Musical Phrasing for Drummers

By Carl Albrecht
What do you call someone that hangs out with musicians? No, not groupies;
DRUMMERS! Ha! Well, at least that's how the joke is told. And everyone laughs, of
course. But, sadly this is often the case. I've heard groups playing and I could tell the
drummer was not tuned into what was going on around them. This can happen to any
musician, but for drummers it seems to stand out more when they have this problem.
Because of the drums being the foundation of a band, if the drummer is not doing a great
job it seems nothing else matters.
A drummer ALWAYS has to be on top of their game. You can't have a bad day.
Now I know that sounds totally unfair, but that seems to be what's expected. Even
amongst friends, other players and singers want to feel the passion of the music coming
from you. There is a sense security in a group when the drummer has a command of the
tempos, dynamics, feel, and the emotions of the music. If a lack of confidence is felt from
the drummer, everyone else will feel it too. Your team wants and needs your support.
In other writings I've talked about having a good attitude, being prepared, staying
focused, and prayer. Those are all important, but let's look at some technical aspects of
building your confidence and stability as a player. Discovering the right feel and phrasing
for every piece of music you play is the holy grail for drummers. So, saddle up your
horses, and away we go!!
Numero Uno! Open your ears! Every musician I know loves a drummer that is listening
intently to what's happening. This definitely applies when you're playing with a band, but
it's also important off of the field. Are you listening to music? Do you play along
with music at home when you practice?
It's a vital element to your continued growth as a musician. LISTEN AND COPY!
LISTEN AND COPY! No matter how long you've been playing. LISTEN AND COPY!
The most important thing is to deal with the music you are currently performing. When
you're playing with your team make note of the songs that are not going well for you.
You know what I mean. You just know, in your gut, that you don't have the drum
part quite right. Get the CD and copy what the drummer did on the record. Pick it apart,
get inside of the music, and find out what makes it work. Don't just do your thing, but
become the other drummer to the best of your ability. Try to copy their sound, their feel
of the time, and the phrasing they put on drum fills. It's more than just getting the correct
tempo, it's every element!
You will always have a little bit of your style in the music, but play it as closely as
you can to the original. Every little detail should be observed. How tight does the hi-hat
sound? Or is a ride cymbal being played? Does the snare ring or is it muffled? Are there a
lot of ghost notes or is it just a simple and open groove? Is there a fill before the first
chorus or does the drummer wait for the second verse? You get the idea.

I have literally played songs note for note. And can tell you, most of the time, the artist or
worship leader was thrilled that I knew the music in such detail. Unless they ask for
something different I stick to the original part. Over time I may let the music evolve, but I
always lay a strong foundation first. And I will ask the leader if I'm getting too far away
from the basic idea of the song. That way they know that I'm there to make them
comfortable. It's not about us!
If all the tunes are great with the band then I listen to new songs. I'll check out music that
I don't normally play. It can be anything, but the goal is still the same. I'll copy other
players until my phrasing and feel becomes like what they play. Some of you may
be thinking what that means.
Several elements determine the feel.
1. Drum kit dynamics : The volume of each part affects the feel. Is the snare louder than
the kick or vice versa? Is the hi-hat in balance with those parts or softer? I know an audio
mix can make all the difference, but at least try to duplicate it from a physical
perspective.
2. Beat placement : Does the snare back beat (2 & 4) layback or push the beat? Or is
it the kick drum or hi-hat? Listen carefully!
3. Fill phrasing : Does the drum fill push the time or pull it back. YES, this is OK if it
works musically. Are all the notes of the fill at one dynamic or does it start soft and
build? Or maybe it starts big, and then tapers off. Is the drum fill playing a phrase just
like another instrument in the song? Is it a bass line? Or could it be working with a guitar
part, keyboard line, or even a vocal melody? Copy it note for note!
4. The drums you use : Is the instrument getting the sound the music demands? You
might need several snares to cover all the styles you play. That's probably the most
noticeable sound in your set up.
***The sizes of your drums will affect your sound. It's hard to change kick drums, but for
most live settings a standard 22 kick should do it. I use 4 toms most of the time to
cover all the music I play. (10, 12, 14, & 16)
These seem to be the primary elements that affect the drum parts you have to copy. But
always keep an open mind and discover the nuances of everything you learn. Even if you
think you're breaking the rules of good technique go for the sound and feel of each song.
So how else do you expand your sense of musical phrasing as a drummer?
Number 2: You have to go beyond just counting and start to sing your parts. Ba da
bing, Ba da boom! Really!!
I was very fortunate in the early years of my musical studies. It seems every teacher I
worked with always talked about the phrasing or sing-ability of playing an
instrument. My piano teacher definitely spoke of it, but even my drum teachers
emphasized being able to sing the parts.

I studied with John Kasica, a classical percussionist in the St. Louis Symphony, as well as
several great jazz & pop drummers. They all seem to teach that getting the right phrasing
was essential to the correct musical interpretation. Once we would work through the
technical part of the music, such as counting rhythms and dynamics, getting the feel
or phrasing was the ultimate goal. Whether it was the tympani part of a Beethoven
symphony, the hits in a Stan Kenton big band chart, or a Beatles song it had to feel
right. I remember seeing a swing rhythm like 1 & - & 3 - 4 &; and my teacher would
make me sing Boo-bop, Boo-bop, Boo-bop! If the notes were held longer, not short, we
might sing Dee-daaaa, Dee-daaa, Dee-daaa. How a phrase was sung would determine
long sounds and short hits. Like going from a big tom to a snare, or for the opposite feel,
hit a snare and then a kick with a cymbal crash. It was always about supporting the other
instruments and enhancing their phrasing.
A great exercise for building your phrase interpretation is to play grooves along with a
click track or drum loops and sing the fills you play. Play in 4 or 8 bar phrases and at the
end of each section play some fills. Try singing along; not actual notes, but the da-dee-da
kind of thing. Like at the end of the bar play a 3e& - 4e& pattern, but try singing ba-dadat, ba-da-dat; or boo-da-BAM, boo-da-BAM. Try the same rhythm over and over, but
interpret it as many different ways as you can think up. I think you'll be amazed with how
many different interpretations there can be of one idea. This kind of groove and fill
exercise can really help you stretch you musical phrasing and give you some new ideas
for fills.
Remember, that as you grow as a player, DO NOT experiment on your band mates. Don't
incorporate some wacky fill in a song that already is working. In rehearsals I might do
that a little just to have fun, and see the reaction I get. Usually the band gives me that
silly what are you doing grin. That's not what I want to see during a concert or time
of worship. If you playing as only drawing attention to you that is not a good thing. Your
musical development is always for the good of the group and the honoring of the music
you have to perform.
Drummers are musicians too!!
Dat, da da, DAAA!!!