Brush Technique, as in I Need to Learn

[JoeVermont]

I am looking for any videos you may be able to recommend on learning brush technique. I play with brushes from time to time but it's mainly using them like sticks. I'd really like to learn to play them for a more traditional swing / jazz sound.
Thanks, Joe

 

[jda]

listen to the old swing songs
basie ellington miles and imagine it /your self/)

and

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrhkpF1bKMG_D2sxTpxG63WGmIxYGB-Jt

just the old songs

you learn by doing in a band
I know. The bands that Used to exist :
but.. find your local jazz cats you'll develop Jazz Hands :
or just play to the old stuff all day long

 

[GetAgrippa]

Anything Ed Thigpen , Clayton Cameron, and Jeff Hamilton a great start. I love brushes, except I can only get hats to sound decent- the ride not so much with da brushes. Play rudiments with brushes and switch lead hands.

I always want at least one hand swishing-either back and forth or circles is up to you. I do both with the Ed Thigpen thing where one hand is swishing circles and the other is twitching back and forth like a rattle snake tail as fast as you can go-it's always easier to circle with my left and rattles snake twitch with right but I keep switching sides to build my ambidexterity. Most often I'm swishing right circles or twitches, and left pop accents or swishes along in circles or twitches. Don't fizzle on the sizzle. I play matched-though I experimented a lot with traditional.

 

[JohnRick]

I liked the stuff Ed Soph filmed:

 

[JoeVermont]

I liked the stuff Ed Soph filmed:

"Control comes from degrees of looseness, not from degrees of tightness." 🤯

 

[Rock Salad]

Being strict about L hand position on the drum relative to the beats and inaudible (bass) feathering is helping me start to get the feel right. Sometimes it sounds more like swish-swish-swish than a constant stir but that gets covered up when playing with others. I'm trying to learn this too, go get 'em!

 

[KenDoken]

Check this out

 

[s1212z]

Brushes...I always want to get better. Some sweep in on 2&4, some sweep out...its highly personalized and super expressive. I feel it's the bridge between drumset playing and percussion. I think exploration with percussion helped with my brush playing a bit, at least trying to fine tune texture and balance and get away from sticking concepts more expressive. The fancier brush tricks are cool, wish I I could play them and had better traditional technique to pull it off but it will probably always be subpar. But if you can groove like mad, brushes are amazing...something to shoot for.

Ulysses has a nice balance and groove.

Steve breathes groove always

Can hear the 'Elvin' in Steve of course, brushes takes it out

Don't have to let trad stand in your way, find your own way and groove like a champ...if you are Bill that is.

 

[toddbishop]

I like Ted Warren's videos.

 

[KenDoken]

The best brush lesson ever

 

[Rock Salad]

Here's another take on getting started. Slightly different take on the R hand

 

[JoeVermont]

I'm no Steve Gadd, but I can practice using a cardboard box. Stone's Throw is a local pizza joint and didn't bat an eye when I asked for a clean extra box - gave them a big tip.

 

[Rock Salad]

You liking those Gadd signature brushes? I have not seen them at the shop yet so haven't got to try them.

 

[JoeVermont]

You liking those Gadd signature brushes? I have not seen them at the shop yet so haven't got to try them.

I do like them. I kind of bought them on a whim in a local store. The bent ends do allow them to move a little easier on the drumhead and not get caught. I wish the wire was a little heavier, though. My favorite brush these days is the John "JR" Robinson brush. I bought them for a musical I was doing. Love the versatility of a brush, a tip, and a felt mallet.

 

[haraldsson]

Look what you can do with brushes.

 

[jazzerooty]

I was lucky, having come up in an earlier time, where I had a six nights a week, playing in a hotel lounge. Almost never used sticks. Really helped my game.

 

[toddbishop]

I was lucky, having come up in an earlier time, where I had a six nights a week, playing in a hotel lounge. Almost never used sticks. Really helped my game.

I found that out playing with a dixieland group every night for a couple of weeks, with just a snare drum. The moves all start happening on their own just because of the kind of music it is, and how bodies are built. It's all natural.

 

[Mr Farkle]

That Ed Soph YouTube series will set you on your way. 👍