Beginner Jazz Drum Set Lesson
Posted by Mike Schumacher
The very first thing that comes to mind when a person thinks of jazz is drums. So what if you want to learn jazz?
It is necessary to have a basic understanding of how drums work. In jazz drum sets, there is a bass drum, a high hat, two tom-toms, and a snare drum.
There is also the ride cymbal and the ride cymbal is one of the most important parts of the genre. Some even say the ride cymbal is the lifeblood of jazz music.
The snare drum
The most prominent drum in a jazz kit, the snare drum is used for basic rhythmic drum sounds.
Most jazz drummers use a traditional grip to play the snare drum, although some play with a match grip.
In jazz, the snare drum is the fundamental drum sound. Most jazz songs will use the snare drum to accentuate the rhythm and compliment the other instruments in the session.
Sometimes the drums will also be used in solo styles to accentuate the melody. A snare drum is the root of a tune, so the more time you spend working on it, the better your sound will be.
The ride cymbal is a godsend in jazz music
The ride cymbal sound is acts in the high-mid range of the sound frequency. It works in two speeds: fast and slow. In order to create fast movements, you need to learn how to develop stick technique by practicing rudiments.
So start slow and work your way up to playing faster.
Once you have a good feel for the sound, you can work on having a faster kick drum beat. You can work on the slow movement.
The bass drum
The bass drum is the second most prominent drum sound in the jazz kit. In a jazz song, it is used to accentuate the lows.
The bass drum pedal will work in the following ways:
Control the bottom end of the bass drum. The bass drum pedal will control the bottom of the bass drum.
For example, when you set the bass drum pedal in the drop position, the top of the bass drum sits on the floor, which gives the bass drum an authoritative low sound.
Adjust the bass drum to create a lower sound. For example, if you want the bass drum to be deeper and softer, you can adjust the bass drum pedal in a lower position.
The bass drum pedal is also useful for creating boom or snare drum sounds. For this, you can use the snare pedal, which is when you get to the harder, slower movements.
The hi-hat
The hi-hat is the most prominent drum sound in the jazz kit. The hi-hat is used to accentuate the 2 and 4 part of the beat.
The hi-hat pedal works in the following ways:
Control the middle of the hi-hat. The hi-hat pedal is used to control the middle of the hi-hat.
In the hi-hat pedal position, the middle of the hi-hat is placed to the left or right. This gives you a middle-to-top effect.
The hi-hat pedal will also be used to play subtle snare drum sounds. Adjust the hi-hat to give a more left or right-hand attack feel.
The hi-hat pedal is also useful for creating ride drum sounds. For this, you can use the bass drum pedal, which is when you get to the harder, slower movements.
It will work on one of two speeds: fast and slow. In order to create the fast movements, you just need to move your foot up and down a bit.
Once you have a good feel for the sound, you can work on having a faster snare drum beat. You can work on the slow movement by using the ride cymbal pedal.
Toms
Jazz songs require a powerful toms drum sound, so you need to make it loud and powerful!
For example, if you want to control the low-mid range of the toms, you can tune it to a lower position.
The kick drum pedal is also useful for creating low drum sounds, which you can complement with the toms.
Putting it together
Now you have all the tools you need to make great jazz drum sound.
Next time you work on a jazz song, you can test out the so you can see how it sounds on different instruments.

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