A Choked Crash is a crash cymbal that is grabbed after it is struck to stop the cymbal ringing out. It gives a very short sharp sound, similar to 'barking' a hi hat. It is notated by putting a '+' above a crash cymbal, similar to how closed hi hats are notated. There are many ways to choke a crash but the easiest is to hit with the right hand and grab with the left. Be careful when grabbing to make sure your fingers go either side of the cymbal, catching it edge on hurts a lot!
In this lesson I am going to give some examples of simple fills where a choked crash has been added. As with all 'concept' lessons, there are many more fills you can make with this idea so get creative.
Example 1
A straight forward fill to get you started, hit a choked crash at the start of the bar then an eighth note roll on beats 3 and 4.
Example 2
The same idea but with the eighth note roll as orchestrated sixteenths.
Example 3
Here you come in earlier with the fill, I've used a mixture of rhythm here to make it more interesting.
Example 4
This time the choked crash comes in halfway through the bar.
Example 5
Here the choked crash is the last beat of the bar.
Example 6
You don't just have to put your choked crashes in around fills. Here it starts a bar of groove.
Example 7
Ending a bar of groove with a choked crash can make an interesting variation idea.
Example 8
Finally, combine some of the previous ideas.
TASK:
- Learn all examples up to a tempo of at least 120bpm.
- Add each example into one of the structures we have covered previously.
- Create your own fill patterns using this concept.
