1 - Introduction

As funk and R&B drumming developed into a style based on 16th notes, drummers found they no longer needed to play a steady 8th or 16th note repetitive pattern on the HH while orchestrating the rest of the rhythm underneath that pattern on the SD and BD.

They could play a steady stream of individual 16th notes with the RH, LH and RF and distribute this pattern between the SD, BD and HH to get a similar effect.

Rudimentary stickings could also be spread between the HH and SD and used in this way.
This opened up many new possibilities and actually made it easier to play more complex rhythms.

2 – Song Examples

 

A. “The Mob” – The Meters, Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste, drums

 

Very sparse groove, one piece of the kit at a time. This will introduce the linear idea.

 

B. “Slinky” - From the album The Funk Stops Here, Mike Clark & Paul Jackson (Produced by Jim Payne), Mike Clark, drums.

 
The Funk Stops Here.jpg

The recording:

Here’s the transcription:

3 - Slinky - Beat.png

3 - The Linear Concept

A. Video Explanation

 
 

B. The Funky Beat

 

1) p. 9, Example 9.

This is covered in the video as well.

First play the SD rhythm from Exs. 1-4, p. 8 by itself on the SD just to get used to the sound of it. It’s the same for all these examples. FORGET ABOUT THE HH PART. PLAY ONLY THE SD PART, BY ITSELF. Use any sticking you’re comfortable with.

Now play all the notes that aren’t back beats (on 2 or 4) on the HH with the RH, and play the backbeats on the SD with the LH. We’ve taken that SD rhythm and orchestrated it between two different sounds, HH and SD. This is the basic linear concept. Orchestrating a rhythm using different sound surfaces of the drum kit.

There is no ostinato RH pattern to rely on to lock in the rhythm so you have to be very centered with your time consciousness. But this is a recipe for some serious funk

 

2) Example 10

Note: In the video I mistakenly said this example was on p. 9. It’s on p. 10.

Instead of two RHs on the HH on the “e’s” and “ah’s” let’s use a RL hand pattern.

Play the “e” of 1 on the HH, with the RH and the “and of 1” on the SD with the LH. Keep the backbeat on 2 using the LH.
Play the “and of 2” on the HH with the RH and the “ah of 2” on the SD with the LH. Repeat the same thing for the second half of the measure. This gives Example 10.

 

3) Example 11

Now instead of a RL sticking, use a LR sticking keeping the LH on the SD and the RH on the HH. This is Example 11.

 

C. More orchestrations of the same rhythm

 

1) Linear Beat 3

5a - Linear Beat 3.png

Mix and match these two stickings and we get some more possibilities. The first beat has the HH on all “ands”. The hand sticking is LR, RL.

 

2) Linear Beat 4

5b - Linear Beat 4.png

This beat alternates the hand sticking between RL and LR.
Listen to the individual HH notes to decide if you like that pattern because it will be an important part of the groove.

Workbook

1. Play 8 bars each of Examples 9-11, on pages 9 & 10 of David Garibaldi’s “The Funky Beat.” 84 BPM.

2. Play 8 bars of Linear Beat 3 (see C above). 84 BPM.

3. Play on top of the tune Look-Ka Py Py by the Meters, Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste, drums.

 
Looky a py py meters.jpg

This is a classic Meters tune with a classic Zig beat. The following beat strips down Zig’s beat to a more strictly linear pattern for practice.
The only place where two sound surfaces are playing together is on the “and of 3.”

7 - Linear Beat For Look-Ka Py Py.png

If you want to figure out exactly what Zig plays, go ahead, that’s cool too, but for the Workbook use this beat. Notice that the LF closes the HH on 4.

Play any appropriate embellishments and fills.

Jim playing Look-Ka Py Py

Here’s a chart of the form of the song:

 

And the track: