Rasta Monkey - Grade Three Lesson

Welcome!
It's a cool piece with a few different sections, including a guitar solo and a nice melody. Keep an eye out for where you're headed, and everything will be fine in that fill.

Pre-Lesson Note

Before we start, I want to mention a stylistic choice: I put a drag beforehand. Many reggae drummers use this technique, and while there's no pressure for you to do it, it sounds really cool. It gives the impression that you've checked out the style of music that you're playing, which is always useful.

Key Concepts to Watch Out For

1. Feel
   We're really phrasing in triplets here. Remember to always feel the rhythm:

   • Think: One.
   • Whether you're writing quavers, crotchets, triplets, etc., keep feeling that rhythm throughout.

2. The One Drop
   In reggae, we're not playing beat one as the accent. The key difference between this groove and a rock groove is:

   • Beat one is not the anchor of the bar; beat three is.
   • Count: "One, two, three."
   • Make sure that three is really strong.

3. Counting
   Don't feel like the bottom's dropped out just because you're not playing beat one. Separate your discomfort with not playing one, listen to the track, and you'll find that everything holds together really well.

Rim Click

• You want a really strong rim click in this.
• Find the spot on your snare drum that works for you with a nice rim click.
• Keep in mind:
  • All snare drums are different. Mine is a smaller 13-inch snare, so I have to come slightly closer to the rim with the butt of my stick to get a good sound.

Listening Recommendations

Listen to the high register of the rim click on the snare contrasted with the low bass drum. It creates a really cool sound that cuts through well.

Also, check out some original reggae artists:

• Toots and the Maytals
• Bob Marley
  These are great places to get started.

Enjoy yourself!
I will see you next time!