on jazz drumming
jazz drumming ideas and execises

The Fundamentals
Of Jazz Drumming

This section covers a lot of jazz drumming basics, giving you some tips on how to play jazz drums, including the basic jazz drum beat, how to read jazz drum notation and what jazz music to listen to. Everything you need to start playing the jazz drum set.

In jazz drumming and many other styles of drumming, we want to move between time and playing fills. However, it is important we do this smoothly and steadily without upsetting the underlying flow of the music. These simple beginner exercises help with transitioning from time to a fill and back.

The two feel is an essential time pattern that all jazz drummers must know how to play. Here is a breakdown of the jazz drumming two feel.

Here are four basic and essential jazz cymbal patterns to use with everything you practice.

In jazz drumming and many other styles of drumming, the five-stroke roll is an exceedingly useful tool and exceedingly common. When you are starting out with jazz drumming this is one rudiment that you need to get under your hands and into your playing. When you do, you will find almost endless applications.

Basic Placements | Jazz Drumming Fundamentals | On Jazz Drumming

Beat Placements are simply about placing a figure or idea on every possible place in the bar to systematically cover all possibilities. This is an essential practice tool that I find constantly useful.

Basic Rhythmic Scale | Jazz Drumming Fundamentals | On Jazz Drumming

The rhythmic scale and the transitions between the primary ways of sub dividing the beat is an essential element in your development as a jazz drummer. It will also open up many more possibilities in your drumming.

Bossa Nova Beats | jazz drumming fundamentals | on jazz drumming

Playing Bossa Nova is an essential part of playing jazz drums. Here are three basic Bossa Nova beats to get you started.

jazz shuffle | jazz drumming fundamentals | on jazz drumming

The jazz shuffle is a basic groove that has its roots in the blues and was made popular by Art Blakey.

jazz drumming in 3/4 | jazz drumming fundamentals | on jazz drumming

Once you have become comfortable with playing jazz in 4/4, you will need to work on playing in 3/4, a jazz waltz. You will start to find that there are some popular tunes played in 3/4 - a good exam is “All Blues” from the Miles Davis album “Kind of Blue” - and that on a gig a couple of the tunes are likely to be in 3/4.

triplet jazz drumming comping figures - on jazz drumming

Once your main jazz cymbal pattern is flowing and comfortable, it is time to think about adding comping figures with the snare drum and bass drum.

 

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