Reading charts as an Orchestra musician: What to play.

There is a process for developing a solid drum part out of a chart.

As drummers we are constantly dealing with varying degrees of musical direction in our written parts (like we talked about on my previous post), and the decision of what to play or what not to play can be broken this process down into four categories: groove, figures (hits), interpretation, and vocabulary.

Groove

We must have knowledge of a variety of styles in order to work as an orchestra musician. The proper groove is key to any tune’s success. Some charts have a suggested groove which is notated (sometimes well written and some times not so well); some have verbal direction, such as, “Rock”, “Funk a la James Brown”, “Cha Cha” etc.; and some have no indication whatsoever. In that case a good option is to check out the other parts in the band to get an idea of the style and rhythmic concept of the tune.

If you have experience in a big band setting, simply listen to the arrangement while analyzing the chart. If you have not experience you can always ask the musical director or listen to the song. In many cases there is no time to prepare, which is why the ability to sight-read is as important as having a working knowledge of many different styles of music. These skills will put you in a different league of musicians and increase your chance of success in the music business as a performer.

Figures

When we play figures we have to think about articulation, this is basically short and long notes. Through experimentation and study of the masters, we can find different ways to attack those hits and support the rest of the band. As a starting point it’s a good idea to play short notes on your snare or a tight open and closed tone on the hi-hat. Long sounds could be voiced on the cymbals, supported by the kick drum or snare drum. Constant attention to the band’s note lengths will continually improve how you play the written figures in the most musical way.

Also, it’s important to keep in mind what section of the band we are supporting with our playing, if it’s the singer, rhythm section, or horns. On that depends the dynamics, set up and interpretation of the written figures.

Interpretation

There’s two main different ways we can play figures or hits. Either keeping time or playing fills. In the first case the hits must be played as accents within the groove, maintaining momentum and flow, as if they were part of the comping in the rhythm section. And when approaching figures as fills we break away from the time, focusing all the attention on that particular phrase using different colours through rhythmic and dynamic variation, but don’t go crazy! Always remember it’s our job to drive the band. So keep it simple and musical!

Vocabulary

What you play and how you play it depends on the depth of your musical vocabulary. Take the time to develop control of your instrument and master everything you want to play on it.

Stickings are extremely important, as they allow us to phrase by using different combinations of orchestration and dynamics. In-depth study of the masters will be your greatest resource to truly understand how and what to play for any style of music, whether groove or fill based ideas. In this Blog you’ll find many transcriptions I did myself with that idea in mind, mostly in Pop/Rock music, but the important thing is I found a couple of stickings that are the foundation of every mind-blowing fill and I’ll share it with you on my next post.

Listening is one of your most important skills. You have to develop your listening skills, just as you have to develop physical playing skills. Listening also includes paying attention to the musicians around you when making music. Become very aware of what everyone else is doing in the band, not just the drums. The only way to contribute musically is to have an understanding of what to offer.

Playing an instrument well is a life-long journey. Enjoy the process while you equip yourself with the proper tools, and be patient!

“Repetition is the key to real learning”