Very good info and demo. The first time I tried playing with brushes, I had no instructions on anything regarding brushes. My first try with brushes was on a brand new COATED Ambassador head and I actually bent the wires backwards on each stroke. It was in the 60's and I wanted to learn jazz. I found a professional drummer - not just a teacher - who instructed me the correct way. No TH-cam back then! 60 years later, I'm still learning and love the brushes. Your video is perfect.
I just sat down after a hard day of being 50 years old for the first time ever ( its my birthday ) and i get an extra present to watch. I love brushes so a great show tonight. Thanks nate.
The best brushes instruction I have seen yet. You have a unique talent for breaking things down without flair (no offense), but with plenty of substance and relevance.
Great. Awesome. I appreciate that it's a really condensed, and that it cuts through the confusion. Being profound and straightforward isn't always easy, but you really nail that in your teaching style. I've been playing brushes for a few years already, and I still am walking away learning some new insights :)
Even when I don’t have time to watch a whole episode, I always gotta give Nathan a quick insta-👍 ... Ya gotta love his commitment (& he’s let himself get funnier). 😄
I watched Steve Smith's art of playing brushes - it amazing how basic some of the old greats were with their brush technique - mostly swoosh with the left tap with the right. It's only the modern guys that made this so complicated - which really fits in with your 8020 thing - (in context) sounding good on brushes is still mostly about timing/feel, to a lesser extent though, to an even lesser extent creativity.
Suddenly found myself playing jazz this past 6 months. This video helps my brush playing immensely, thank you! Also I believe you called my go to brush pattern "lame" at one point. But you gave me a bunch of better ones to work with instead so I'll let it slide. Heh slide. Because brush playing. And puns.
Fantastic mini lesson! So much packed into it. Thanks so much Nate. I’m got the coaching course from a while ago and would definitely recommend it to others thinking about it
Great lesson!!! Perfect delivery of information that’s to the point, stern but tongue in cheek. Diggin’ it! Looking forward to the next video! Stay sharp my friend!
This is such a great lesson. Thank you for taking away some of my fears. I’ve said this before but it bears repeating: you are humorous in a manner that advances the educational process. I bet all of your students dig your quirky, dry wit.
Thx ! I'm a french drummer (yes it exists) and play yesterday, with great pleasure, "autumn leaves ", les feuilles mortes... (dead leaves!), with my band after seeing your brush technique video ! Do you speak french ; )
Very interesting video. You have to love brushes to play like this. I'll come back later, Roland doesn't allow me to work the brushes. I changed my motion with brushes when I switched to matched grip. And I changed my snare head, because the Remo coating didn't last long. But honestly, the only thing I like with brushes, is the moment when you take the sticks. Jo Jones was very good at that, he switched instantly.
@@8020drummer lol, 6hrs in and its tanking? i dont think so. i mean, im a bassist and im here. i tell all my musician buddys to check you out. i think your reaching alot of the rite people, and your damn good at it, like the adam neely of drums lol
I'm not actually a drummer, but I'm enjoying this. You're a good teacher. Do you have any lessons on how to count salsa and Afro Cuban beats? Specifically 2/3?
What do you play ? In all the books I have, they count 1 2 3 4 (quarter notes) but the feeling is 2/2 for a lot of styles. Anyway, the secret is to sing the clave. La clave es la llave, la llave es la clave. Everything you play is related somehow to the clave, the clave IS the tempo. Rebecca Mauleon (p) wrote great books on the subject, and Ed Uribe wrote The essence of afro-cuban percussion & drumset.
This would have been helpful six years ago when I had to cover a couple of jazz tunes and spent three weeks screaming at my snare drum before finally coming up with something kinda sorta like this. But the lesson was great nonetheless.
Brandon M brushes are their own art, like jiujitsu. [sean bean] one does not simply crash course the brushes, any more than you’d expect to beat a black belt after training for one week. Other side of that is, don’t feel bad if you didn’t sound great after only 3 weeks. It’ll be there for you when you want to pick it up again
@@8020drummer Two things: 1. I have just started learning brushes and I would like to say this is an excellent resource/tutorial video. 2. As a Yorkshireman, anything said in a Sean Bean voice is accepted as an unquestionable message from the universe....
@@8020drummer Pretty much the entire lesson, I need to get better at using brushes, never really knew how to do it. I'm going to start slow and follow each of your steps.
@@8020drummeryou tied all the patterns together seamlessly into a progression of tempos with variations in technique and time signature. That really is a unified brush theory.
No. In fact it will probably make you worse. And unlike rocket science, it won't eventually early you millions, either, so you can exact revenge on the chads in your late 40s the way Elon can.
