How to Feather the bass drum?
Paul Rossi
Feathering bass drum notes
I read about this technique, but was wondering if anyone can give me a
start on performing it correctly. I know that Blakey and other drummers
use it as a matter of course, but I can't afford a teacher right now to
show me. (Sad, eh?) I welcome any tips, advice, direction.
Thanks--Paul
Patdrums
>Feathering bass drum notes
All "feathering" is is playing very light quarters along with the
bassline. All you do is let the beater come off the head about 1 inch.
It's just a really light tap. It's MUCH easier to play heel-down. It
serves to "fill out" the sound in the lower freqencies. I think it was
Kenny Clarke who said the notes should be "...felt, not heard". When you
practice just be sure that you don't end up pounding them out too loudly.
You have to stay focused on keeping them very soft.
Nathan Philip Hauke
Patdrums (patd...@aol.com) wrote:
:
: All "feathering" is is playing very light quarters along with the
: bassline. All you do is let the beater come off the head about 1 inch.
: It's just a really light tap. It's MUCH easier to play heel-down. It
: serves to "fill out" the sound in the lower freqencies. I think it was
: Kenny Clarke who said the notes should be "...felt, not heard". When you
: practice just be sure that you don't end up pounding them out too loudly.
: You have to stay focused on keeping them very soft.
i was watching the 'work in progress' with neil peart and he was doing
that with dbl bass.. accenting certian notes and leaving the rest as
ghost notes.. i was rathar amazed.. i'm no where even close to having
that kind of technique
nate
Hyam Ray Sosnow
In <19970608115...@ladder02.news.aol.com> patd...@aol.com
(Patdrums) writes:
>
>>Feathering bass drum notes
>
>>I read about this technique, but was wondering if anyone can give me
>>a start on performing it correctly. I know that Blakey and other
>>right now to show me. (Sad, eh?) I welcome any tips, advice,
>>direction.
>>Thanks--Paul
>
>bassline. All you do is let the beater come off the head about 1
>inch. It's just a really light tap. It's MUCH easier to play
>heel-down. It serves to "fill out" the sound in the lower freqencies.
>I think it was Kenny Clarke who said the notes should be "...felt, not
>heard". When you practice just be sure that you don't end up pounding
>them out too loudly. You have to stay focused on keeping them very
>soft.
Also, if you're not already using one, switch to a felt beater for your
pedal.
Blair F. Pemberton
In article <19970608115...@ladder02.news.aol.com>,
patd...@aol.com (Patdrums) wrote:
>
> All "feathering" is is playing very light quarters along with the
> bassline. All you do is let the beater come off the head about 1 inch.
> It's just a really light tap. It's MUCH easier to play heel-down. It
> serves to "fill out" the sound in the lower freqencies. I think it was
> Kenny Clarke who said the notes should be "...felt, not heard". When you
> practice just be sure that you don't end up pounding them out too loudly.
> You have to stay focused on keeping them very soft.
This works best when the drum is not choked and muffled. Felt strips are
fine, but pillows ruin this technique. Close miking also ruin in, as most
soundmen use a gate on the bass drum, and generally the threshold of
volume used here is below where the mic is set.
--
Remove the TRASH to mail me.
Blair and Carla Pemberton
> In article <01bc4123$080c0ec0$218df2cd@tm90201> Shawn Martin,
> cr...@navix.net writes: > >requires LSD to fully grasp<<
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please do not forward or send junk mail!
All standard disclaimers apply.
Nathan Philip Hauke
Patdrums (patd...@aol.com) wrote:
: Someone replied earlier and stated that they saw Neil Peart doing this
: in his videos. I saw the videos and didn't notice him doing anything
: like this. He certainly wasn't "feathering" the bass drum like you would
: on a jazz trio gig. The technique doesn't lend itself to usefulness in
: Rush's music at all. They play MUCH too loudly for it to have any effect
: in the traditional sense. "Feathering" is NOT a rock and roll kinda
: thing. Sorry if I confused anyone.
i'm quite sure i did see some of this, cuz i rewound it a few times and
checked it out more then once.. i'll try watching it again, so i can give
you a song and/or time index
to say that ghost notes on a bass drum do not work in rock is
ludicrious.. that's like saying ghost notes on a snare don't work in
rock.. just about every drummer in rock proves that one wrong
nate
Patdrums
>to say that ghost notes on a bass drum do not work in rock is
>ludicrious.. that's like saying ghost notes on a snare don't work in
>rock.. just about every drummer in rock proves that one wrong
>nate
Jeezis! Here we go again! Read carefully Nate. I said that
"feathering" the bass drum IN THE TRADITIONAL (i.e. jazz or "bop") sense
is not effective in louder music. The original post CLEARLY states that
it is done to "fill out" the lower frequencies of the sound of an ACOUSTIC
jazz group. It just adds that little extra "something" to the presence
of the sound of the acoustic bass. Try it on a rock gig with a
gazillion watts of PA pumping with a COMPLETELY OPEN and unmuffled bass
drum, and the first thing you're gonna hear is the sound tech saying
"There's a weird ring in the kick. Can you muffle it a little?" It
doesn't work. Do it in a little club on a jazz trio gig with NO P.A.
(like most jazz trio gigs) and it sounds nice.
Nobody said anything about "you can't play ghost notes on the bass
drum in rock". Sure you can. Lots of guys do. (Myself included) But
playing ghost notes on the bass drum is NOT the same as "feathering" the
bass drum. "Feathering" by definition AND concept is a term and
technique associated with acoustic jazz, NOT rock and roll.
