3/4 Accents & Rebounds

Over the course of this ongoing pandemic I finally got around to purchasing and working through a copy of George Lawrence Stones's Accents and Rebounds, the sequel to his important drum book Stick Control. Drummer's tend to overlook this one. I did! Anyways, it's a great book, it has taken me out of my comfort zone and forced me to reconsider patterns I thought I already knew (always a good thing!)

Anyways, here's a couple of simple yet interesting 3/4 accent & rebound patterns that I've also been shedding, inspired by Stone's book (although I am far from finished!):

I've also been playing through these with a standard bass drum/hi-hat waltz pattern underneath (ie. bass drum on beat one, hi-hat on beats two & three).

Feel free to displace the stickings/accents as well to mix things up.

Why is this important you may ask? Well, there are a multitude of reasons (!) but one thing that immediately comes to mind is the ability to access different dynamics with your left hand (or your right hand if you are left handed!) while comping on the snare drum. I often notice that inexperienced drummers will often play their comping figures at a mono-dynamic level. The real pros (from what I've noticed anyways) play with a lot more dynamic variety and nuance than that.

Anyways, keeping in the spirit of what I've already offered above, try playing the below pattern on the snare drum while playing time with your right hand on the ride cymbal and the hi-hat on 2&4 (or whatever ride/hi-hat patterns you find suitable):

Oh yes, play this one very SLOWLY and deliberately. Strive for contrast, consistency and clarity.

Make it swing!