Sound, Time, & Creativity - S.F.

62
Rudiments are structured sticking patterns that, when
mastered, help expand a player’s technique, control,
and sound. I was fortunate to spend many hours in lessons
with the legendary jazz drummer Joe Morello. At each meeting,
he assigned me different rudimental sticking patterns
from classic books such as George Lawrence Stone’s Stick
Control, Charley Wilcoxon’s Modern Rudimental Swing
Solos, and Joe’s own Rudimental Jazz, which has recently
been rereleased.
In 1967, when Rudimental Jazz came out, Morello
silenced critics who believed that rudiments weren’t “hip”
or couldn’t swing. In a recent conversation with me, Joe
mentioned that the premise behind the book was to help
students gain an appreciation for applying the basic rudiments
around the drumset. In our lessons, he would
encourage me to think beyond each written example and
come up with new, creative patterns without compromising
the integrity of the rudiment itself, so that’s what we’re
going to explore in this series of articles. Before you dive
into the variations, however, be certain that you have control
of each exercise as originally written. As Joe would
always stress in lessons, you should never sacrifice control
for speed.
We’ll begin by exploring the section of Rudimental Jazz
that focuses on combinations of singles and doubles. Here’s
an example from page 6 that’s based on the single-stroke
roll. This orchestration will help you develop a sense of flow
as you move the triplets around the kit.
One way to vary Morello’s example is to rearrange the
measures. Here are three options. Once you have these
under control, apply this rearranging approach to additional
exercises from Rudimental Jazz.
Measure sequence: 2-3-4-1
MODERN DRUMMER • May 2011
JAZZ DRUMMER’S WORKSHOP
Rudimental Jazz Revisited
2
Part 1: Mix And Match
1
2
by Steve Fidyk
Measure sequence: 3-4-1-2
3
Measure sequence: 4-1-2-3
4
Now let’s merge two different examples from Joe’s book.
We’ll use the same single-stroke exercise from before, plus
we’ll grab one of the double-stroke ideas from page 10.
Here’s our second example.
5
Once you have control of Examples 1 and 5 independently,
try combining the first two measures of the single-stroke variation
with the last two measures of the double-stroke idea.
6

Now play the first two measures of the double-stroke example
followed by the last two measures of the single-stroke
variation.
7
Next, try practicing the previous merged examples backwards.
Here’s Example 6 in reverse.
8
9
And here’s Example 7 played backwards.
You can continue to mix and match measures and phrases
to come up with a multitude of new musical ideas. Try applying
this concept to the remainder of the original examples in
Rudimental Jazz. In part two of this series, we’ll explore ways
to expand on Joe’s paradiddle variations.
Steve Fidyk is the drummer with the Army Blues Big Band
from Washington, D.C., and a member of the jazz faculty at
Temple University in Philadelphia. Fidyk is also the author
of the critically acclaimed book Inside The Big Band Drum
Chart, which is published by Mel Bay.

THE ORIGINAL STANDARD 26 AMERICAN DRUM RUDIMENTS
1) The Long Roll
2) The Five Stroke Roll
3) The Seven Stroke Roll
4) The Flam
5) The Flam Tap
6) The Flam Accent
7) The Flamacue
8) The Drag or Half Drag
9) The Single Drag - or
Single Drag Tap
10) The Double Drag or
Double Drag Tap
11) The Single Paradiddle
. 12) The Double Paradiddle
13) The Flam Paradiddle Y
14) The Flam Paradiddle-diddle
RL R L R R L
> >
bl
I. I I I
11 ..I I
I u I
LLR LLR L RRL RRL R
R L R R L R L L
> w
R L R L R R L R L R L L
LR L R R R L R L L
n 71 I I I I I I I I
1 1 . - I I I II .I I I I I I
I I
.A
L R L R R L L R L R L L R R

