Rudimentally Speaking/Playing Rudimentally

I would like to touch briefly on playing rudiments on the drum set. Rudiments have a very profound history and tradition, as they are the dominant technique necessary to play classical and marching snare. They have been adapted many ways for use on a drum set sometimes in  a particular style in use by many drummers, especially in big band drumming and bebop.  Other times it is up to the individual player’s taste and creativity. A thoughtful systematic approach is useful so as  to not  get inundated with endless variations some which can be very musical and others just calisthenics. The approach here is a very workable approach for even a beginner but still can evolve into some very advanced approaches.

Understand the rudimental snare drum when played as classical parts of symphonic pieces are not there to keep time. That is the conductor’s job. They are used to punctuate and enhance the  composition. As such they tend to flow along the music melodically and dynamically and are rhythmically melodic in and of themselves. If you wish to be able to play melodically on a drum set both to enhance a composition or even a solo think about this, Billy Higgins once told me his opinion and I agree, that since a professional jazz musician knows a few hundred tunes in common with other jazz musicians, if you walk into a club and hear a drummer playing a solo you ought to be able to recognize the tune, otherwise you “ be jiving” …faking it!

So it behooves you to  play some classical snare pieces and etudes. That will give you a sense of playing cadence(s) measure by measure and melodically across an entire composition. It will be no different on a drum set. The simplest (not simplistic) approach works like this. Think about a piano, classified as a percussion instrument. The keys are laid out ascending to the right pitch wise, treble clef from middle C and descending to the left, bass clef. Since   in pitched chromatic music, pitch is clearly defined melodically   as going up or down, we could do worse than do the same thing on the drums. Beginning on the heart of the drum set, the snare drum, warm up by playing all 40 rudiments in sequence. Next play rudiment one slowly at first around 60 BPM up to 120-180 BPM at a relaxed medium volume paying close attention to the accents and dynamics 20 times. Next move only the right hand to the highest tom and  keep playing the rudiment 20 more times, then move your left hand to the highest tom and repeat 20 more times. The response/tone of the drum will change  and so will your body language and muscle groups. This is important for a complete workout.  Your touch and dynamic feel will adapt.. Make the drum sing! Continue to repeat down to your lowest drum. When finishing the rudiment on your lowest drum, immediately reverse leading with your left until you are back at the snare drum with your left and right  hand. Proceed to the next rudiment and repeat until you have executed all 40 rudiments over the next few minutes, hours weeks, years,….!

So what about all the varying ways to mix it up all over the set? One of the really beautiful things about the drum set is everybody gets to build their own set and if you get outside the box, a  4- 5 piece ride, crash, hats that is the norm. Your own unique set, tuning, should be your own creative invention. to help you play your own style. Just remember follow the song, melody and solo work going up and down just the way the music does. You will repeat yourself  a lot less, and enhance the song in a very musically melodic way. The standardized forms which require good time keeping with fills in the right places will be less demanding. At the other extreme in very complex modern jazz (whatever that is) the drummer can be just as out front as any of the other players and be all over the set. The rule is to   be tasteful, supportive and responsive. LISTEN! Remember this approach is playing off the tune so you won’t get stale and repetitive. If you take a solo sing the melody  continously   ( under your breath), start simple, and gradually apply more rhythmic variation around more and more set until you peak out bring it down and kick off the tune. It doesn’t hurt to back off in the middle and build again. Some of the most beautiful solos are really little songs. “The Drum Also Waltzes” by Max Roach  or Joe Morello on Take 5. Steve Gadd on Aja with Steely Dan is a masterpiece. Joe Chambers is a master period and he never bothers with drum charts. Uses the piano chart. In any case the only thing we are discussing here are the 40 PASIC International Standard Rudiments. Make up your own or combinations. We are just scratching the surface so be creative!, and by the way think of your cymbal as a whole orchestra. I use a lot of cymbals.