Drums in Improvised Settings

[JazzJunkie]

I'm curious to know how drummers approach improvised settings or how leaders instruct drummers. With pitched instruments you have chords/changes or lead sheets or an full-on score to work with, but what are drummers working from? A bare-bones drum tab? Just a time signature? Rhythmically interpreting the notation for pitched instruments? Or just working from a hint, like "this is a bossa nova"? --JJ

[mtaylorjazz]

generally, i'm much more likely to write bass parts (as opposed to a lead sheet) than drum parts. on occaision, however, i'll write an actual drum part (not every figure, but lay out the form, the groove/style and supply ensemble figures that need to be caught). usually i'll write score and then ask the players how much of it they'd like to see. most drummers i know are quite happy with a bass part or what passes in my music for a lead sheet.

mt
http://www.mark-taylor.biz

[Fluter]

in the group I play in, for original compositions it's "This is a Latin vibe," or this is funk, or this is swing. Rarely there are some notated drum parts. In most cases the drummer is expected to use their judgement and creativity and respond to what's happening in the group.

[Enforcer]

I can count the number of times someone handed me actual drum music on one hand. It's generally a request to play a certain kind of groove. Jazz, shuffle, latin, rock, something like that. Sometimes I'm asked to play a groove "just like" some other famous recording. If that happens, hopefully it's one you know. But for the most part, the other musicians want (expect, in fact) you to take the basic idea and make it your own by doing your thing.

Larry

[graypencil]

For any group of ten or under, I usually rely on a "master rhythm" lead sheet with changes, basslines for a few bars to set the basic feeland maybe a couple sample keyboard voicings ..but generally, I keep it as loose and as open to interpretation as possible ..

[kyrre_laastad]

i like to have the changes and the melody and bass lines, if there are any, notated in front of me on paper until i thoroughly know the tune.

regards,
-kyrre.

[JazzJunkie]

Thanks for bringing this up again Kyrre, as I meant to ask more... Most of you mentioned reading bass lines and changes. For bass lines (and melodies), are you concerned more with note pitch or value? How exactly do you interpret changes? And what do you feel is your greatest responsibilty in interpreting or contributing to a tune? (I hope these aren't dumb questions!) --JJ

[Enforcer]

I look first and foremost at note values, especially if I have to learn the tune quickly, without a lot of time to rehearse it. The tempo, how busy the parts are, changes in time signature, stuff like that. If I'm going to support the music, the rhythmic phrasing is the most important part to nail as a drummer. I need to figure out where one is, where the accents should be to form a concept of the feel or groove.

After that, my ears will usually help me with the rest, especially the melody line and changes. It's important to know where those things are as you become more familiar with the tune, because you will want to emphasize certain changes or possibly adjust the dynamics and groove to fit the different parts. But it doesn't hurt to have the melody written out. It can be a useful road map. Sometimes a bridge will suggest a change in color, maybe a different ride cymbal, something like that. It's nice to have those things written in front of you when you're learning a new piece of music, because you're trying to concentrate on a lot of different things, and the notation serves as a nice reminder.

[Dennis Gonzalez]

I usually provide either a bass part or the score. Then I actually (much to my ensemble's mirth) sing and act out the rhythm. Not surprisingly, the drummer usually comes up with much more interesting ideas than what I have in my head! My music is very much the music that comes from my musicians' heads.

So I guess by extension, if you like my music, you are actually liking what the musicians are playing. If you criticize my music, it is all of us you criticize!

[JazzJunkie]

Originally Posted by Dennis Gonzalez

Then I actually (much to my ensemble's mirth) sing and act out the rhythm.

LOL! I love that about you, Dennis!