15) The Drag Paradiddle #1
16) The Drag Paradiddle #2
17) The Single Ratamacue
18) The Double Ratamacue
19) The TripleRatamacue
20) The Nine Stroke Roll
21) The Ten Stroke Roll
22) The Eleven Stroke Roll
23) The Thirteen Stroke Roll
24) The Fifteen Stroke Roll
25) Compound Strokes
(Lesson No. 25)
26) The Single - Stroke Roll
R LLR L R R L RRL R L L
-
3 5 3 -
LL R L R L RRL R L R
L R L
R L R
R L R L R L R L etc.
In many musical examples, the above 26 rudiments may be found written with altered accents and rhythms to enhance
the artistry of a particular composer's work; however, the examples will still be drawn from the rudiments above. When
performing isolated rudiments, as in an audition or a contest, it is common practice for the chosen rudiment to be played
from slow to fast to slow using gradual accelerandos and decelerandos.
Example: =-
> > > > >
> >
1 ; ; I I - ; ; r I;;;;;;I
n I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1 1 1 I I 1 I I I I I I I I
II I I I
R L R R L R L L R L R R L R L L R L R R L R L L R L R R L R L L
followed by the opposite to bring the rudiment to a close.

Sound Enhanced
A play-along audio file that relates to this article can be
found in the Members Only section of the PAS website
at www.pas.org.
Rhythmic Interpretation,
Articulation Markings and
Musical Shape
By Steve Fidyk
The following interpretation is commonly accepted when performing
eighth-note rhythms in a swing style. �is interpretation
gives a smooth, connected, and legato feeling to the swing
rhythms.
�e tempo and style of a composition can also influence the way
eighth notes are interpreted. Early swing music of the 1920s and ’30s, for
example, has a phrasing that is more closely related to this interpretation:
With arrangements played in a fast bebop style (300 bpm or faster),
the eighth notes are interpreted and performed fairly straight:
No set rules govern the way a particular phrase is to be swung. Each
band has its own rhythmic feel and phrasing style. To recognize this,
listen to the lead players (trumpet 1, trombone 1, and alto 1) and match
their phrasing and accents.
ARTICULATION MARKINGS
As drummers, we cannot play note durations with the accuracy of
a horn player, but we can designate sound sources from the drumset
that best complement the articulation and intensity of a note or phrase.
Often, drummers base their approach to articulation on the duration
or length of a note. �is method promotes that all short notes are to be
played on high sounds like the snare drum, and long notes are voiced on
low sounds like the floor tom or bass drum.
PERCUSSIVE NOTES 30 APRIL 2009
�e following articulation symbols are common in horn parts. �ey
are used as indicators for emphasis.
�is symbol (-) signifies a long attack
(.) or (^) suggests a short attack
An accent (>) can be interpreted long or short, depending upon the
style and context.
A note’s articulation is determined in part by: what section of the
band is playing; the intensity of the phrase; the instrument range (high
or low) in which the phrase is played.
�e key is to listen and allow your ears and musical instincts to point
you in the right direction. Your approach to phrasing and articulating
should always complement the ensemble, and by reading and understanding
these symbols and their meanings, you will bring clarity to the
longer phrases you play.
Below is an example showing a trumpet 1 phrase with articulation
marks.
If we expose the rhythms with articulations, we have a phrase that
illustrates the emphasized horn rhythms. �ese are destination points in
a musical line that create a second tier of accent texture. With just the
articulated rhythm, the phrase looks like this:

