grids
Here is an intro video to the technique I’ve developed: “Grids”.
After seeing this video, do you want to dig into this concept more?
What are grids and what is “gridyfing”?
“Gridyfing” is a technique I’ve used successfully to capitalize, exploit and expand-upon rhythmic ideas (or licks). It is a way to organize a small group of ideas in order to efficiently discover variations.
The above video explains how my first inkling of this idea occurred long ago as I pondered how to expand upon my new found ability to play a famous drum part: “Wipe Out”.
My First Grid
The first grid I came up with was created from a lick I used to play all the time. I discovered that by putting the elements from it - four paradiddle-diddles and one paradiddle - in a grid, and moving around the location of the paradiddle, I could increase the possibilities of the lick 5-fold.
Here is that grid, that I originally called the “paradiddle- schmiddle”, which later became “Grid #1”.
Instructions: work across the page, playing each line a few times before moving to the next line in the grid, non-stop.
Accent the first note of each paradiddle-diddle and first and fifth note of each paradiddle.
Start the grid with RH and LH to get the full benefit of the grid.
Play at a 1/16 th note rate, with a bass drum on every quarter note throughout. Accents can eventually travel up and down the kit.