8 Ex. 1 This is a wa of appling George awrence Stone's Stick Control to the drum set to make cross rhthms; plaing in /8 or /4 during a piece in 4/4. Also called polrhthm, polmeter, or meter-within-meter, it's an advanced, but also ver common concept, occuring widel in all African-influenced musics, and most music using the drum set. Afro-Cuban clave, the Bo Diddle beat, and the Brazilian bossa rhthm should be familiar examples of it. It is also pervasive in all genres and eras of rock. It has been most exploited as a tool for improvisation in modern azz, perhaps most famousl in the plaing of Elvin Jones and Ton Williams. Being fluent with it is one means of developing rhthmic flexibilit, breaking out of the novice's tpicall squared-off approach to plaing in 4/4. We'll be using the Combinations In /8 from Stick Control, pp. 0-2. The obvious first step will be to learn the exercises on the snare drum. I recommend putting our metronome on the 8th notes at first, and then ust on the downbeats as ou increase the tempo. Work them up to at least a moderate tempo of around 8th = 152 before moving on. Here are some examples from Stone: Stone, p. 0, #1 Stone, p. 0, #18 Stone, p. 0, #2 Stone, p. 0, #2 Ex. 2 Next, move the right hand to a cmbal (ride, hihat, or crash), and pla the bass drum with ever cmbal note: Stone, p. 0, #18 Stone, p. 0, #1 c.. Ex. Next we'll put these into 4/4. The first phrase we'll use is the ver common ++2 8th note figure: + + 2 > > > Or: + + 2 Cross hthms Using Stone b Todd Bishop 2011 Todd Bishop - pdxdrummer.com - (50)80-9259
Ex. 4 To get a sense of the outline of the phrase, tr plaing this a few times: + + 2 Ex. 5 Tr to keep that simplified idea in our ear as ou attempt the more complex exercises. It is also an excellent idea to count out loud "1 & 2 & & 4 &" while plaing the exercises in 4/4. Next, we will plug the Stick Control exercises into the "" portion of the measure, and insert our own idea on the "2" portion. To start, ust pla four alternating 1th notes: + + 2 Stone, p. 0, #18 Ex. ou could also tr plaing a sixtuplet: + + 2 Ex. 7 Or ou can pla the beginning of the /8 portion: Stone, p. 0, #2 + + 2 Ex. 8 Or repeat the end of the /8 portion. In this case, we'll do the 1th note triplet two more times: + + 2 Meter-within-meter with Stick Control 2
Ex. 9 Or an other 2/8 idea of our choice, like a paradiddle-diddle or on of its inversions: o Or an simple one-beat fill: Ex. 10 Ex. 11 Now let's put this into a musical context b making a two measure phrase. The first measure will be an improvised funk groove, and the second will be the exercise: Stone, p. 0, # ou can also tr three measures groove/one measure exercise, or two measures groove/two measures exercise. Stone, p. 0, #2 8 4 Ex. 12 With a little re-interpretation, ou can put this into an uptempo (around quarter note = 240 and above) azz setting. First, ou need to mentall convert the /8 exercises into /4; 1th notes will become 8th notes, and 1th note triplets will become 8th note triplets, and so on: = Meter-within-meter with Stick Control
4 Meter-within-meter with Stick Control Ex. 1 Then plug it into the ++2 phrase, as follows. Here we are plaing alternating 8th notes on the "2" portion. ou can pla the hi-hat on 2 and 4 as written, or ust eliminate it during meter-within-meter part. Note that at this tempo the 8th notes will be roughl even, without the common triplet inflection. Plaing the bass drum selectivel is recommended here, especiall at brighter tempos. c + + 2 Stone, p. 0, #4 It is of course permissible to do this at slower tempos while swinging the 8th notes! As a musical matter, be careful about accenting too strongl on beat 1 as ou loop back around; ou ma want to experiment with crashing on/emphasising the & of 4 of the last measure instead. Ex. 14 To develop the hi-hat on 2 and 4 during the /4 part, pla the exercises as in the book, adding the hi-hat as follows: 4.. Now we can begin to extend the phrase a little, using another ver common figure: Ex. 15 + + + + 4 c... Or: + + + + 4 > > > > > Since the phrase ends with a 4/8 instead of a 2/8 idea, it will require a little different approach; simpl continue what is called for at the end of the /8 pattern, like so: Ex. 1 8 4 Becomes: 8
c Here is how the complete phrase looks: + + + + 4.. Ex. 17 With each of the phrases we have used so far, ou can also invert them, putting the 2 or 4 at the beginning: Ex. 18 2 + +. 4 + + + +.. Ex. 19 In this case, ou can continue the groove through the first part of the exercise measure: Stone, p. 1, #47 2 + + 4 + + + +.. Ex. 20 From here, ou can extend the phrase to four or eight measures, and beond:..................... % Meter-within-meter with Stick Control 5
8 ou can also experiment with moving the right hand (and then either hand) to the toms: Ex. 21 Stone, p. 1, #29 Stone, p. 0, #2 Ex. 22 As ou increase the tempo, ou can simplif the bass drum part b selectivel eliminating doubles/multiples, like so. This is a good idea especiall on the up tempo azz application: Stone, p. 0, #22 I highl recommend creating our own phrases, voicings, and variations, as well as ust improvising with the concept. After some dedicated practice, I think ou'll notice it coloring our plaing in some unexpected was. Good luck! Author contact: Todd Bishop 878 N. Peninsular Ave. Portland, O 97217 www.pdxdrummer.com toddbishop@pdxdrummer.com Stone, p. 0, #8 Meter-within-meter with Stick Control