Nathan Philip Hauke
Patdrums (patd...@aol.com) wrote:
: Jeezis! Here we go again! Read carefully Nate. I said that
: "feathering" the bass drum IN THE TRADITIONAL (i.e. jazz or "bop") sense
: is not effective in louder music. The original post CLEARLY states that
: it is done to "fill out" the lower frequencies of the sound of an ACOUSTIC
: jazz group. It just adds that little extra "something" to the presence
: of the sound of the acoustic bass. Try it on a rock gig with a
: gazillion watts of PA pumping with a COMPLETELY OPEN and unmuffled bass
: drum, and the first thing you're gonna hear is the sound tech saying
: "There's a weird ring in the kick. Can you muffle it a little?" It
: doesn't work. Do it in a little club on a jazz trio gig with NO P.A.
: (like most jazz trio gigs) and it sounds nice.
: Nobody said anything about "you can't play ghost notes on the bass
: drum in rock". Sure you can. Lots of guys do. (Myself included) But
: playing ghost notes on the bass drum is NOT the same as "feathering" the
: bass drum. "Feathering" by definition AND concept is a term and
: technique associated with acoustic jazz, NOT rock and roll.
you know what? you're completely right.. terribly sorry.. i didn't real
closly enough.. i thought you were putting limitations on drumming.. no
wonder no one jumped on my side
sorry
nate
Mike
Advice: keep it so quiet that you wonder why the hell you put the effort into learning it! Nothing is worse than a monotone note audible through every tune...
For practicing, maybe try whatever swing excersises you know, but put 1/4's on the bass under everything. Practice stuff that screws up your balance, like splashing the hats etc. while keeping the bass cruising super quiet. Swinging with the hands, 1/4's on the bass drum, read Syncopation with your left foot(pages 37-40 someodd)- 1/4's are splashed, 1/8's are closed with foot.
Good luck in your quest.
Mike
In article <33997B...@lightlink.com>, Paul Rossi <ro...@lightlink.com> wrote:
Feathering bass drum notes
I read about this technique, but was wondering if anyone can give me a
start on performing it correctly. I know that Blakey and other drummers
Gareth Hailey
Patdrums wrote:
>
> >to say that ghost notes on a bass drum do not work in rock is
> >ludicrious.. that's like saying ghost notes on a snare don't work in
> >rock.. just about every drummer in rock proves that one wrong
>
> >nate
>
> "feathering" the bass drum IN THE TRADITIONAL (i.e. jazz or "bop") sense
> is not effective in louder music. The original post CLEARLY states that
> it is done to "fill out" the lower frequencies of the sound of an ACOUSTIC
> jazz group. It just adds that little extra "something" to the presence
> of the sound of the acoustic bass. Try it on a rock gig with a
> gazillion watts of PA pumping with a COMPLETELY OPEN and unmuffled bass
> drum, and the first thing you're gonna hear is the sound tech saying
> "There's a weird ring in the kick. Can you muffle it a little?" It
> doesn't work. Do it in a little club on a jazz trio gig with NO P.A.
> (like most jazz trio gigs) and it sounds nice.
> Nobody said anything about "you can't play ghost notes on the bass
> drum in rock". Sure you can. Lots of guys do. (Myself included) But
> playing ghost notes on the bass drum is NOT the same as "feathering" the
> bass drum. "Feathering" by definition AND concept is a term and
> technique associated with acoustic jazz, NOT rock and roll.
Ok, I know what a feather is, I use it frequently, but how does one play
bass drum ghosts in rock?? Do you use the same foot action to perform a
ghost note as you do a feather?
Ie: a ghost note is like a single feather stroke?????
Sincerely
-Gareth
Bob Morgan
Nathan Philip Hauke wrote:
>
> Patdrums (patd...@aol.com) wrote:
> : Jeezis! Here we go again! Read carefully Nate. I said that
> : "feathering" the bass drum IN THE TRADITIONAL (i.e. jazz or "bop") sense
> : is not effective in louder music. The original post CLEARLY states that
> : it is done to "fill out" the lower frequencies of the sound of an ACOUSTIC
> : jazz group. It just adds that little extra "something" to the presence
> : of the sound of the acoustic bass. Try it on a rock gig with a
> : gazillion watts of PA pumping with a COMPLETELY OPEN and unmuffled bass
> : drum, and the first thing you're gonna hear is the sound tech saying
> : "There's a weird ring in the kick. Can you muffle it a little?" It
> : doesn't work. Do it in a little club on a jazz trio gig with NO P.A.
> : (like most jazz trio gigs) and it sounds nice.
> : Nobody said anything about "you can't play ghost notes on the bass
> : drum in rock". Sure you can. Lots of guys do. (Myself included) But
> : playing ghost notes on the bass drum is NOT the same as "feathering" the
> : bass drum. "Feathering" by definition AND concept is a term and
> : technique associated with acoustic jazz, NOT rock and roll.
>
> closly enough.. i thought you were putting limitations on drumming.. no
> wonder no one jumped on my side
>
> sorry
>
> nate
Pat wins !!! (as usual... ) for those not in the know Pat is currently
one of the hottest drummers on the Nashville Music Scene and from what I
hear from many who have heard him play - He is incredible !, Its ok Pat
stop blushing you know it's true.
Nathan Philip Hauke
Bob Morgan (Dr...@dwx.com) wrote:
:
: Pat wins !!! (as usual... ) for those not in the know Pat is currently
: one of the hottest drummers on the Nashville Music Scene and from what I
: hear from many who have heard him play - He is incredible !, Its ok Pat
: stop blushing you know it's true.
eh, stop sucking up :).. it wasn't an argument <YES IT WAS!!!... NO IT
WASN'T!!>.. it was just my dumbass not reading closely enough
nate