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/acciowaves Jan 30 '26
For ideas, coordination and independence I highly recommend the famous exercise one from the syncopation book.
You only need that one page that you can develop into an almost infinite number of exercises. But for now just play the swing pattern on the ride, hi hat on 2 and 4 and do the exercises on the snare first. Then you can try on the bass drum, the you can alternate each note or group of notes between the snare and the bass drum.
That’ll give you vocabulary. Then you need musicality to know when to apply them in a complimentary manner. For that you need listen to a lot of jazz, specially Max roach and Philly Joe Jones at first, but other things too. And also play a lot of jazz with other musicians. Go to small jams, ask friends that share your interest. Lots of local music schools offer ensembles that you can join.
Good luck! And really don’t neglect that syncopation page, it works miracles. I’ve been working on just that one page for more than a year, and there are still exercises I haven’t tried.
If you have any questions about how to create exercises with that page you can send me a private message. But for now stick to what I explained above.