No doubt about it, Jim Chapin’s ground-breaking book, Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer, is an important tool for a beginning jazz drummer. I worked my way through a lot of it when I was first trying to learn jazz. However, I do think there are parts of the book that are confusing, and I would even go so far as to say that some of the book is a waste of time. Sorry if this sounds like blasphemy, but it is the truth.
That being said, I have updated what we used to be call “Lucky 13,” a worksheet that I had published on the previous edition of the BANG! website, to reflect my current thinking on what the beginning jazz drumming student should be working on when it comes to independence.
This sheet of 9 independence exercises, called “Essential Jazz Independence Part One,” gets right to the heart of the matter by focusing on learning to play triplet figures with one’s left hand vs the triplet jazz ride cymbal pattern that is played with the right hand (of course, reverse the hands if you are a lefty).
Here is the sheet for you to download. Just click this link to the right: Essential Jazz Independence Pt. 1
Have a look at the sheet….bring it into the practice room. Feel free to ask any questions. There are detailed instructions on the sheet itself that you can follow to help you along. Hope this is helpful.
He first gained attention as one of the winners of Modern Drummer magazine's very first drum solo contest, judged by Rush's Neil Peart.
He's played with Oz Noy, Will Lee, Alison Krauss, Curtis Stigers, Emily Remler, Joel Hoekstra, GE Smith, Andy York, Marshall Crenshaw, Tony Shanahan, The Drifters, The Marvelettes, Big Brother and The Holding Company, and many other artists.
For more info: onlinesessiondrummer.com
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Thanks for trying to describe the terminlogy for the learners!
Hi Kasey!
Thanks so much…..it’s what we do! Please feel free to ask any questions or let us know about something you want us to write about…..
Mark F.
Swinging and comping can be learned if you really put your mind to it and work it hard. But!! Setting up a fill for a big band is what? An ear thing, a listening thing, or is there a way to really learn. If you sit down to site read a piece you can spot the fills and set ups. The infamous blank space. SCARY!! No one has addressed this for us guys that want to feel the joy of nailing those. Point is they are not written and pretty much left to the drummer. This to me is the greatest challenge. Guys that do it so tastefully are all incredible. Could you write about this?
Hi Ray- thanks for your suggestion. Sorry for my very tardy response. It’s a good idea… let me consider how to write about this in a helpful way…..
Mark F
Where are the other 8 parts for this?
Hi Jonathan- not sure I understand… it’s called “9 Essential Jazz Independence Exercises” and there are 9 exercises on the PDF….
Hi Mark
Just want to say brilliant Jazz exercises first of all. I actually was given a sheet exactly like this with exactly all the same exercises except they also included the bass drum and hi hat notation. I think the sheet was so useful but never knew where it came from. Did you publish a book with these exercises? What book could this have been? Thank you so much sorry if it’s a silly question!
Many thanks
Thanks for writing. I haven’t written a book yet….but soon! I’m glad you like the exercises.
MF