Pete Cater's guide to Big Band Drumming. Part 2: Key Techniques

In a new series for Rhythm Magazine, UK Big Band drummer Pete Cater presents everything you need to know to become an authentic Big Band drummer.
Pete covers everything from the history of the genre and key players like Buddy Rich, 'Papa' Jo Jones and Gene Krupa, to the quintessential Big Band drum sound and key techniques every drummer should know.
In part 2, Pete talks through key techniques drummers will need to get started with a Big Band.
For the full feature you can pick up the new issue from bit.ly/rhythmla... or take advantage of our print, digital and print/digital bundle subscription offers at bit.ly/rhythmsu...
Videos shot at Bell Studios: www.bellstudios...

[@James-Chapman-Drums]

A fantastic player with incredible feel and respect for the music. This is such a simple lesson, but there is so much to learn from this. Thanks.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

James Chapman Thanks James. It's that foundational stuff that counts. Our aim with this series is to de-mistify some of the basics of the genre and hopefully encourage players both young and old to give it a shot. Also a lot of the fundamental logic of this stuff can be applied to any genre you choose.

[@ledgebetter]

hi pete,i would say i am a typical rock drummer but watching your video hs inspired me to get into big band.thanks

[@PeteCaterdrums]

ledgebetter Great stuff. The big band drummers were the first 'star' players and there is such a lot you can learn from their legacy at all sorts of levels.

[@ameliechevalier]

3:34 "That's just gonna sound terrible". Love it. Great four part series, and wonderful drumming.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Thank you. Your comment is sincerely appreciated.

[@steveurwingreyhairwithcrea5310]

So astute in his instruction and advice...a gem

[@PeteCaterdrums]

SJ URWIN thank you.

[@marhb99]

I'm in my school's jazz band and these lessons helped me develop so much more thank you so much!

[@PeteCaterdrums]

+Martin B That's great martin, I'm very pleased to hear it. Thanks!

[@GAMEDOGWARRIORS]

Amazing playing! Great teacher

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Thanks very much!

[@63Baggies]

Watching Pete with MYJO at the Cannon Hill Arts Centre always made me late for my bands rehearsals; IMHO Pete has always been an educator and a very giving musician.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

+Robert Dore thanks Robert. Great to be in touch.

[@paulbonham2983]

I have always wanted to be able to do this big band style of drumming. So much to learn but this is just wonderful. I need to be able to have my kit near by and practice but I'm loving this Peter, thank you so much.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Paul Bonham Thank you Paul. Two more installments to come.

[@bigd-1-channel514]

Nice study here, Always dig your Big band work.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Thanks very much!

[@justinodowd4182]

Brilliant.thanks for this.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

justin odowd Pleasure!

[@gazjazz0186]

Wonderful stuff, thanks Pete.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Gaz Jazz01 Thank you!

[@athlonian11]

Great videos Pete, very helpful and informative. I saw you and your band in Cadogan Hall circa 2008/2009. Top drummer and top band! Delighted to see you are still helping in education and keeping big band music alive, you're an inspiration :)

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Thank you Eamon, I'm anticipating a return to Cadogan Hall as part of a run of shows in the latter part of 2017.

[@Jimmythedrumteacher]

just so good. Thanks for this!

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Thanks Jimmy!

[@Jimmythedrumteacher]

Very helpful.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Jimmythedrumteacher That's good to know Jimmy.

[@vernonsteinkamp1088]

Very informative. Coming from a rock/funk back ground, this is a whole different ballgame. As I've aged, I'm looking for a "softer" approach to drumming and I think this will do it. This will also challenge the hand/eye/mind coordination.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Thank you. Big band is a great genre for us drummers. In the space of a two hour show you can be called upon to play everything from New Orleans to contemporary jazz, rock, funk, Brazilian, Afro Cuban, you name it, so get stuck in and have a blast.

[@russellesimonetta9071]

Uhh, are those cans Premier??? I,m American and we don,t see those around much. Nice!

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Yup. This was a while ago now and we don't really see Premier in the UK any more either!

[@musicmusic6595]

I really found chapins advanced techniques helped me tremendously, i remember working on that book extremely early in my playing, getting super confused, but eventually getting through it, took me some serious hours :). I really look forward to your dvd il be getting my self a copy, thanks for the vids pete!

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Music Music Thanks a lot for your comment.

[@johnrsavel]

I was wondering, is it important to use traditional grip when playing big band style or jazz in general? great videos. very helpful.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

+John S I'm not sure if it could be deemed to be important per se, but personally I have always favoured the trad grip, although I use both to a limited degree. All the drummers I looked up who played jazz and big band music used trad grip so it was pretty inevitable that I would follow that path.

[@bentdrum]

Pete, wonderful stuff. On hi-hat technique: specifically, lightly holding the hats while playing time. While I've used this technique I question it. Do we do this to adjust / vary the opening between the cymbals, or to merely provide some tilt so they wash together? All modern hats have a tilt adjustment for the bottom cymbal, but maybe there's something I'm missing… (One of my favourites, Sam Woodyard with Ellington, used to hold the hats and also tap the hi-hat stand with his stick for a very light back-beat. He was also great at riding half-open hats.)

[@PeteCaterdrums]

+bentdrum I have given this a lot of thought over the years, and whilst it is impossible to be certain I wonder if the engineering of those early pedals was so primitive that nuance and shading could not be effectively achieved by use of the foot alone. Bear in mind also that the early jazz drummer would play 2 and 4 on a small-ish crash cymbal whilst choking it with the left hand, usually on a 'hot' chorus. I agree with you about Woodyard, Mel Lewis and Nick Ceroli were also masters of 'legato' hi hat time. Thanks for all your comments; sincerely appreciated.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

My new book, Stickings, Dexterity and Orchestration is exclusively available from www.petecater.org/store

[@edkriegedrumming]

really excellent information; thank you. i notice that no rim shots are used... do you reserve those for drum solos?

[@PeteCaterdrums]

I'm not a big user of rimshots in this kind of context. Good observation! I mainly used them for backbeats in other settings.

[@FawleyJude]

When you're doing the swing ride on the high hat are you getting the open/close sound by using your foot or by alternating a choke/releasse of the high hat cymbals with your left hand?

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Jude F. It's actually a combination of the two. A lot of times students have difficulty getting a good jazz ride sound off the hi hat because they shut the cymbals too tight. Even when closed there should be some resonance and length to the notes, just like the quarter notes of a walking bass line. As a rule the faster the tempo the more hand control I use and at slower tempos I emphasise the foot a bit more. Rarely I will close the cymbals very tightly but that's for a specific effect rather than in general playing.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

My two hour DVD is now available covering technique, rhythm section duties, brushes, big band playing and improvisation. Details here.... petecater.org/store/

[@JeffoftheShout]

Excellent stuff! What kind of Remo, batter head are you using on the snare?

[@PeteCaterdrums]

It's a Renaissance Ambassador.

[@jordancollins7714]

Pete Cater what head is on the snare?

[@PeteCaterdrums]

Jordan Collins it's a Remo Renaissance, not something I normally use but it was lying around and I needed a new head for that drum. Like it very much.

[@PeteCaterdrums]

My crowdfunding campaign to produce a technique and concepts dvd can be found here www.indiegogo.com/projects/pete-cater-drum-instruction-dvd-music-jazz/x/15946557#/backers

[@PeteCaterdrums]

All kinds of exciting live shows coming up. Visit www.petecater.org/events for more information.