In this lesson you will continue exploring ideas for varying the rhythm of the right hand within blast beats. This is a direct follow on from our 16th Note Blast Beats With A '1 +a' Right Hand Rhythm and I recomend covering this lesson first as it explains the basics of varying the right hand in this way.
The rhythm you will be using this time is the '1 e +' 16th grouping used many times in groove construction previously, so hopefully at least the right hand part will be familiar to you. The difficulty with these patterns will come in the tempo of the parts. It may be worth looking back over some hand speed and stamina lessons, particularly those that involve playing longer rhythms with one hand.
It is important that the right hand part is distinct and doesn't get lost under the kicks and snares. Using short sharp voices such as the ride or ride bell will really make this part stand out. Just for clarification the rhythm the right hand will be playing in the grooves below looks like this:
In the list of parts below, this right hand has been added to the three basic blast beats covered in this section. Start off by playing the parts slowly to make sure the right hand is falling correctly then work on building up the tempo. I have shown the right hand in various voices, ride bells, chinas and splashes are particularly affective for this idea as they create the sharper sound that allows the right hand rhythm to be heard. Remember that if you are struggling to get your feet up to tempo, double kick is an option.
I have kept the list of examples very brief to encourage you to experiment with different ideas for construction. The rhythm doesn't have to be used constantly, it could perhaps be half or a quarter of the bar or even a small section of a two or four bar pattern. Try to come up with as many different ideas as possible.
Constant 16th Note Blast Beat
Reverse Sub-Divided 8th Blast Beat
Sub-Divided 8th Blast Beat
TASK
- Learn the examples above to a tempo of at least 200bpm.
- Experiment with the orchestration of the grooves, remember that percussion items are also a good option.
- Experiment with different lengths of groove.
- Apply the grooves to songs and phrases as either a fill or groove.
