Drumming Rudiments with Jeff Hamilton

Master Jazz drummer Jeff Hamilton sits with drummer Sammy Miller to discuss the rudiments of drumming, and how you can apply the rudiments in a musical capacity!
Learn more at our Jazz Academy, by visiting academy.jazz.org
Jeff Hamilton - Drums
Sammy Miller - Speaker
Eric Suquet - Director
Bill Thomas - Director of Photography
Aaron Chandler - Sound Engineer
Richard Emery - Production Assistant
Seton Hawkins - Producer
Recorded January 24, 2014

[@boomerguy9935]

When I was a garage rock drummer in the early 60's, I saw Buddy Rich on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. I found a local jazz drummer who had actually filled in on The Tonight Show while Ed Shaughnessy was on vacation and begged him to teach me jazz. He wasn't a teacher, but I finally wore him down. He was like Mr. Miyagi on The Karate Kid with "waxy on, waxy off", with the rudiments. Each week, I was given one rudiment to practice, The following week I was given another. He said if I did not improve each week, the lessons stopped. FINALLY, he showed me how to incorporate the rudiments into the songs and applying accents within them. I never attained his skill level but the rudiments are everything! I am in my 70's and I still practice my rudiments.

[@QuinnIsAwesome21]

man, this guy might just be the hippest musical drummer this side of the Hudson

[@webber977]

This side of the milky-way more like lol

[@drummadave]

i live right on the edge of the Hudson- the east side....i bet they're alluding to the west side here....

[@longfade]

I studied with Jeff at the Centrum Festival in Port Townsend, WA back in the late 80s, for two seasons. His teaching really pulled me out of a pretty dismal hole I was in at that time. I was only 19/20 years old at that time, but I still owe a ton to his guidance at such a pivotal time. This video is great and I wish I'd been advanced enough back then to really delve into these concepts. It's great to see that Jeff is still a great educator and a consummate musician. It's a rare combination. Thanks for posting these - brings back a lot of great memories with Jeff and, more importantly, offers a lot of great food for thought.

[@ahmadtheaviationlover1937]

Jeff Hamilton is intelligent as hell! He knows the very core of s drum kit!!

[@yurib7067]

That brother is all class man. All class.

[@brianchisnell1548]

Early 70's my instructor taught reading, rudiments, snare solos, then drum set. It gives you a great toolbox. A big reason there are so many frustrated match grip single strokers out there.

[@craigcompoliphotography1235]

That is a great video by an amazing jazz drummer.

[@RobHoughton]

Great, great, advice re: what you can sing, you can play. It all comes from the inside!

[@robertbrindamour8309]

Thank you Jeff for your musical tips.

[@markielinhart]

Brilliant! Thank you so much. A humming I will go… 👏🌹🇦🇺✌️

[@markatkinson299]

Awesome! Great lesson. Thank you.

[@13TeK11]

what a charming fellow!:D

[@ivannio5836]

So great to watch and listen to. Thank you.

[@kevinturner5857]

Fabulous drummer Geoff ♥️

[@celticpridedrums]

so cool

[@boomerguy9935]

Joe Morello used single and double paradiddles combined in his solo in Take Five. Rudiments are everything, once you've learned the phrasing with the accents.

[@genuineuni]

I came across a CD, Big Band, I read Jeff was the drummer, John Pizzarelli's Dear Mr. Sinatra. Jeff was impressive. I like how Jeff tells you (here) the "hear" what you want to play before playing it - plan ahead. Thanks for your talent!

[@andrewyka]

Jeff is Great Jazz drummer+Bigband he reding sheets great!!! and sands so Great!!! National Recording Artists.long time.

[@drumyogi9281]

Damn, I haven't listened to the Jeff Hamilton Trio for a while. It's been too long! What was I thinking haha

[@Old_Man_Medina_Gaming]

Great concept, thanks Mr Hamilton-

[@Jerbrown]

Jeff is the man. He’s driving the bus.

[@TheGurner1]

Yes!

[@morgankara]

Wonderful!

[@mletalien]

Nice stuff. Thanks Jeff!

[@conradmason87]

Beautifious!🥁🎶

[@weeklydrumdiary1277]

Very informative!

[@webstercat]

Great insight.

[@lizwynaco2222]

Good stuff.

[@tdrum21]

When he's playing the ratamacue backwards starting from the kick and floor is there a double on the bass or the floor tom? Trying to figure out the pattern there...

[@rthmjohn]

+tdrum21 They're most definitely double strokes on the bass drum.

[@stalliec]

Yes. The regular ratamacue is "LLR" being the ruff (drag) followed by triplet "LRL". Jeff orchestrates it on the kit: the "LLR" (drag) on the snare, followed by the triplet - mounted tom (L), floor tom (R), kick. "Reverse direction" he orchestrates it : the "LLR" (drag) as two kicks and floor tom (R), followed by the triplet - mounted tom (L) snare (RL). Hope this helps.

[@ili626]

Anyone know what snare he’s using?

[@sluggo68]

This side of the Hudson

[@PayneKrunk]

what mic is that

[@ptronicmusic]

Looks like an AKG C414 of some kind

[@boomerguy9935]

Ella Fitzgerald could scat-sing all instruments. Jeff can scat-sing all rudiments.