Tony Williams Hi hat on "Fred"

Muckster

Muckster

Platinum Member
I'm working on the Tony Williams tune "Fred" and when it comes to the fast ride pattern on the hi hat, i can nail the tempo if play the fist note closing the hi hat with the foot and follow with the last two notes of the ride pattern with the right hand. All while maintaining the snare and bass drum parts. But i'm wondering should the entire ride pattern on the hi hat be played with the right hand?

I can play super fast ride tempos on the ride cymbal but when it comes to the hi hat, i have trouble. Any tips or advice?

Thanks!
 
Muckster said:
I'm working on the Tony Williams tune "Fred" and when it comes to the fast ride pattern on the hi hat, i can nail the tempo if play the fist note closing the hi hat with the foot and follow with the last two notes of the ride pattern with the right hand. All while maintaining the snare and bass drum parts. But i'm wondering should the entire ride pattern on the hi hat be played with the right hand?

I can play super fast ride tempos on the ride cymbal but when it comes to the hi hat, i have trouble. Any tips or advice?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Can you play it on the ride with one hand, and still "maintain the snare and bass drum parts"?
Tony (and Chad Wackerman) played it with one hand on the hi-hat.

First note: open hi-hat. Second note: rest. Third and fourth: closed hh.

Tips: practice it more. Slowly.
 
Canyonero said:
Can you play it on the ride with one hand, and still "maintain the snare and bass drum parts"?
Click to expand...

All day long. But on the hi hat no, at that fast of a tempo.
 
Yeah, it's a tough one, tempo-wise. "Mr. Spock" from the same record has the same kind of groove, only not as fast. Might wanna try that one.
 
Yeah I've been trying it and that tempo is tough. He does some pretty intense left foot stuff too; if you listen to the track those are all 'chick-ed' notes. Are you SURE that all three of those notes are played with the right hand? I thought there was a possibility that the first closed note was a foot note, but it's hard to tell. If so, just try a Moeller kind of approach to it. Also, the coolest part of this track is that it's really busy, but also played really quiet and light, with a kind of mellow intensity, so try and nail that feel.
 
It's hard. No two ways about it. It's kind of weird playing the backbeat at the end of that three-note pattern for me. I guess I'm not the only one who finds it tough.
 
Nice, the first Tony record I ever bought, in like 1983. I should learn this tune, too. Keep working on the real part, playing the whole thing with your hand. It's a challenge the first time you get it together, but eventually it will be in your kinda-fast tempo sweet spot, ~QN=138.

No tips without seeing you play, really, except to do it a lot-- play a lot of sambas, and that half time feel he's doing at the beginning. Play low.
 
I've worked with that part quite a bit since i first posted. I'm using the same approach as with the ride cymbal using the drop catch / push pull ....what ever you want to call it. I'm getting there....not quite up to tempo but gaining. Timing all that with the left foot has proven tricky for me. But I'm making progress.
 
That tribute was pretty cool -- liked the groove, cool solo at the beginning, decent band. Of course, he did have 15" hats, if not 16" which MAY make things easier. I like the snare beats on 2+, 3e and 4, which Tony did occasionally on the track, but I would have liked it to transition into more direct backbeat on 2 and 4. Anyway, good cover, and a good example to look at for the Hi-Hat part. I've been working, and it's pretty much up to tempo (I'm not Tony, though). Next: Transcribe a vibraphone part and get the guys in my Fusion project to like it as much as me :D
 
Try using Tony's back two fingers approach when playing Fred. This technique has worked well for me when playing fast one handed three beat ideas where the hi-hat opens with the foot. This kind of hi-hat work is a little trickier than playing the same pattern on the ride as the cymbals are moving up and down on the hats.
 
I agree Drumsinhisheart his playing is smooth as silk. Makes it look effortless.
 
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