Here is a common drumset articulation for this phrase.
By reading and emphasizing the articulated rhythm, you naturally
attain the notes a horn player would give significance to. Now you are
phrasing and articulating with the band!
DYNAMIC EXPRESSION AND MUSICAL SHAPE
Each note we play has a dynamic. Percussionists achieve dynamic
diversity through their stroke, motion, and stick direction. �e closer
the sticks are to the instrument when we begin our stroke, the softer the
attack will be. Conversely, a stroke begun further away from the drum
produces a louder dynamic.
�e speed or velocity at which we throw the stick to the instrument
can also influence the way a phrase is felt and heard. A faster stick
velocity can produce rhythms with more intensity and forward
momentum. As you practice, try varying your stick height and velocity
and listen carefully to the differences in dynamic inflection. �is
approach can help bring expression to the written notation.
Music of all styles or genres has shape. As a piece of music develops,
phrases ascend with intensity or descend, creating different musical
textures and moods. As you read, you will notice that drum parts from
big band arrangements have a multitude of single “flat line” rhythms that
do not indicate shape.
Below is an example of a typical band figure from a drum part. Does
the musical line ascend or descend? It’s impossible to tell by observing
the drum part alone.
Flat line drumset section figure
Below are the same two measures from the trumpet one part:
�e line drawing below approximates the shape of the above multiple-note
trumpet figure. You can try this by drawing an imaginary line
through each note head in a phrase and mirror the shape on the drums
and cymbals.
Musical examples from Inside the Big Band Drum Chart by Steve Fidyk
Copyright © 2008 Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved. Used with Permission.
Steve Fidyk is a jazz drummer, author, and educator who has toured
and recorded with Maureen McGovern, New York Voices, Cathy Fink
and Marcy Marxer, �e Capitol Bones, and �e Taylor/Fidyk Big Band.
He is currently the drummer with the Army Blues Jazz Ensemble from
Washington D.C. Fidyk has authored �e Drum Set SMART Book, Inside
the Big Band Drum Chart, Jazz Drum Set Independence 3/4, 4/4, and 5/4
Time Signatures, and an instructional DVD, Set Up and Play!, all published
by Mel Bay. He has also recorded over 75 jazz play-along volumes
for the Hal Leonard Corporation. Fidyk is a member of the jazz faculty
at Temple University in Philadelphia. PN
PERCUSSIVE NOTES 31 APRIL 2009

In order to evolve as musicians, it is essential to digest concepts
and techniques of the great drummers. Transcribing,
analyzing, listening to recordings, attending live performance,
and practicing transcriptions can help increase your understanding
of a particular player’s style in greater depth.
But when it comes to adapting the vocabulary developed by
the great jazz drummers into your own style, you don’t want to
just repeat their licks and phrases verbatim. To become truly
fluent in the jazz drumming language, you must be able to mix
and match the rhythms and techniques so that you can ultimately
make your own statements.
Transcribed examples provide a wealth of material from
which to learn musical phrases. Doing your own transcribing
can help you understand how and why these phrases were
played. But whether you are working from transcriptions you
have done yourself or transcriptions that have been published
elsewhere, playing the transcription as written is just the first
step.
Here are three four-measure solo examples rooted in the
bebop tradition.
/
PERCUSSIVE NOTES 20 FEBRUARY 2000
Learning the Jazz Drumming
Language Through Transcriptions
BY STEVE FIDYK
¿ œ œ œ ¿ œ ¿
hi-hat bass drum large tom snare stick shot small tom ride cym.
œ œ
=
3
œ ‰ œ
PERCUSSIVE NOTES
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/4 4
1
/
/4 4
2
/
/4 4
3
¿ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ¿ œ œ œ ‰ œ >
3 3 3 3 >
œ œ œœ
œ œœ
œ œœ
œ œ
¿
œ ‰ ¿ ‰ j > 3
œ œ œ œ œ > œ
3
3
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ ‰ œ >
/ œ œ
> 3
3 > 3 3
œœ œ
œ
œ œœ
œ ¿ œ
œ œ œ
‰ j
œ
3
œ œ œ > œ > œ
3
¿ ¿ œ
3
œ œ œ
3
œ œ œ >
3
œ œ œ
œ œ ‰ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ¿
3
œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ
3
3
3
œ œ
œ œ
œ œ
œ œ œ
3
œ œ œ
1. First, practice each example on a single plane (e.g., a drum
pad or snare drum) to ensure accuracy of note values.
2. Play each four-measure example as written, adding the following
hi-hat ostinatos.
A
/4
4 Œ
¿
Œ
¿
3. Now, try juxtaposing each example by starting the fourmeasure
phrase on beat one of measures two, three, and four.
For example, this is the way four-bar phrase number 2 looks
when it starts on beat one of measure two.
B
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿

