Learn How To Play Jazz Drums
Music is something that really makes even the most boring of all evenings a ‘happening’ one. Each musical instrument has the ability to create its own magic and transport an audience to a whole new world. Like most of these musical instruments, the drums are also known to create their own magic. Many even ask that what is it that sets the drums apart from other musical instruments and the answer to that question will be, well, just about everything. Jazz drums are especially important with respect to performing in front of a live audience. Just as the name suggests, jazz drums can really jazz up any time of the day, all thanks to its enchanting rhythm and the unique soothing sound. Think about all the drumming greats that jazz drumming has produced with names like Joe Morello, Elvin Jones, Art Blakey, Alan Dawson, Steve Davis, Max Roach, etc. Now if you are looking forward to be a good
jazz drummer, it is important that you know
the basics first before you set your mind on
the world of jazz drumming.
Given below are some of the tips that can help you to learn how to play jazz drums. The first thing that you have to remember is to get your fundamentals right. This would include being able to read the charts during the practice sessions and the ability to interpret the notes, thereby producing the desired beats. It really doesn’t matter if you make any mistakes in the beginning; as long as you don’t give up, you simply have to keep on going till you master the reading. One of the easiest ways to get better with respect to reading the chart is to simply read during the practice sessions, i.e., not play, just read. If you practice this technique, you will surely be able to recognize the music and be able to play the beats instantaneously. Chart reading is really important since it acts as a guide to follow the notes and get your beats into the rhythm. Now, memorizing the entire chart sheet is really not advisable because it is obvious that you are not going to refer the same sheet for the rest of your music career. There may be times when you have to sketch your own chart sheets. This means that you should be adapt at reading the chart sheets and be able to interpret it in any given situation.
Choosing the right set of jazz instruments should be the next step with respect to learning how to play jazz drums. The percussion instruments that you choose can actually make a huge difference with respect to creating the right kind of jazz rhythm. Keeping that in mind, in order to create the right rhythm, a ride cymbal plays a crucial role but at the same time you have to remember that laying more stress on the ride cymbal is not the solution to create a great jazz rhythm. Therefore, it is important that you choose your ride cymbals wisely depending upon the style of music that you are playing. Another important fact that you have to adhere to is that jazz drumming also depends on how you move your arm, wrist and of course, your hand. Remember one thing that your drumsticks have to do all the work. So, try and hold them lightly so that you don’t go on to create a flat sound. Therefore, try using different types of sticks so that you can practice different sounds. These sticks would include mallets, brushes, etc.
Training your ears is probably the best thing that you can excel at, while playing the jazz drums. Therefore, it is really important that you listen to the jazz tempos and even some recordings by different jazz artists. The key here is that you don’t actually have to copy and play what other artists are playing but you actually should pick up some points from the music so that you can become a better jazz drummer. This could even help you to develop your own style. But developing your own style isn’t all that easy because you actually have to be able to interpret your music. This would require you to do some homework on the music style that you are planning to play.
Jazz drums have this unique ability to create music that truly sets it apart from other forms of music. Practice is the key to perfection and the same holds true for jazz drumming too. So get geared up, pick up those drum sticks and drum away future rockers.
If you would like more information on Jazz drumming I highly encourage you to check out Mike Michalkow's "Jazz Drumming System."