Jazz Troubles!!

[iwishiwasbetter]

I've been pretty much a death metal/metal/rock/punk drummer ever since I started, been taught by a rock drummer and I really like jazz and I am having a really hard time getting anything besides the basic ride cymbal pattern down. I would look for more guidance from my cds but most of them are Dave Weckl etc... and are FUCKING RIDICULOUS so any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

[ktheo1]

You need to begin to work on idependance through use of books such as Syncopation for the modern drummer and apply the various syncopation exercises on the Bass drum and Snare drum agaist the Ride cymbal pattern. also listen to lots of old records to get an idea of the feel from that period.

[starclassic123]

try to get some cool jazz albums with great drummer! these recordings are good to start with

Roy Haynes Quartet - Out of the Afternoon
Miles Davis - Seven steps to heaven (dr. tony williams)
Max Roach - +4
The essential jo jones

Try to practice with the book and listen, listen, listen....
also try to capture the "spirit" of the song and try to feel the music

Keep on grooving

[Matus]

First you need to get into the style and then start developing your craft towards that goal.
I'd suggest working with two books at once: Time Functioning Patterns (Gary Chaffee) has a great section on jazz independence and The Art Of Bop Drumming (John Riley) is probably the best drum book ever written about jazz. It teaches the style comprehensively, talking about pacing, phrasing, comping, soloing, etc. It's great.
And at the same time keep listening to more and more jazz so you understand what the classics did and why they did those things. That's the most important thing about learning jazz.
Then, besides those books you can use Alan Dawson's interpretations on Syncopation, applied to developing swing independence. It's a great method, too.

[scott h]

don't forget the seminal "Advanced Ideas for the Modern Drummer" by JIM CHAPIN on this subject. the set out of the excersises makes it SO EASY to learn. the new versions come with 2 CD's of Jim playing everything in the book with a bass player.

[Matus]

True, Jim Chapin has always been a source of inspiration and technical information. I was referring more to the conceptual aspect of the style and in that matter John Riley's book is the best out there. It's a pedagogic gem.

[peter]

Like we are what we eat, we are what we listen to.

Find old Coltrane discs, with Elvin Jones on it and get
into the paradiddle-diddle.

[quitou]

start listenning to as much jazz as you can, go out to your local jazz clubs and watch people playing....you can also find some great books dealing with jazz independence....I went through one called The Jazz Drummers Cookbook by John Pickering (I can't remember if it's John or Jay Pickering)....it's a great book for getting the jazz independence thing down....it won't really tell you too much about playing musically, but it will certainly give you a lot of freedom playing jazz patterns....other than that, listen to as much jazz as you can, and play as much as you can aswell....try to find come people to jam with in that style....you might also want to seek out a private teacher who specializes in playing jazz music....they'd really be able to help you out....