Hold the Line Drum Lesson

Greetings, drummers of the world!

This is our lesson on "Hold the Line," a classic Toto track from 1978 featuring the wonderful Jeff Porcaro on drums. He is one of my favorite drummers, known for incredible taste, great musicality, and well-composed drum parts. We will explore some of that compositional quality today.

Time Signature

One of the first things to point out is that this track is unique in the Rock School syllabus as it is in a compound time signature.

• Definition: The main beat is divisible by 3 eighth notes rather than 2 eighth notes as in a simple time signature.
• In 12/8, we look at 12 notes in the bar, and the "8" tells us they are eighth notes.
• Counting Example: A good way to count this, if you're not familiar, is:
  • 1 triplet, 2 triplet, 3 triplet, 4 triplet.

Anacrusis

In the anacrusis at the beginning, which is a term meaning a pickup (not a complete bar), we have a single flam on the snare drum.

• Flam: This occurs when we play one note slightly before a louder note (a quiet note immediately followed by a loud note).
  • Demonstration: Here we go as a flam.

Introduction to the Groove

The first complete bar of music is a bar of silence.

• Whole Rest: We can tell it's a whole note rest because it's hanging down from the line rather than coming up from it.

In the third bar, we immediately notice compositional qualities with tonal variation, highlighted by the introductory rhythm on the toms:

• Wa, ga, ga ga.

This is a pure movement from the two drums. Memorize this so your head's not stuck in the dots. Play it with power and confidence!

Stating the Time

As we drop into the beats, bar three is where we state the time.

• Tips:
  • Stick to the ink here: Play a crash cymbal, and on the second and third partial of the first triplet, go straight into the hi-hats.
  • Be aware of the difference between examples where we don't come immediately onto the hi-hat.

The goal is to establish the groove and feel of the track right from the first beat, maintaining momentum in the 12/8 feeling.

Bass Drum Techniques

The bass drum part is very challenging, especially for grade five.

• Advice:
  • Practice it at a slower tempo.
  • Ensure the high hand bass drum lines up completely with the snare drum.

Remember, practice is not performance. Essentially, you should aim to avoid any accidental flams or separations.

• Foot Technique:
  • For this rock music, I recommend a powerful short note with a lot of attack on the bass drum.
  • Play with your heel up and into the drum head to achieve a solid thump.

Tuning and Sound

Tuning the bass drum is critical.

• Context Matters:
  • Think about the sound in relation to the band. Adjust tuning based on whether you're playing with electric bass, double bass, or slap bass.

Example of Bass Drum Technique

• Demonstration: Playing into the head will yield a different tone compared to playing off the head. Focus on strong, powerful bass drum notes.

Two-Bar Repeats and Crescendo

Moving on to bar 13, we see a two-bar repeat. If you're not familiar with this symbol, memorize it!

• This means play the previous two bars worth of musical information.

Before letter C, we have a crescendo.

• Definition: This means the music goes from one dynamic to a louder dynamic.

Hi-Hat Variations

In rehearsal letter C, you'll see some circles above the hi-hat.

• Meaning: Open the hi-hats so they vibrate together.

Demonstration: Check out the bar preceding rehearsal letter C to hear the change in the hi-hat sound as I lift the pressure on the top hi-hat.

• Remember the transition from the open hi-hat sound to hitting the crash and shutting the hi-hats again in bar C.

Encouragement to Improvise

As we get onto the second page, particularly in bar 31, there are a couple of two-bar repeats.

• Experiment: As you progress, feel free to expand on these patterns.

In rehearsal letter F, the second bar has a strong beat four consisting of the snare drum, floor tom, and bass drum.

• Make sure to move your hand from the hi-hat to the floor tom and then back to the hi-hat for momentum.

Drum Fill Technique

In bar number 52, you'll encounter a single sticking 16th note drum fill over the third and fourth beats.

• Format: It starts with a flam and moves to the top Tom for six notes and down to the floor Tom for four notes.

Aim for even volume between your hands.

• Stay in strict tempo, especially when performing with a click.

Call and Response Fill

There is a call and response linear drum fill in bars 54, 55, and 56, and again in bar 61.

• The sequence is:
  • Flam (the question)
  • Two bass drum notes (the answer)

The same pattern applies in bar 61 with a tonal variation between the toms.

Conclusion

Jeff Porcaro remains one of my favorite drummers. If you're not familiar with him, I encourage you to watch him play.

• He was excellent at time and taste, focusing on the right part, groove, and feel, rather than just speed.

In conclusion, this piece is quite challenging for grade five, but with patience and practice, you can master it. Enjoy the journey, learn, and have fun!

Take care!