Ghost Notes - my worst enemy

Maybe it's been stated here, but, if I may put in my .02, listen to Jab'o Starks and Clyde Stubblefied. Really listen, not for enjoyment, but for the "learning" aspect. You must try and emulate their playing, their finesse and command. It's how many drummers began to understand the ghost notes. Purdie also, must not forget about Bernard Purdie.
 
Honestly, it's been my experience that grace notes just kind of develop them self as you learn to play the drums. The backbeat is by far the more important thing to worry about, as most people won't even hear or understand your ghosted notes, which really aren't going to break any song even if you leave them out for the most part.

I'm not saying don't practice them, but you really shouldn't let yourself get so frustrated by something that merely adds a bit of spice to your playing. There are lots of things that will get you more mileage to focus on, like good old sticking patterns; and by the time you have those down pat, your hand will have more independence and be able to throw in whatever dynamics you need whenever you need them, including ghosted notes of various volumes.
 
Practicing a very noisy backbeat write rimshot hit followed by the quietest tip hit you can do, in a strengthen continuation decoration is ripe grooming. You require to be in grumbling try of the energetic change to perform morality ghosts, something that at 6 months, I'm not trusty if it's the mitt occurrence to be Formerly you get vantage discipline of voluminous strokes and microscopic strokes...then you can compound ghosts in your playing. A wraith is the lightest tap you can do, and should be around 1/8th the product of your backbeat. The author breakup, volume-wise, the exceed.
 
Practicing a very noisy backbeat write rimshot hit followed by the quietest tip hit you can do, in a strengthen continuation decoration is ripe grooming. You require to be in grumbling try of the energetic change to perform morality ghosts, something that at 6 months, I'm not trusty if it's the mitt occurrence to be Formerly you get vantage discipline of voluminous strokes and microscopic strokes...then you can compound ghosts in your playing. A wraith is the lightest tap you can do, and should be around 1/8th the product of your backbeat. The author breakup, volume-wise, the exceed.

Well, now it's all clear...don't know why I didn't see that before! lol

Seriously everyone, thanks for the advice. After a rough week, I'm finally starting to notice a wee bit of improvement in my ghost note exercises. Playing the ghosts off center has helped and just constant, if not frustrating, practice as always works!
 
Practicing a very noisy backbeat write rimshot hit followed by the quietest tip hit you can do, in a strengthen continuation decoration is ripe grooming. You require to be in grumbling try of the energetic change to perform morality ghosts, something that at 6 months, I'm not trusty if it's the mitt occurrence to be Formerly you get vantage discipline of voluminous strokes and microscopic strokes...then you can compound ghosts in your playing. A wraith is the lightest tap you can do, and should be around 1/8th the product of your backbeat. The author breakup, volume-wise, the exceed.
Has this been through a translation machine? Whatever, I like some of it - a 'wraith', for example as the lightest ghost note :)

And 'in grumbling try of the energetic change' . . . we've all been there if we've practiced hard :)
 
Well, now it's all clear...don't know why I didn't see that before! lol

Seriously everyone, thanks for the advice. After a rough week, I'm finally starting to notice a wee bit of improvement in my ghost note exercises. Playing the ghosts off center has helped and just constant, if not frustrating, practice as always works!

LOL. But yeah, the off-center thing can help to get a feel for the kind of sound you should be achieving. While that it's done for a different sound, the general rule is that ghost notes are played in the same place as other notes (center), but at lower volume; that should be your final destination.
Like singles and boules, this is one of those things that are to be internalized until they become second nature and flow naturally when the music demands it.


Fox.
 
Has this been through a translation machine? Whatever, I like some of it - a 'wraith', for example as the lightest ghost note :)

And 'in grumbling try of the energetic change' . . . we've all been there if we've practiced hard :)

It's a spammer using synonyms of a previous post in this thread. There's been a few of them lately. (including darban98 a few posts above)
 
So in summary, your ghost notes will be nothing until you get your gear box fixed.
 
One book that helped me was Garibaldi's "Future Sounds" The first few pages have some good exercises utilizing Paradiddles and accents. The first one goes like this:

RH - hi-hat.
LH - snare.

Patterns (in 16th's):
1. R l r r L r l l (regular)
2. r r L r l l Rl (backwards)
3. r l l R l r r L (inverted)
4. r L r l l R l r (backwards inverted)

Get two distinct sound levels going. Ghost notes @ 2", Accents @ 8" for example. Make sure the pattern is even and the accent is popping out.

Then add the kick underneath on either Quarters or Eights.

To refine the accent/ghost note contrast. Utilize the edge of the stick. So hit the shaft of the stick on the edge of hi-hat for an accent, but only use the tip on the stick on the top for a ghost. On snare, a rimshot for an accent, and tip of the stick for ghost. This takes a lot of practice to develop consistency. You'll probably hit a lot of rims for a while. When achieved however, it provides two totally different sound levels and great contrast for funk/rock playing. It's important to note that you can do great ghost note work w/out rimshots, too.
 
The way I was taught (and the way I've shown others) is to play a 16th note beat with the left hand on the snare playing ghosts (the e's and ah's) and the right playing on the hi-hat and coming over to play the snare on 2 and 4. I find it a good way to start because the left hand is playing ONLY ghost notes. Play the left hand a couple of inches away from the rim and about an inch or two of stick height.

Keep at it. It will come.

PLUS 1 TO THIS
202020202020
 
Didn't have time to read alll the comments, and I'm sure these have been said, but my two suggestions are:

Get comfortable with playing accents on the left hand. Your hand not only needs to get to know the difference between a backbeat and a ghost note, but also how to go from one to the other instantaneously.. (if you keep going with ghost notes, they'll soon get extremely active, which is the good stuff)

Also, get to know your "16th note variations" as I call them.. 1 &a, 2 &a, 3 &a, 4 &a (if you're right handed make sure it's R RL, R RL, etc.. ) and 1e&, 2e&, 3e&, 4e& (RLR, RLR, RLR, RLR).. that'll get your left hand used to playing on those beats, and then all you do to make it a beat is put your right hand on the hihat and add the back beat on the snare
 
Practicing a very noisy backbeat write rimshot hit followed by the quietest tip hit you can do, in a strengthen continuation decoration is ripe grooming. You require to be in grumbling try of the energetic change to perform morality ghosts, something that at 6 months, I'm not trusty if it's the mitt occurrence to be Formerly you get vantage discipline of voluminous strokes and microscopic strokes...then you can compound ghosts in your playing. A wraith is the lightest tap you can do, and should be around 1/8th the product of your backbeat. The author breakup, volume-wise, the exceed.

HaHaHa...... That is so hilarious!
 
Hey. Sorry to hear about your problem but don't worry you will get it down and in the pocket :)
You said that you have troubles knowing which of your strokes are ghosts and which ones aren't. To clear things up a little bit for you, ghosts are the quiet hits and the other ones are the loud ones. An exercise you can do is just playing a basic rock beat and then vary how hard you hit the drums. When you are comfortable with that then add more strokes in the beat and change them up a bit so you have both loud and quiet hits, or in the music lingo- ghosts and accents.
 
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