Playing the page jazz patterns for massive repetition— some pretty ordinary jazz patterns— the way I typically would practice that kind of thing. I’m not learning them for the first time, so I’m free to play around with them a little bit.
Obviously I’m not just monotone repeating the patterns, I’m putting them in a playing texture, varying the dynamics, moving them around the drums, making them a part of a phrase… more or less. I’m playing the structure of the track, though, tastewise, not exactly the way I might when playing with people.
I mentioned before that the practice room is a place to safely practice your impulse moves, and see how they work out. Stuff doesn’t always happen by working things out to the letter. You’ve got some stuff in your hands, you can let them go a little bit and see what they do without your constant interference. It’s the only way to access some things, and you’ll end up with some things nobody can copy.
There are a few spots where I’ll drift from the click a little bit. It wouldn’t really be significant in real playing— people listen to each other and adjust, it’s natural— but it stands out when playing along with a fixed track. Part of what you do in practicing is see how much attention you need to pay to your timing— which of your stuff you need to watch yourself on, at what tempos. If I were just worried about looking good in the video, I would be walking on eggshells to make sure I never drift, which I don’t think is generally a good way to play this kind of music. You need to watch out for gross rushing or dragging, but pushing and pulling slightly is normal.
I am happy to help you with any of the materials on the site, and with anything else drumming related— contact me for private lessons, online world wide, or in person in Portland, Oregon. All levels of players, and all people, are welcome.
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