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The PDF file above contains the notation for another level 1 drum solo that is mostly based on snare patterns with different feet ostinatos underneath. This piece combines various ideas learned in rudiment and level 1 lessons and focuses on building an interesting sounding piece using minimal parts of the kit. Towards the end of the solo toms are added but that are no standard groove patterns at all. This piece is slightly more difficult than previous level 1 solos and some parts will be demanding on your left foot stamina. Feel free to make edits to the parts to suit your playing level.
Below is a list of recomended lessons to help with this solo along with a brief breakdown of each section. As with all solos in this level, the intention is to give you an idea of how individual ideas from this level can be combined to create a coherant drum piece. The part presented makes use of 'rhythmic themes' that are called back at various points throughout and has some interesting ideas on building on your existing parts.
The given tempo of this piece is 120bpm but if you can push it a little faster it can sound a bit more impressive. Once you've learned the parts try pushing it up to around 135bpm if you feel you can manage it.
Recomended Reading
- The Single Stroke Roll
- About Accents
- Adding Feet To A Single Stroke Roll
- Crotchet Accents In A Single Stroke Roll
- Accenting '+' Counts In A Single Stroke Roll
- Accenting Right Hand Strokes In A Single Stroke Roll
- Moving Toms In A Single Stroke Roll
- The Flam
- Dynamics
- Counting Basics
- Counting Building Blocks
- Sticking
- 16th Note Grouping 1
- 16th Note Grouping 2
- 16th Note Grouping 3
- 16th Note Grouping 4
Piece Breakdown
A (bars 1 - 8)
The piece starts with a roll on the snare with various combinations of bass drums and accents. It is built from four blocks, each two bars long, and through each block the dynamic levels shifts up a notch. You can use any sticking you wish for the rolls but a single stroke is recomended. In bar 5, accents start appearing on the 1 and 3 then in bar 7 on all numbered counts. The kicks also step up from semi breves and minims to crotchets.
B (bars 9 - 24)
As in the previous section, this is all built from accented snare rhythms with various kick parts underneath. A combination of simple note values is used throughout with a quarter note kick that you can use as a 'way point' for time keeping. The first two lines are very similar, the final bar in each line varies. In terms of sticking, play whatever feels comfortable, an alternating pattern is always preferable wherever possible though. It may be helpful to print the sheet music out and jot down the sticking before you start playing. Also just make sure your accents are nice and clear.
Bar 17 onwards has a few more developments. First of all, hi hats are added on the feet on all '+' counts. The snare part is essentialy the same but a few extra 16th notes are added here and there.
C (bars 25 - 35)
Throughout this section things start to build up a bit more. The foot ostinato is now quarter note kicks with a constant 8th note hi hat. This can be quite hard to keep going, particularly at higher tempos, so if this is a bit much for your playing level try switching it back to the alternating feet from the previous section. In the hands, crashes now start appearing a long with some slightly more complex rhythms that combine eighth and sixteenth notes. If you've covered the linked lessons above this should be pretty straight forward though. A feature of this section is the two quarter note crashes, first seen in bar 27. These appear throughout, often with a couple of extra 16th notes or a flam thrown in the middle of them.
Things are pushed a bit more from bar 33 with the addition of accented tom rolls. This is possibly more of a level 2 idea so feel free to drop the accents if the parts get too full on, but aim to get them in because they're cool! These two lines are rhythmically the same as the first two, it is just a re orchestration.
D (bars 41 - 56)
Things drop down to a slightly simpler part at the start of the D section. You're back to a straight roll on the snare with a slightly different foot ostinato. The dynamic level shifts at the start of each line and from bar 45 you have quarter note accents. Watch the timing of the foot, this isn't a pattern that's really been covered in previous lessons but it just involves throwing in a foot on an '+' count.
From bar 49 things go back to being nice and full on! From this point on you are mostly following the kick drum for accent placement (with the exception of that minim gap in the second bar of the phrase). Whilst doing that you are also throwing in some toms. If you are struggling to get your head around the part, remove the orchestration and just work it out on the snare then go back to putting in the toms. Just to completely blow your brain, you add in a quarter note left foot from line 53! A very good co ordination challenge.
E (bars 57 - 83)
The piece ends with a short burst of crashes and fills around the kit. Nothing hugely complicated here but watch out for the accented snare notes.
