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View Full Version : Oh right hand lead playing... How I love thee


FockerTheLopper
03-04-2007, 09:37 PM
While reading a book I've had a while I uncovered something of great instrest to me and jazz chops.
I thought I'd like to share this concept with all of you since it isn't very difficult(at slow tempos at least!) and sounds great... In fact Elvin Jones and Steve Gadd are the people who really used and mastered it.

Heres what it is, its reading and playing inbetween the notes, the right hand and bass drum play the notes and the left hand fill inbetween with only 2 strokes at most, lets say there are 3 notes inbetween you play singles then right hand back to the cymbal, if there are 4 lrll then right hand back to the cymbal 5 noteswould be llrll then the right hand accent and cymbal. Since I'm new to this I try to stick with 2 left hand strokes before the cymbal but sometimes this is impossible(like the 3 note scenario) but when possible do that, then when you get better change things up.
Example of qauter notes(Key |R = right hand on cymbal and bass drum| r = right hand on snare | l = left hand on snare)
Rll Rll Rll Rll
Upbeat quater notes
llR llR llR llR
Shuffle
RlR RlR RlR RlR
rhtyhm |1 + (2) + 3 (+) (4) +| parenthesis notes not played
RlR llR Rlr llR

Okay guys that's the basics, grab syncopation(or any book with reading) and work your way through, start slow, take it 4 bars at a time until you found that your gone through all the combinations then stop there and repeat it until all the combinations are in your head, then you'll be able to work even faster on everything else and hopefully use this right lead phrasing in your playing!

Have fun and remember, if at first you don't succeed, turn the click down(or shut it off!) because practice makes permament and you wouldn't want to practice the wrong thing.

Ollie The Drumming Legend
03-05-2007, 11:05 AM
That sounds pretty excellent, though I'm going to have to read that again to be able to try it out. Do you have any audio of it? Any of it from steve gadd or elvin or yourself would be great.

:)

Jezen
03-05-2007, 11:19 AM
I don't understand.

Josiah
03-05-2007, 11:49 AM
Ah haha I'll try and explain it a lil different then focker.


Play any given rhythm on your right hand and bass drum in unison (or french flam). Fill remaining notes in with left hand.

If you are working on with a 16th note base, and your right hand/foot play the bold -
1 e + a 2 e + a

Then your left hand would play the remaining unplayed notes -

1 e + a 2 e + a


*left hand is playing both '+' s, bold didn't work on it.

If it was triplet base, right hand/foot play -

1 tu tu 2 tu tu

left hand plays -

1 tu tu 2 tu tu



Can use any note values, mix them up, diddle the left, flam, do it left hand lead, etc you guys get the concept

MattMarlow
03-05-2007, 11:59 AM
Thanks Josiah.

Jezen
03-05-2007, 12:05 PM
Ohh... That's not that advanced though, right?

Josiah
03-05-2007, 12:10 PM
No, not really. Most people play right hand lead as it is. Being most people stick a kick under a crash as it is... it's not a new concept to anyone.


This almost would be better described as "bass drum shadows right hand" playing. Though there is an implication that the other hand (or foot) fills in the remaining gaps to an extent.

Det_Nosnip
03-05-2007, 01:32 PM
Hmm...I could see some problems in orchestration potential when you devote the melody to one limb. I like the accent pattern approach better. I could see this having some application, though.

FockerTheLopper
03-05-2007, 03:50 PM
No, not really. Most people play right hand lead as it is. Being most people stick a kick under a crash as it is... it's not a new concept to anyone.


This almost would be better described as "bass drum shadows right hand" playing. Though there is an implication that the other hand (or foot) fills in the remaining gaps to an extent.

Yes, true but then when you get into actual reading and playing phrases not just random junk(because we all do it, not that its bad per say but random ussually isn't good, especially if your playing music where you would want to repeat certain things)

The concept itself isn't too advanced(although reading like this is hard at first) but when looked at it can be a very useful tool, and can be applied to music/solos or even comping