INTRODUCTION INTO REGGAE DRUMMING=================================Written by Hajo Kefferã
http://kinkybrown.free.fr
CONTENTS
The Basic Groove
Initial Drum Rolls
Playing Fills
Collection of Fills
Exercises
THE BASIC GROOVEThe first thing you have to get used to if you want to learn Reggae drumming is that usually the bass drum will not be played on beat one but on beat three instead. The snare too has to be played on beat three, together with the bass drum. It is struck only lightly ("ghosted snare"). As to the hi-hat, every other beat is accented. To sum up, the basic reggae groove can be written down as follows:Basic Groove > > hh -x---x---x---x---| |sn --------(x)------| |bd ---------x-------| / / / /The bracketed x indicates a ghosted snare, the > above the hi-hat means that those beats are accented. The slashes (/) below indicate count one, two, three, and four. Tempo is rather fast; the quarter notes have to be played almost as fast as eighth notes.Reggae drummers often use open/closed hi-hat patterns. The following variants of the basic groove make use of these. The + marks the point of time when you have to open and to strike the hi-hat, on the minus sign (-) you have to close it again. In a) you have an open/closed hi-hat figure within a measure, in b) and c) the hi-hat connects two measures.Basic Groove with open/closed hi-hat patternsa) + - > hh -x---x---x---x---| |sn --------(x)------| |bd ---------x-------| / / / /b) > + - > > hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| | |sn --------(x)------|--------(x)------| | |bd ---------x-------|---------x-------|/ / / / / / / /
c) > > > + - hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x- ... | |sn --------(x)------|--------(x)------|--- | |bd ---------x-------|---------x-------|---/ / / / / / / /
INITIAL DRUM ROLLSReggae songs usually start with a drum fill. Here are a few examples, taken from early reggae records. / 3 \hh -------------------------| hh -------------------------| hh -x-x-x-x--x-----x--x-----| > | / 3 \ > | |sn -------------x-----------| sn -------x-x-x-x-----------| sn -------------------------| | | |tom-------------------------| tom-------------------x-----| tom-------------------------| | | |bd -------------------------| bd -------------------------| bd -------------------------| / / / / / / / / / / / / hh -------------------------|-------------------------| | |sn -------------------x-----|----x--x-----x-----------| | |tom-------------------------|-------------------x--x--| | |bd -------------------------|-------------------------| / / / / / / / / PLAYING FILLSUnlike rock fills, which usually are rolls over the whole drum kit, reggae fills are more or less variants of the basic groove. Another important difference is that often they are not played on the end of an 8-bar section; they can reach beyond or stop before it. (See also the exercises below.)While playing fills, you should use rim shots instead of a ghosted snare. That way your fills become more prominent against the background of the basic groove. Rim-shots are displayed by an @. Occasionally an accented snare is used, in that case the snare drum is marked with the > sign that you are already familiar with.The following fills are taken from early reggae records of the late sixties and early seventies. The collection consists of three sections, 1-bar-fills, 2-bar-fills and 4-bar fills. Each section contains fills with open/closed hi-hat patterns as a subsection. The use of special signs is summed up in an explanation of signs. COLLECTION OF FILLSExplanation of signs(x) = Ghosted snare > = Accented hi-hat/snare + = open hi-hat - = close hi-hat @ = Rim shot1-bar fills > > > > > > > > hh -x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---| > | | | |sn -x---------------| sn --------(x)------| sn --------(x)------| sn --------(x)----@-| | | | |bd ---------x-------| bd ---------x---x---| bd -----x---x-------| bd ---------x-------| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / (Can be used as end- ing of another fill) > > > > > > > > hh -x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---| | > | | |sn -------@---------| sn -------@-----x---| sn -@-----@-----@---| sn ---@-------@-----| | | | |bd ---------x-------| bd ---------x-------| bd ---------x-------| bd -----x-------x---| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / > > > > > > > > hh -x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---| | | | |sn ---@-----@-------| sn ---@-------@-----| sn -@-@----(x)------| sn -------@-----@---| | | | |bd ---------x-------| bd ---------x-------| bd ---------x-------| bd -x---------------| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / > > > > > > hh -x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---| | | | sn ---@-----------@-| sn ---@-----@-------| sn -@---@---@---@---| | | | bd ---------x-------| bd -----x-----x-x---| bd ---x---x---x-----| / / / / / / / / / / / / With open/closed hi-hat+ -
hh -x---x---x---x---| | sn ---------@-----@-| | bd -x-------x-------| / / / / > + - > + - > + - hh -x---x---x---x---|-x ... hh -x---x---x---x---|-x ... hh -x---x---x---x---|-x ... | | |sn ---------@-------| sn -----@-----------| sn ---------@-------| | | |bd -x-----x---------| bd ---------x-------| bd ---x---x---------| / / / / / / / / / / / /
2-bar fills > > > > > > > > hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| | | | |sn --------(x)----@-|-------------@---| sn -@-------------@-|-----@-------@---| | | | |bd ---------x-------|-----x---x-------| bd ---------x-------|-x---------------| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / > > > > > > > > hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| | | | |sn ---------@-------|---@-------------| sn -@---@-----@-@---|-----@-----@-@---| | | | |bd -------------x---|-----x-------x---| bd ---------x-------|-x-------x-------| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / > > > > > > > > hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| | > | | |sn -------@---------|-------@-----x---| sn ---------@-------|-@-----@---------| | | | |bd -x---------------|---------x-------| bd -----x-----------|-------------x---| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / > > > > > > > > hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| | | | |sn -@---------@-----|-@-----@---------| sn --------(x)----@-|---------@-------| | | | |bd -----x-------x---|---------x-------| bd ---------x-------|-x---x-----------| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / > > > > > > > > hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| | | | |sn ---------@-----@-|---@---@---------| sn -@-----@-------@-|---@---@---------| | | | |bd ---------x-------|---------x-------| bd ---------x-------|---------x-------| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / With open/closed hi-hat > > + - > > > + - > hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| | | | > |sn -@-----@-------@-|---------@-----@-| sn ---@-----@-----@-|---------@---x---| | | | |bd ---------x-------|-x-------x---x---| bd -----x-----------|-x-------x-------| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
> > > + - > > > + - hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x ... hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x ... | | | | sn -------------@---|---------@-------| sn -@------(x)------|---------@-------| | | | | bd ---------x-------|-x---------------| bd ---------x-------|-x-----x---------| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / > > > + - > > > + - hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x ... hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x ... | | | | sn -@---------@-----|---@-----@-------| sn -@---@-----@-----|-@-----@---------| | | | | bd -----x-------x---|-------------x---| bd ---------x-------|-x-------x-------| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
4-bar fills > > > > > > > > hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| | | | |sn ---------@-------|---------@-------|-------------@---|---------@-------| | | | |bd -------------x---|---x-------------|-x---------------|-x---x-----------| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / > > > > > > > > hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---| | | | |sn -----@-----------|---@-------------|---@---------@---|-----@-----------| | | | |bd -x-----x-x---x---|-------x-x---x---|-----x-x-x-------|-x-------x-x-x---| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / With open/closed hi-hat > > > > > > > + -hh -x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x---x---x---x---|-x ... | | | |sn ---------@-------|---@-----------@-|-------@-----@---|---@-----@-------| | | | |bd ---------x-------|---------x-------|---------x-------|-----x-------x---| / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / EXERCISESThese exercises should help you to get used to a common practice of reggae drummers, namely to not playing fills on the end of an 8-bar section, but rather before or after it. (This has already been mentioned above.)Exercise 1.aFor exercise 1.a, you first have to pick a 1-bar fill of your choice. The schema below represents four measures; on the third one, you have to play your fill. The other bars are left empty; this means that the basic groove is to be played here. Repeat the exercise until you feel comfortable with the beat. Then try a different 1-bar fill. ----------------|---------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|---------------| 1-bar fill |----------------|----------------|---------------|----------------|----------------| Exercise 1.bReggae drummers sometimes mark the end of a fill with an accented snare. The idea of exercise 1.b is that you should try that too. You play a 1-bar fill on measure two, immediately thereafter you use the very first 1-bar fill given above, which is here referred to as "Ending". It simply is an accented snare on beat one and a bass drum on beat three. ----------------|---------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 1-bar fill | Ending |----------------|----------------|---------------|----------------|----------------| Exercise 1.cThis time you have to play a 1-bar fill in measures 2 and 5. You can use the same fill at first, but then practice it with two different fills. ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 1-bar fill |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 1-bar fill |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| Exercise 1.dHere you have to combine a 1-bar fill with an open/closed hi-hat pattern. The + and - above every other measure indicate the basic groove with open/closed hi-hat on beats 2 and 3 (see basic groove with open/closed hi-hat patterns a) above). As to the other measures, the basic groove is to be played as usual. + - + -----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| + - + -----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 1-bar fill |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| Exercise 2.aNow we come to the 2-bar fills. One is to be played in measures 4 and 5 here. The second reference to the 2-bar fill is put into brackets in order to indicate it actually has begun one measure before. ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 2-bar fill |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| (2-bar fill) |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| Exercise 2.bAnalogously to exercise 1.b, the end of a 2-bar fill is to be marked by an accented snare drum on the first beat. ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 2-bar fill | (2-bar fill) | Ending |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| Exercise 2.cFor Exercise 2.c, you have to play a 2-bar fill at one place and a 1-bar fill at two different places. Again, you can use the same 1-bar fill or different ones. At the end of each forth bar there is an open/closed hi-hat figure. +----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 2-bar fill | (2-bar fill) |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| - + - ...----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 1-bar fill |----------------| 1-bar fill |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| Exercise 2.dNow again you have to use a basic groove pattern with open/closed hi-hat. This time the open/closed hi-hat figure occurs after each odd measure. Additionally, you have to play two 2-bar and a 1-bar fill. It will sound great if you choose fills that end with an open/closed hi-hat figure. + - + - ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| + - + - ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 2-bar fill |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| (2-bar fill) |----------------| 1-bar fill |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| + - ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 2-bar fill | (2-bar fill) |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| Exercise 3.aNext, you should practice a 4-bar fill. ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 4-bar fill |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| (4-bar fill) | (4-bar fill) | (4-bar fill) |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| Exercise 3.bExercise 3.b is a combination of a 1-bar, a 2-bar and a 4-bar fill. ----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 2-bar fill | (2-bar fill) |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| 4-bar fill | (4-bar fill) | (4-bar fill) |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------| (4-bar fill) |----------------| 1-bar fill |----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|