4 4 œ > œ
/ ‰ j
œ
3
œ œ œ > œ > œ
3
¿ ¿ œ
3
œ œ œ
3 > 3
œ œ œ œ œ œ
3
œ œ œ œ
œ ‰ œ >
3
œ œ
œ
¿
œ ‰ ¿ ‰ j > 3
œ
œ œ œ
Shifting the departure point makes the four-measure phrase
sound and feel completely different. Each example has a total of
sixteen departure points to choose from: four beats per measure
times four measures equals sixteen points. This “circular fours”
approach allows you to come up with new solo phrases based on
the original example.
Now try playing four-bar phrase number 2 starting on beat
one of measure three, and then start on beat one of measure
four. Then incorporate the hi-hat ostinatos.
The next step is to combine examples. Here is four-bar
phrase number 1, measures one and two, combined with fourbar
phrase number 3, measures three and four.
/4 4 ¿ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ¿ œ œ œ ‰ œ >
/ œ œ
3
œ œ ‰ œ œ ‰ œ
3
œ œ œ
3
œ œ œ
3
œ œ œ
3
œ œ œ
You can expand each note value within the four-measure
phrase. For example, written quarter notes would become half
notes; eighth notes would become quarter notes; eighth-note
triplets would become quarter-note triplets. By expanding each
note value, the four-measure phrase becomes an eight-measure
phrase. Here is four-bar phrase number 3 after being expanded.
/4 4 œ œ Œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙
3
/ œ œ
œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ
3 3
œ œ
œ œ œ œ
3
œ œ œ
3
œ œ œ
In addition to expanding the phrase, you can also compress
the phrase. Quarter notes become eighth notes, eighth notes become
sixteenths, and so on. Compressing each note value converts
a four-measure phrase into a two-measure phrase. Here is
four-bar phrase number 1 after being compressed.
/4 4 ¿ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ¿ œ œ œ ≈ œ >
/
6
œ œ œ œ œœ
6
6
>
œ œ œ œ œ œœ
œ œ
œ >
6
œ œ œœ ¿ >
œ
œ œ œ
PERCUSSIVE NOTES 21 FEBRUARY 2000

PERCUSSIVE NOTES 22 FEBRUARY 2000
The combination possibilities are endless. Mix them up and
have fun. Do not limit your practicing of transcriptions to one
style of music. Try combining transcriptions from different
drummers or idioms to come up with a unique style: your own!
Approaching transcriptions from this angle serves as a tool to
develop a better sense of phrasing. It will also improve your
reading skills and stimulate creativity. In essence, you are using
a particular drummer’s ideas (based on the transcription
with its modifications) to orchestrate your own style.
Steve Fidyk has performed and/or recorded
with such artists as Mark Taylor, New York
Voices, Arturo Sandoval, Clark Terry, The
Capital Bones, and Chris Vadala. He is the
drummer and featured soloist with the
Army Blues Jazz Ensemble of Washington
D.C., Director of Drumset Studies at the
University of Maryland, College Park, and
he contributed transcriptions to Peter
Erskine’s book The Drum Perspective, published by Hal
Leonard. His solo CD, Big Kids, is available at
www.stevefidyk.com. PN

Wire Brush Technique
Practicing brushes is excellent for developing strength in your wrist and fingers. It can
help develop the muscles and reflexes and also improve your control with sticks. With
the exception of the closed roll, any pattern that is played with sticks can be executed
with brushes. Of course, you don’t have the advantage of a natural rebound with brushes
as you do with a stick. Nevertheless, you can develop a clear, crisp tone with brushes and
play with surprising volume when using a proper technique.
A brush can produce staccato and legato sounds…
For a staccato sound, snap the brush downward to the head and draw the sound from the
drum by striking and lifting the fan immediately.
For a “slappy” staccato sound, press the fan into the drum head.
For a legato approach, sweep the fan across the head in a circular motion producing a
“swish” sound. The brush fan pivots across the head with a flowing motion controlled by
the fingers, forearm, and wrist.
Right Hand Hold
The right brush is controlled with a combination
of wrist and fingers with all four fingers
remaining on the handle. To produce a sound,
you must lift the fan off the head since a brush
will not rebound like a stick.

