Lesson on "Crimea River" - Rock School Grade 7

Hi, welcome to our lesson on "Crimea River," which is part of Rock School grade seven.

Overview

One thing worth bearing in mind in this particular track is that the original recording is quite an electronic production. Here, we will take some of those drum elements and bring them to life on an acoustic kit.

Introduction

In that first bar, it's important to note:

• Intro Dynamics: We're starting at mp (mezzo piano) dynamic, meaning medium quiet.
• Environmental Considerations: Pay attention to the size of the room you're playing in and how loud the backing track is. Be aware of these factors when making judgments about dynamics.

Snare and Bass Drum

Notably, in most pieces, the snare drum plays on beats two and four. However, in this introduction, the backbeat pulse is played by the bass drum. This is a useful technique for:

• Intros
• Breakdowns

Using the bass drum on two and four creates contrast when you return to the snare for the main groove. This is a concept to take away and apply in other areas.

16th Note Pattern

Looking at bar two:

• We see the 16th note pattern continuing on the hi-hat.
• Tempo: This piece is played at 74 BPM.

I suggest playing this with one hand, as it generally sounds better at this speed. However, feel free to experiment! Every drummer is unique; use the technique that makes you comfortable and allows the music to sound relaxed.

Open Hi-Hat Notes

As you get into the 16th notes, notice:

• There are some open hi-hat notes.
• These are like a bit of extra "spicy sauce" on top of our main meal, where the hi-hat gives us the 16th note pulse and the bass drum provides the backbeat on two and four.

Bass Drum Technique

In bar four, there are two consecutive bass drum notes:

• Last 16th note of beat one
• First beat of the second quarter note

Play both of these strongly using a heel-up technique for pop music, as it allows for a sharper attack on the bass drum.

Inverted Double Strokes

As you look at the third and fourth beats of bar four, you'll see a classic piece of drumming vocabulary:

• Inverted double strokes: (right, right, left, left)/(left, left, right, right)

These are played starting with a single note rather than a double.

Orchestration of Notes

In this example, the notes are orchestrated between the hi-hat and snare drum:

• The pattern starts with a single note, followed by doubles.
• The bass drum is used to substitute a single hand note in the inverted double strokes, creating a complete sound.

Combining Notes

The hand playing the hi-hat will come over and play the backbeat on beat four of this particular bar. Here's a slow breakdown of the combination of notes.

At the end of this group:

• We have an open hi-hat on the and of four.

Practice

Workshop this pattern; it's great to learn and reminiscent of some classic drumming you would hear from artists like Steve Gadd.

Rehearsal Letter B

• Dynamic Change: We increase from mezzo piano to forte.
• The snare drum now plays the backbeat as opposed to the bass drum.

In Bar 7, notice the ghost note marked with a bracket, this is a quiet note, requiring dynamic contrast:

• All backbeats should be at a loud volume.
• Grace notes should be quiet.

Bar Nine & Ten

The combination of a loud backbeat followed immediately by a quieter 16th note (1e and a) can be tricky, so spend some time focusing on that.

Performance Example

I'll play a bit from rehearsal letter B to emphasize the dynamic differences.

Improvising Fills

At the start of the second page:

• The arranger has used slash marks with the word fill above, indicating to improvise a fill that fits stylistically.
• Aim to create musical textures rather than just playing the fastest drum fill.

Recording Your Play

I encourage you to record yourself playing along with the track and evaluate your compositional ideas. Experiment with different ways, listen back, and think critically about your decisions.

Rehearsal Letter C

The main groove continues with various syncopations. Focus on the 30-second note figures:

• The hi-hat plays continuous 16th notes, filling the gaps with the snare hand.

Composition Variations

At bar 18, there's a one-bar repeat sign. By bar 21, it just means to play the groove and improvise a little bit.

Performing

During my performance:

• I used the Rock School books to show page-turning and playing simultaneously.

Attention to Bar 28

In bar 28, there's a half note rest followed by entering on beat two in bar 33.

Crescendo

Pay attention to the crescendo running from 45 to 49:

• Improvise over the slash marks, using crash cymbals to create dynamic contrast.

Final Thoughts

At bar 49, you'll find the ride cymbal introduced and a slightly different bass drum pattern. Consider if you'd like to use the floor tom on beat four in the following bars.

Finally, for the final hit, it's a snare and a crash cymbal together. You may substitute this for a bass drum and crash if it sounds better to you.

Encourage Individuality

Grade seven allows more room for personal interpretation, think about what enhances the music.

Thank you for listening. Enjoy the track and have fun!