Learning Drums Lesson - Stylistic Studies in 3/4 Time Signature Video Lecture

in this lesson we're going to look at
playing in a different time signature
and we'll also be trying to create some
different textures on the snare drum
by using rim clicks we've been studying
lots of things using a time signature of
4/4 for quarter notes in each bar and
alow it's very common to write pieces of
music in that time signature there are
many other time signatures available to
us let's have a look at some music
written for the snare drum with the time
signature of 3/4
remember the top number tells you how
many counts are in each bar in this case
3 and the bottom number tells you what
type of counts in this case 4 or quarter
notes 3 quarter notes in every bar this
actually means that the notes or rests
we place in the bar must add up to a
total of 3 quarter notes so as we see in
the exercise we could have three quarter
notes six eighth notes or twelve
sixteenth notes any combination of notes
or rests really as long as it all adds
up to three quarter notes our counting
system remains the same as before but we
never reach count four after beat three
we'll just start counting from beat one
again if you play this to a click be
sure to adjust your time signature two
three four exercise one one
three it's not too difficult when you
got the hang of the sound of three four
to play a rock beat version here's a few
exercises for you to practice your three
four rock playing exercise two one two
three
exercise three one two three
exercise four one two three
once you've got these gone how about
adding some fills remember there are
only three main pulses in every bar so
remember to come out cleanly on beat one
exercise five one two three exercise six
one two three before we go on with some
three four beats and fills let's just
have a quick look at playing a rim click
and then we can incorporate this
interesting sound into our grooves the
rim click is also known by a few names
cross stick side stick and stick across
and really just involves laying the butt
of the stick on the drum head while you
rest the heel of your palm on the head
to rest the shoulder and tip end on the
rim of the drum then whilst keeping the
butt end of the stick and the heel of
your palm touching the drum as if hinged
lift the stick and then strike the stick
against the rim you should aim to get a
nice hollow sounding click similar to a
wood block just keep repeating the
action to get used to the hinge type
hitting action of the stick on the drum
if need be move your stick and hand
around a bit to achieve a nice sound
you'll find if the butt is too close to
the rim
the sound will be thin and very wooden
and if there's too much overhang at the
tip end the pitch of the rim clip will
go quite low experiment until you get
the sound you like then practice going
from a rim click to a normal snake it
and alternate between the two aiming to
get consistent sounds from both the
sound of the rim click is a great
lighter alternative to a snare backbeat
and is especially useful in playing rock
ballads light funk as well as being used
a lot in reggae and Latin grooves let's
try to incorporate the rim click into
our 3/4 groove and fill exercises notice
that in the drum notation the rim click
is across on the snare space exercise
seven one two three
exercise eight one two three
don't forget to practice your three four
grooves in a shuffle or swingy way
awesome exercise nine one two three
exercise ten one two three
exercise 11 one two three exercise
twelve one two three
practices many grooves and fills as you
can in 3/4 with both straight and
shuffle type fields and then try and
track down some songs written with the
3/4 time signature and try to play along
also listen out for songs where the
drummer has used a rim click instead of
a snare hit and focus on the type of
sound being used is the sound an open
hollow type rim click or a dry wooden
stick sound try to incorporate all the
different types of rim click sound into
your playing and it will hopefully allow
you to add more texture and color to
your music good luck and bye for now