For the left hand, the index and middle fingers are positioned on top of the brush handle
as the ring finger acts as a bumper underneath. The fingers stay in constant contact with
the handle at all times.
Left Hand with fingers in the open position (beats 1 and 3)
Left Hand with fingers in the closed position (beats 2 and 4)
The open and closed positions in the previous photographs refer to the movement of the
fingers when performing legato sweeps on the drum head.

Practice this finger movement playing legato quarter notes in 4/4 time with your left
hand. Beats one and three utilize the open position, beats two and four (closed position),
close your fingers into your palm.
The most common jazz beat diagram with brushes is notated below. Notice that the right
hand plays the jazz ride pattern on the opposite side of the drum staying out of the way of
the left hand legato swish. The left hand rotates around the drum in a clockwise motion
keeping a smooth and connected pulse with its movement.
Spending time practicing brush beats with recordings can help you feel confident as you
begin creating beats that swing and sound balanced hand to hand. My overall brush
concept is based on moves that my teacher Joe Morello showed me. I also listen to
drummers Jeff Hamilton, Ed Thigpen, Shelly Manne and Philly Joe Jones and try to
emulate the sound and feel they produce.
Below are several brush patterns for practice in varying styles with tempo ranges for each
diagram. Please refer to the DVD to view a performance of each brush diagram notated
below. For information on these brush maps, please visit www.prologixpercussion.com

The legato shuffle uses the sweeping technique with both brushes producing a connected
swish sound.
As you practice this beat, concentrate on keeping the sound of each sweep rhythm
consistent.

The fast swing brush beat combines two sounds: The staccato tap in the right hand with
the left hand swish technique.
Since this beat is played at tempos of 300 beats per minute or faster, relax and breathe...
Also, focus on blending the staccato tap sound with the left swish brush pattern so the
beat sounds complete hand to hand.
With the quarter note sweep beat, the left hand creates a sweep accent on the “a” of beats
1 and 3 by closing the fingers into the palm of the left hand.
As you practice combining both hands, notice that the composite rhythm is a shuffle.

Meet me in the middle is a beat that is similar to a pattern I’ve seen the legendary Joe
Morello play. You can hear this groove on many classic recordings he did with the Dave
Brubeck Quartet from the 1950’s and 60’s.
As you practice, focus on coordinating the left hand sweep accent on the “a” of 2 and 4 in
perfect unison with the right hand swing beat.

With this ¾ brush beat, the left hand creates a sweep accent on the “a” of beats 1 and 3 by
closing the fingers into the palm of the left hand.
As you practice this walking ballad beat, concentrate on the right hand as it sweeps, lifts,
and taps. Subdivide each eighth note as you coordinate both hands.

The samba brush beat features the Brazilian ground rhythm in the left hand. As you
sweep, your fingers close into the palm of your hand for each note value within this two
measure pattern. The dot located on the left hand diagram is the point where the brush fan
crosses the head as it accents the samba rhythm.
Once you have control and confidence with the above patterns, experiment and create
some of your own by incorporating the sweep, slap, and snap sounds. You can also create
additional sound effects using the following approaches.

The Trill
Handle Flex
To produce a trill, pivot the fan left to
right with your middle, ring, and pinky
fingers.
Holding the brush firmly,
press the handle against the
rim. This will flex the brush
fan creating multiple strokes
with one downward motion.

Handle Roll
A roll effect is created
with the fan when you
turn the handle on the
rim controlled by your
palm.