How do you go about tackling learning a new rhythm or groove?
Can you naturally break it down or do you get confused with all the different parts?
Some beats are tricky, but the way you approach it can make a huge difference to your learning.
You’ve got two possible approaches… like a juggler or like a beatboxer.
When I saw a beatboxer friend go through this process in a workshop I stumbled on ‘The Easiest Drumbeat In The World’ which I’ll share with you later.
The Juggler Method
So, let’s say you are learning to juggle and you’re about to juggle three balls. You’ve tried catching one on its own, then two. Now you’ve got three in your hands.
Your only option is to begin throwing all three and to figure out your timing as you go. Although only two balls are in the air at any one time you need all three in the process to learn the timing and coordination.
This is how a lot of people try to learn drum beats and it’s also how a lot of teachers approach then as well.
It goes like this:
Here’s the hi-hat part. Okay good. Now here’s the snare part and the bass drum part. Right. Now put them all together. Go.
It’s disheartening when you get thrown in the deep end like this and you see that three-way independence doesn’t just happen. It can take a long time practicing and sweating to get everything to start falling in the right place… just like the juggling balls.
The Beatboxer Method
Here’s how a beatboxer approaches making a beat.
Generally beatboxers work with one sound at a time. There are some crazy skilled dudes who put a bass sound in their throat underneath some percussive hi-hats using their tongue but they are not what we are talking about here. That’s deep end juggling.
If we consider one sound at a time it’s easier to tackle. To the listener the individual parts of the beat still hold together as one rhythm, but without needing three-way independence to do it.
You just hit one thing at a time.
So, if we want to make a simple rock beat, we can do the following:
Bass drum first beat
Hi-hat second beat
Snare drum third beat
Hi-hat fourth.
That’s it! The world’s easiest drum beat.
boom-chick-ka-chick (repeat)
Breaking down your beats like a beatboxer is known as linear drumming and is a great place for beginner drummers to learn some complex sounding beats quickly and easily.
And we’ll talk more on that next time.