Basics Beware of the Chi-Ga-Da! Exercises for Harnessing a Powerful Funk/Fusion Sticking by Rich Redmond The main sticking used in the exercises in this article, RLL, is very popular in funk/fusion playing styles. The hands are split between the snare and the hi-hat. As you’re working through the grooves, drastically differentiate the dynamics between the accented and unaccented notes to make them sound and feel smooth and powerful. Keep the unaccented notes close to the head, and try nailing rimshots on the accents. When executed correctly, the sticking gives you the groove monster that I call the chi-ga-da. These grooves can be used as the basic beat for an entire song, or they can be peppered onto sections that need more drive and percolation. Try applying the bass drum patterns included here, but any rhythm can be used for the bass drum. Practice the bass drum variations using an even […]