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Mastering the Art of the Brushes Jon Hazilla Section One Concepts

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Section One

Concepts

F

requently students learn to play one pattern and then nothing more. The learned pattern may sound stiff and lack groove. The students do not know how to make it sound better or fill within thepattern. The concepts in this section are designed to help you improve your patterns and make them sound better. They can also help strengthen your ability to embellish and fill within a pattern without disrupting the time flow or groove. Studying the concepts will also help you develop brush dexterity and coordination. The concepts in this section are an essential part of the book. Experiment withthem and use them when you practice the patterns and techniques in later sections.

10 Concepts
1 Practice all strokes using only your hands and finger tips on the
drum (without brushes)

2 Traditional grip is recommended when you hold the brushes 3 Grip the brush 2 inches from the wires 4 Play the tips of the brushes 5 Use your feet to feather the bass and play the hi-hat for bottom
andsupport

6 Experiment with counterclockwise or less familiar motions 7 Each hand should play a discernible rhythm unless you want color
or texture

8 Use shape to define strokes and rhythm 9 Create variations of shape to imply the same rhythm 10 Use the shape to imply fills, accents, and metric modulation

9

Section One

Concepts
Concept 1
Practice all strokes using only your handsand finger tips on the drum (without brushes)
It is much easier to capture the shape and flow of a pattern with your hands. Once you have perfected the stroke, it is easier to move to the brushes.

Concept 2
Traditional grip is recommended when you hold the brushes
When using brushes, the traditional grip is superior to the matched grip for strokes and fills. Matched grip inhibits and limitsmaximum range and freedom for some patterns. Traditional grip gives you a greater range of motion and the freedom to do patterns and fills.

Concept 3
Grip the brush 2 inches from the wires
Although this might be considered a choked grip, it gives you better control for shading and accenting specific strokes, fills, and patterns. The farther your grip is from the wires, the less control you willhave; you will have more of the brush working for you, but less control over it.

Concept 4
Play the tips of the brushes
When playing patterns or time, play on the tips of your brushes, holding the brushes at a 45-degree angle to the snare. Otherwise, you will lose the contrast that is essential for pulse, nuance, and soft shadings in accenting, embellishing, and filling. A lower angle givesyou a more legato sound. A higher angle gives you a more staccato sound.

Concept 5
Use your feet to feather the bass and play the hi-hat for bottom and support
Brushes can be less rhythmically defined and need greater support, definition, and bottom than sticks. When using brushes, feather the bass drum and use the hi-hat to provide bottom and support. Feathering the bass lets you play very...