Grade Four Ska Lesson

Hey, Jamaic Scar!
Cheeky little pun there. Welcome to the Scar option of grade four. It's a good laugh!

Structure Overview

• The groove builds up all the way across A and B.
• Lovely, syncopated building section across C into a trombone solo, back to the melody.
• Full snare in the groove, four bars after D to the end.

Remember: It's dead simple, but it's not easy.

Key Elements

Guitar and Hi-Hat

• You've got that guitar on the offbeats all the way across the whole tune.
• This is a total Ska classic guitar line.
• Make sure your hi-hat links up with the guitar consistently.
• Use a nice, solid rim click to cut through the music until you reach the full backbeat later on.

Kick Drum Challenges

• Be careful at B; the kick drum is on 2 and 4, which can be tricky to sit back on.
• Practice it to feel more relaxed.

Floor Tom

• We have lovely off beats moving to the floor tom on the fourth beat of bars 19 and 23.
• Tune your floor tom low to produce a cool, booming sound.

Trombone Solo

• Once you get to the trombone solo, you have six bars to develop.
• Stay within the style; the kick and snare pattern should remain consistent during the solo.
• You can:
  • Add the kick drum throughout the whole pattern.
  • Incorporate ghost notes to flesh out the groove.
• The open hi-hat on beat 4 works really well, and feel free to add the occasional double kick.

Playing Tips

• I play with a band called the London Sky Orchestra, and trust me, nobody will slate you for keeping it simple and providing a nice platform for others.
• It's dancy music and often quite fast.
• Whether you stick to the basic pattern or decide to add extra elements, both are great options!

Fills and Practice

• Watch out for the fills around the toms towards the end; they all end on the fourth beat before starting straight away.
• Practice with a metronome for precision.
• Pay attention to the addition to the groove in bar two; it's a bit fiddly. Get it under your fingers for a nice addition that you can use outside the Ska genre.

Exploring Ska Music

Familiarize yourself with the Ska genre by listening to:

• Bad Manners
• The Specials
• Operation Ivy

Conclusion

Listening to these artists will help you sound authentic. Remember to listen to your teacher, too.

So, check it out, have a good time, and I will see you next time!