Tom-Tom. be; | i ere i OD Veal SAR RCO ELPA ta a ele a SSS SG os pe ee eali ) ) 1 ) ) ) J-tec tee wwe wweeduu: BoSSA PANTO De CRogues Dv PRaTo Live PRA Ye CHOQ’ES con fe J }} NoVA -Boro J 7} ) 7 | rr) La i — PRiwcrAl ea. Poe el — VaR Acoes Pog / | cn e i} a ie 3 — YaRincees XN te p x eee z Rio Bate ConPLeto woe ei ee ee Rea J | | Jee: hh ee et ee Ie ie feese © fun Ment $ > B10 [PA eS é J ae aa rr oentey 1 obs -wesleeJuedoudooboctocvccee ke PA ea > é€ ne | BATE RIA. nan PTR Pede pe Pe pe > Pee Reb 6 ye De ae POTS | yp yh nh ofa AOA 1978 ae dos . 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