So you've got the basics of jazz drumming down—you can keep time, you know your rudiments, and maybe you’ve even tackled a few standards. But now you're staring at the gap between "beginner" and "pro," wondering how to bridge it. The answer? Intermediate jazz drills.
These exercises aren’t just about speed or flashy chops (though those will come). They’re about refining your time feel, expanding your vocabulary, and unlocking the fluidity that makes jazz drumming sound effortless. Here’s a breakdown of drills to take your playing to the next level.
1. The "Three-Way" Independence Drill
Jazz demands limb independence, but intermediate players often plateau with basic coordination. Try this:
- Right hand: Play swing ride pattern (spang-a-lang)
- Left hand: Comp with quarter notes on snare (ghosted or accented)
- Left foot: Feather bass drum on all four beats
Once comfortable, add variations: displace snare comps by an 8th note, or play bass drum on "&" of 2 and 4. The goal? Make each limb react, not just repeat.
2. Dynamic Phrasing with Stickings
Jazz is a language, and dynamics are your accent. Practice this sticking pattern at pianissimo to forte:
R L R R | L R L L | (repeat)
Now apply it to the kit:
- Play right hand on ride bell
- Play left hand on snare (rim clicks for texture)
- Add kick drum on beat 3 as a punctuation mark
This teaches control and how to "speak" through the drums.
3. Metric Modulation Warm-Up
Ever feel stuck in 4/4? This drill shifts time feels seamlessly:
- Play a basic swing pattern in 4/4 for 4 bars
- Transition to triplet feel (think "Blue Rondo à la Turk") for 4 bars
- Shift to half-time swing (like a ballad) for 4 bars
- Return to 4/4
Pro tip: Use a click track set to dotted quarter notes to internalize the shifts.
4. The "Elvin Jones" Triplet Grid
Elvin’s magic was in his triplet phrasing. Try this grid over a swing ride pattern:
K S S | K S S | K K S | S K S | (repeat)
Key points:
- Keep the ride steady—don’t let the kick/snare disrupt the flow
- Experiment with omitting the "K" on beat 1 to create tension
- Gradually increase tempo until it feels like second nature
5. Transcription Snippet Challenge
Don’t just transcribe—reverse engineer. Pick a 4-bar Philly Joe Jones or Tony Williams phrase and:
- Learn it exactly as played
- Isolate one element (e.g., snare comping) and improvise over it
- Play the original phrase in 3 different tempos (slow, medium, burning)
This builds both vocabulary and adaptability.
Final Thought: Quality Over Quantity
Unlike rock or pop, jazz drumming thrives on nuance. Spend 15 focused minutes/day on one drill instead of mindless repetition. Record yourself—does it swing? Does it breathe? That’s how you go from intermediate to pro.
Now go practice—and remember, even Tony Williams started with a single spang-a-lang.
