Here we have a continuation from Part 1 of this little series on Paradiddle Grooves.
The concept here, is to try and play a steady paradiddle ostinato between the hi-hat and the snare drum – keeping a backbeat accent on beat 2 and 4 so as to keep a nice groove outlined with all other notes ghosted and then add your bass drum patterns underneath.
In essence, there’s a reasonable amount of independence required for these grooves. In particular, some control is really needed when playing a soft ghost note in the left hand when playing the bass drum at the same time. The temptation is to play harder on the snare drum. The crucial technique to making these grooves sound good is to ensure that you are keeping the ghost notes soft at all times. Only beats 2 and 4 on are to be accented on the snare drum. As for the right hand – it’s a personal preference as to whether you want to give them a little push when played with the bass drum. It is good however, to practice them both ways – eg. sometimes accented or just soft like the snare drum.
As mentioned is Part 1, make sure you check out guys that are great at ghost notes! Steve Gadd, David Garabaldi, Dennis Chambers, Keith Carlock, Dave Weckl and many others…
If you missed it, check out the Paradiddle Grooves Lesson Part 1 here!
Hey Adrian;
Great lesson man, thank you very much. I was wondering, you are a very light player (myself as well) when it’s called for, and I do not see your knee rising at all when you are playing, so, are you playing with you heal down or slightly raised or fully raised ( I think not on the last one here)? Logically, one would think, heal down when playing lightly and heal up when playing with more energy or faster tempo’s. Is this the case with you? I am assuming your answer is going to be yes, but, ‘lol’ one should never “assume” anything eh? ‘lol’. I watch and study ‘every’ lesson you send Adrian and you do an awesome job. I really like the totally whited out background as well, it’s just ‘so’ different that it’s cool. God Bless to you and yours Adrian, thanks again, stay loose and happy drumming. Keep em’ coming please. Oh, I have been drumming for over 40 yrs now, 20 were semi-pro and professionally. I had a break from 2000 to 2006 when I did not even ‘pick up’ a drumstick again until 2006 as I mentioned, it was a drug induced stroke (totally clean now, don’t even smoke cig’s any more) and when I started drumming again, I pretty much had to start all over again. I am having lots of trouble and set backs, but I refuse to give up my love, drums and drumming. I play for my church now, Freedom Bible Church. So, anyway, I’m pretty close now, to where I used to be, drumming wise I mean, but getting a computer in 2008 and the internet was of “immense” assistance to me and got me to where I am now much, MUCH more quickly than if I had to do it alone, which is how I learned in the first place, on my own. “You” have been of immense help to me with your lessons too, as well as others, but some are better than others, and you fall into that category. So, take care my friend and I’ll be watching, oh, lol, and listening.
Very Sincerely;
Cal Talbot
Oh, please forgive any spelling mistakes Adrian, I have been out of school for a long time and have kind of forgotten how to spell properly. I have a dictionary but it’s old and doesn’t even have many words that one would need.
Hey Cal,
As always, thanks so very much for your message and extremely kind words. It’s a real pump up for me to hear that great people like yourself are getting something out of these lessons! As you correctly predicted, yes, I do alternate my foot technique. I use heel down for softer stuff and just the majority of volumes. I just like to be able to let the beater come off the bass drum for a rounder tone and found heel down best for that. This said, it took some time to get the chops up to be able to play fast that way. I do use to heel up though – if it’s a louder gig and I really wanna dig in. Nice to have both options I guess! Means learning to play two ways though.
So glad to hear you’re back into it and still with us! I too, grew up playing in Church. It’s a weekly gig! Gave me a great education on the instrument amongst other things!
Thanks again for reaching out mate.
All the best.
Adrian