Over 10 years later and my interests have been drawn even more to creating melodies on other instruments, and I learn more and more how the instruments compliment each other. The drums in Jazz compliment the melody a lot! The thing I was always taught with Jazz was to either ‘learn the melody’, or to ‘play off the improvised melody’. It is probably where I really started to get an understanding for melody and how it related with my primary passion of drums. Since this I have always had a place in my heart for Jazz. At drum college I was introduced to Jazz when I was 16 or 17.
After my Rockschool Grades (we skipped Jazz in my lessons), after my early teenage years of practicing and learning and exploring new and old music. That is the background I come from with drums – pop, rock, funk, metal. These patterns will be hard if you are new to less regimented styles like Jazz and Latin drumming (i.e. The 3 way co-ordination exercises could also be tried slowly by Grade 1-2.ĭrummers that are new to jazz could start with these even if they are a pro in other genres. These jazz drum patterns are for at least grade 3 level.
