Alright, so you’ve got your drum kit all set up and you’re ready to jam. Here are 5 things to keep in mind when it comes to Jazz drum soloing.
Jazz drumming is all musical communication with the rest of the band. Listen to the other musicians in the band and draw your drum solo inspiration from the rhythms and musical phrases they are playing.
Try to also match their energy, dynamics and overall feeling. Let the music guide you as you improvise and try to continue the musical conversation.
Jazz drumming is infinitely creative, so don’t be afraid to try different rhythmic ideas. Try out various rhythmic patterns and beats to add some variety to your solo.
For example mix up straight and triplet notes to create a cool rhythmic tension. It kind of feels and sounds like a musical rubber band going in and out of triplets and straight notes.
Like any other style of drumming, practice is important for playing Jazz. Spend time practicing different grooves like
Jazz Swing,
Samba, Bossa Nova,
Mambo, Cha-Cha,
playing in 3/4,
Jazz Funk and many more.
Also work on drumming rudiments. They are the words we use to make sentences on the drums. I teach 17 essential drumming rudiments for Jazz in my
Brushes Mastery Course.
Finally, don't let coordination stop your creativity. Use
independence exercises to expand your ability around the drum set and be able to play what you really want to play. This will make drumming so much more fun too!
Dynamics are the volume of your playing. Playing with different dynamics can add excitement and tension to your solos. Experiment with playing loudly and softly to create contrast.
Many times, less is more. Don’t try to overcomplicate or "out hip" your solos with too many rhythms and different beats. Keep it simple and remember to stay connected to the flow of the musical conversation.
Are your drum solos more of a snooze-fest than a swingin' sensation? Fear not, my friend! Enroll in my Secrets of Jazz Drumming Course and you'll be soloing like a Jazz cat in no time. Jazz drum soloing is a super fun and exciting part of drumming. Follow my tips so you can enjoy soloing a whole lot more.
Check out my courses too. They're all there to help you become the Jazz drummer you want to be. So get out there and solo your way into the musical conversation. Keep swinging my friend!
