Re-inventing, Rudiments, and Getting It

I love the re-invention of a musician.

I gave a drum lesson a week or two ago to a friend who's just getting started, and I showed him some basic rudiments. I noticed (quietly to myself) that mine weren't as crisp and precise as I'd like, so I've been spending some serious time working on the chops (both hands and feet) and trying to get everything flowing very smoothly.

This culminated last night from 5pm-8:30pm where I sat with my drums sweating profusely and applying rudiments to the rest of my drums. Folks, I couldn't be happier. I kicked my own butt across the room and back more times than I could count, and I honestly feel like I addressed at least 12 things that had been bothering me in my playing.

The application of rudiments to the drums is always a blast, and I never appreciated them when I was younger. There's just a certain amount of experience you need to have to "get it" as a drummer, and though everyone thinks they "get it," most of us really have no clue. Phillips and Colaiuta get it, and Bozzio gets it. I'm pretty sure Steve Smith gets it good, Dave Lombardo doesn't get it, and Gadd has got it down.

I want to get it.

EDIT: Originally that said "Danny Carey," and the second I posted it, I knew it would completely overshadow what I was trying to say. I moved it to Dave Lombardo, though he's amazing at what he does. And maybe he's working on getting it.

How does Danny Carey not get it? Because he plays with a rock band? He spent years in drum corps, I'm sure he could mop up the floor with rudiments. In fact, one of his quotes struck me, something to the effect of "you can't play fast if you can't play cleanly" and told young drummers to work on rudiments, sticking, and play with a metronome.

Modified! I knew the second I posted this Danny Carey was the wrong choice for my analogy. Dave Lombardo is great at what he does, but there's a "big picture" thing going on here.

I Tool.

Thanks

"Don't try to play something at warp speed if you can't play it correctly at normal speed." -John Black

I started out with rudiments like everyone else but it became clear after some exposure to professionals that rudiments don't defacto automatically groove right. It's important that the drummer understands that technique should be a function of getting the music to happen; in Fitch's case, his band and music. Otherwise alls you got is a couple hands full of trinkets.

There isn't such a thing as a rythm or beat of sticking that defacto automatically grooves right. It's all about knowing where to use it. For straight forward 80's rock, rudiments won't do much for you. Jazz and soloing on the other hand...

Well said, my friends. But this isn't about rudiments; they are merely the impetus behind the lesson that awaited me. You can know you parts down stone cold, and they may never click. Then one day, without intention, you start putting your building blocks back together...

... and a castle of groove builds itself before you.

I WANT TO GET IT.

Hi Jeffy.

Not just the where but more the how. The flow and figures of today's drumming present little in the way of the martial or swingy choices that are endemic to a purely rudimental approach.

Didn't notice you there Fitch. Sorry for the conflict. One of my peeves.

I've been trying to mix my Rud's w/ application 50/50 lately instead of day by day until application. I've really been digging in on 6 strokes lately & general doubles round the kit.

If I may chime in...

I think what Fitch is getting at is: It's necessary to have a solid foundation of rudiments available in your arsenal, but 'getting it' is when you reach the point where the music is moving you, and the stuff just comes out without you having to even think about it.

On the other hand, I don't think it's necessary to know all 23 (?) rudiments 'in your sleep' to be able to 'get it'. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm only fluent in about 5 or 6 of them, but it has been enough for me to be able to express myself in just about any musical context that I've had to play in, so far. Interestingly enough, when I'm in the zone, I find myself executing things that I would never be able to do just practicing by myself. Strange, but true.

Chalk it up to the power of "the feel".

IMO.

Good point. It's far easier to get things like double paradiddles, paradiddle-diddles, six stroke rolls, and swiss triplets into jazz playing, while single paradiddles or just any about any non-triplet based rudiment will require quite a bit of "how" to compliment the when. What I was trying to say earlier is that generally (but certainly not without exception) it seems to me that the more straight, simple, and structured music is the more rudiments disrupt the groove and draw unwelcome attention to themselves, however, in music that is less straight and structured, more flowing and complex, rudiments often times become enablers of artistic expression.

Right on.. It takes me a set or so to really get warmed up in the zone, but once I'm there, I freak myself out a little when I play back the recording.. Nothing like that "damn, did I do that?" feeling is there?...

Even the drummer from my other band, who is also a good friend and drum mentor has said "I don't know man, sometimes I shock myself".. That's the zone man..

it really irks me when people say that kit players don't need to know or practice their rudiments. That's like saying horn players or guitarists don't need to know scales--they're the basics that everything else is built off of

Sorry if I irk you. I'm just on this thing about rudiments posing as fundamentals. I think the most important basic of kit drumming and rhythmic control is steadiness. Whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, ... Me for instance, I can do a credible tatoo or three but I can't hang 3 minutes of basic 4/4. It simply has to hang perfectly. There's no cover.

Not really... If you got ears you can hear what you are playing.. If you don't know how to make it sound the way you want it to sound, you go figure out how to make it sound that way and just do it. Don't really need to know anything about it really. Just gotta have ears...