Breakthrough

There have been many times over the last twenty years where I have asked myself why I strive to be a better player. The answers have varied from curiosity to just downright egotistical. And I love to push myself to new limits. So when I asked myself the question this time, it was pure happenstance that gave me the answer.

Over the last two to three years, I have been developing a drum solo based on various things I've picked up or that have influenced my playing and approach to drums. I've also had the opportunity to play this solo before my peers and residents at the drug and alcohol rehab facility in which I work.

The solo has been a laborious build-up that summarizes most of my drumming skills. Some of which need a lot of improvement. It also serves as a great warm-up exercise to get my blood flowing and to get my arms and wrists loose.

Although it helps my body wake up and get ready to rock, I sometimes fall into ruts. Or very deep ditches where creativity and spark just don't see the light of day. So to get myself out of this dark crevasse, I went back to the fundamentals known as rudiments.

As I sat down on the kit, I started playing through some single stroke rolls and double stroke rolls, then five strokes. Nothing happened. I just trudged along for a while, until I remembered Neil Peart's drum solo called O'Baterista, when the lights clicked on. I remembered something that I have been trying to conquer for a long time. One piece of Neil's drum solo that has eluded my skill for years and hearing apparently because I haven't been able to figure out how he played it.

The solo has gone by many names over the years, and has evolved as much as Neil Peart himself. One module of the solo has been taken from a song that Rush has decided not to play live. The song is called "Scars" from the Presto album. The song starts with a low bass line and a pulsating tribal rhythm thats' almost African, yet almost drum machine like. Neil uses it as a modal change of rhythm and it fits nicely with the rest of the solo because it's not just about flash. It's about skill and it sounds like two or more drummers playing together.

Now back to the lights turning on. The "ah-ha!" or "eureka!" moment came as I remembered hearing Neil talk about this section of the solo on his DVD titled, "Anatomy of a Drum Solo". He talked about using paradiddles to meet the demanding speed and sticking pattern of the rhythm. For those of you who don't know, a paradiddle is a sticking pattern of: R L R R, L R L L. Not hard to learn, but a little hard to get up to speed.

I set up a kit on my Roland V-Drums that had congas and various other hand drums or percussive sounds that mimicked Neil's setup and went at it. I tried just moving my sticks to another pad as I played through each paradiddle until I found an acceptable rhythm that was pleasing to my ear. I then played quarter notes with my feet on the first hit of each paradiddle. I used a tambourine and a kick placing the kick sound on the one and three.

Awkward as it was at the time, it went very well for just getting the idea of it. I then watched Neil's "Anatomy of a Drum Solo" and watched him do it. I had done it. I found out why I was playing in this moment.....

...Inspiration!!!

Now, I've modified the way I play this rhythm and sticking pattern to fit my own sounds and I'm happy with the results. I've had a breakthrough in my technique and mastery of the drum set. I can now utilize the paradiddle in a whole new way and possibly start to use other rudiments in a similar fashion that will help to push me that much further in skill.

I recommend listening to your favorite drummers and various styles of music that will help to lift you out of your crevasses and challenge you to push the envelope and keep drumming fresh and inspired.

Sources: "Anatomy of a Drum Solo" by Neil Peart, "Scars" by Rush