Improvising, Ad-libing, and Soloing without a 'Chops' mentality.

Ive been working on a video demonstating the utility of a simple rhythmic figure being used as a basis for a groove, a solo, and improv.

Ive taken a simple 2 bar phrase…4 beats on the pulse and 4 beats ‘off that pulse’ (in between the notes).

Then…Ive filled the gaps with demi-semi-quavers, added a kick/High hat timekeeping framework and then stretched and compressed the note-tree basis of the rhythmic relationship.

Or…if you like, Ive changed the the timeframe from 4|2 to 4|4 to 4|8 to 4|16.

Moving up and down the note tree or from one time frame to the other…

Alternatively its possible to think about the ‘morph’ as the tempo halving, doubling and quadrupling.

All the while the relationship of On\Off is retained throughout but the space between the accents changes.

Consequently, the feel morphs and changes but the rhythmic theme remains the same.

A much more musically integrated way to solo than chopping through a set piece of wrote learnt aurally or visually impressive chops that seem to come from no-where and have little relationship to anything outside of themselves.

Impressive as chops are…they seem to create impact by throwing the listener off kilter…by getting them to ‘lose the one’ and smuggly forcing them to have to make a double take. A kind of rhythmic slight of hand.

My approach is different …its about of morphing a simple rhythmic relationship progressively playing rhythmic octaves (if you will)…in this case ‘on and then off the beat’ can bring the listener with me as I explore a small pocket of the rhythmic cosmos!

Learn more at:

https://SymmetricalDrummingAustralia.org

symmetrical drumming australia, Mark Campbell Drummer, Rhythmic creativity, Drum Lessons Canberra, Percussion Canberra, Handpan Canberra

Footnote:

Drum chops, in drumming, refer to the technical ability to play intricate and fast-paced musical phrases around the drum set. These phrases are often linear patterns or combinations of hand and foot movements that can be simple or complex. Mastering chops allows drummers to execute a wide range of musical ideas with speed, precision, and creativity.