Big Band Drums - Part 1

Greg B sight reads a big band chart, with a NY-area rehearsal band. From a practice video shot in January 2008.

If I were to take a 2nd stab at it I'd probably play less busy during the melody/section features and play fewer figures (except the big ensemble hits and accents). The drummers primary role 1st and foremost (ALONG WITH the bass/rhythm section as a team) is to play time/groove--something that is sometimes overlooked!

In swing/Big Band music, the more fancy fiddly crap a drummer plays, the worse-off the music is and the sillier he/she sounds. Record yourself and assess what you're playing often--you won't regret it and your bandmates will notice a difference.

Listen to the greats like: Mel Lewis, Sonny Payne, Butch Miles, Budy Rich, Louie Bellson, Jeff Hamilton, Jon Riley...and don't forget Papa Jo Jones, Dave Tough, many others...from all generations. They groove and propel the band like crazy, with the fancy soloing etc. as 'icing on the cake'.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• drums
• drum
• paiste
• big
• band
• swing
• jazz
• sight
• read
• chart
• belgium
• visceral
• bebop
• brass
• section
• woodwinds

[Superlative101]

Hi, what was that cross stick pattern you played at 2.45?

Is it a 3:2 polyrhythm? on which beats are they played?

[gregoryburrows]

hi - wow, challenging question -- tricky to try to put that in words: Yes it's definitely 3:2 polyrhythm, but displaced by an eighth-note triplet. So if you write it out, it's 8th note triplets but you are playing every OTHER one and this is the result! ... makes sense?

[DhaenensG]

You most be the most happy guy in the world if you can drum like this

[gregoryburrows]

I'd be a lot happier if I could play with big bands on a more regular basis -- besides universities, colleges and a small handful of serious big band jobs (Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Vanguard Orchestra here in NY's Village Vanguard) and a handful of semi-busy rehearsal bands like the one above that I sub in, it's slim pickin's out there!

[gregoryburrows]

PS, I'll take that as a major compliment and thanks!!

[1995xilef]

Cool ...what cymbals do you play??

[gregoryburrows]

sorry for slow response! These are all Paistes in the video but since then, I've started using Turkish hand-hammered cymbals and I'm crazy about them (Istanbul Mehmet)

[troutmask1970]

thanks for posting!! Nice job my friend.

[L3Gutierrez]

I've always liked playing with a big band more than a rock band. With a rock band, it's basically like 16th notes at most with rolls and triplets every so often. With a big band, the drums are really played as an instrument. I know a guy that plays drums. He's alright, but the problem is he is all rock band. He plays everything fortissimo and doesn't put a lot of effort in. Just bangs away. And he gets praised for it. Nobody watches me or others in the jazz band at school that learn all the tec

[gregoryburrows]

many thanks! happy holidays!