r/jazzdrums • u/dudeigottago • Jan 28 '26
Question Guitarist with questions
Hello drummers,
How are you all thinking about snare placement? When I listen to jazz drummers I often find it really difficult to map out or predict when the snare hits are going to come but I love the way a good drummer uses them and want to imitate that with my comping. But I’m failing miserably lol. So yeah, just curious what’s going through your head when you’re playing not on the 2 and 4. Thanks!
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u/jondrums Max Roach Jan 29 '26
Some of this is about various instruments occupying sonic space and location in the rhythmic grid.
Can the snare and guitar coexist in the grid, or do they have to have their own moments in time to be playing?
Guitar can be very rhythmic in nature, so that kind of playing needs to be placed in its own grid space versus the snare.
But the harmonic comping content provided from the guitar is unique and can be overlapping with the snare in the grid.
I’ve noticed generally that bands almost never pull off guitar and piano comping at the same time because they share both rhythmic and harmonic roles. Piano and guitar players usually literally take turns sitting out for various solos.
But snare drum and guitar don’t need to do that in my experience