Drummers depend on the bass drum to help drive the band and provide depth to their time feel. Throughout the 1920s and ’30s, the bass drum was the “solid four” timekeeper of the rhythm section. Many modern jazz drummers use the bass drum to attain a softer, feathering pulse in union with the acoustic bass. A dynamically controlled quarter-note pulse on the bass drum, played in sync with a walking acoustic bass line, can help expand an ensemble’s sound and reinforce the swing feel. The bass drum can also be used as an accent texture for stressing ensemble rhythms or as a third hand to execute patterns that are generally played on the snare drum or toms. THE TECHNIQUE To achieve a round tone and a consistent swing pulse with the bass drum, it’s essential to have control of the heel-down foot technique. This approach works particularly well when you’re […]

September 2012 Issue