Great video. One question: how do you integrate comping accents and 'fills' into these patterns without breaking the pattern? Do you keep the brushes moving in circles while you accent?
Actually not sure. I learned jazz traditional, and later switched to playing mostly matched with sticks, but stayed traditional with the brushes. There are "flick" mechanics the LH trad makes easier, but I'm sure matched brush guys have hacked that. (Interestingly, Eric Harland, though he plays mostly matched with sticks, also often plays trad with brushes)
I have. Personal opinion was that slow tempos with his method had a pretty steep "touch" learning curve. If it works for you, great. This video is just what worked for me - people can take or leave :)
How to play brushes so that you can be heard through a band? I'm in a big band at school & when the chart calls for brushes I always get hit with the "Can't hear the drums"
Articulate what you can, turn the snares on. Look up the "fop" sound from Ed Soph. Make sure you play the hi hats clearly and in time. Use the "ring" at the other end of the brushes to play on the cymbals for a sound that cuts through. Check out John Riley's playing with Bob Mintzer or the Vanguard Orchestra. Ultimately, switch to sticks :P
Nate's the man! Is your snare head coated? If it's coated, is the coating old and worn down? The drum may need a head with fresh coating. The brushes are loud on rough surfaces and soft on smooth surfaces
Nathan is right. Drum heads are not often brand new in a music school. I changed my ambassador for Aquarian heads, the coating produces a slightly louder sound and lasts much longer. You can also use thicker wires, like the jeff hamilton model. Not my favorite brushes, but useful when you need power or a better rebound to play last train home (Metheny) without killing your wrists for the next four tunes. And of course, work every thing Nate shows you in this video, He masters these horrible things called brushes. I don't.
@@8020drummer Just... Why not call it the Papa Jo thing? It's like calling the Blakey press roll the "Carl Allen" thing. He'd probably correct you himself. Nice lesson otherwise btw
@@8020drummer I meant to say it's in desperate need of a new batter head for the snare. But still love your videos. I'm curious, are you in a shared practice room?
Very good info and demo. The first time I tried playing with brushes, I had no instructions on anything regarding brushes. My first try with brushes was on a brand new COATED Ambassador head and I actually bent the wires backwards on each stroke. It was in the 60's and I wanted to learn jazz. I found a professional drummer - not just a teacher - who instructed me the correct way. No TH-cam back then! 60 years later, I'm still learning and love the brushes.
Your video is perfect.
At what tempo should I be concerned with starting a brush fire?
420
At 451 the instructional books catch fire, too.
i feel like nate is becoming more and more of a wise drum veteran every episode
I just sat down after a hard day of being 50 years old for the first time ever ( its my birthday ) and i get an extra present to watch. I love brushes so a great show tonight. Thanks nate.
Doublebass aaaaw ur too kind
I got like a month to play decent brushes you are the best.
The best brushes instruction I have seen yet. You have a unique talent for breaking things down without flair (no offense), but with plenty of substance and relevance.
Tony Williams had the most elegant patterns I’ve ever seen. I use them quite a lot.
Thank you. Great ideas presented in such an easy way to understand.
Great. Awesome. I appreciate that it's a really condensed, and that it cuts through the confusion. Being profound and straightforward isn't always easy, but you really nail that in your teaching style. I've been playing brushes for a few years already, and I still am walking away learning some new insights :)
Excellent overview of jazz brush patterns used at different drummers at various tempos
Good stuff Nate👌🏼 Any drummer unfamiliar with brushes, or who rarely uses them, should watch this.
Even when I don’t have time to watch a whole episode, I always gotta give Nathan a quick insta-👍 ... Ya gotta love his commitment (& he’s let himself get funnier). 😄
the sound of the ocean brings tranquility. Meanwhile I can continue practicing watching this valuable lesson!
I’m trying this matched grip. I’ve got a long journey ahead. Thank you for this great introduction
Great!!! Please do a Part 2 soon!!
Thanks man. That's the best brush breakdown of all time.
THIS is what I've been searching for. Exact, to-the-point Brush pattern exercises in different speeds. Thanks ~💡❕
Ah - the guy who used to tell me I had man breasts. What's really good?
I watched Steve Smith's art of playing brushes - it amazing how basic some of the old greats were with their brush technique - mostly swoosh with the left tap with the right. It's only the modern guys that made this so complicated - which really fits in with your 8020 thing - (in context) sounding good on brushes is still mostly about timing/feel, to a lesser extent though, to an even lesser extent creativity.
Suddenly found myself playing jazz this past 6 months. This video helps my brush playing immensely, thank you! Also I believe you called my go to brush pattern "lame" at one point. But you gave me a bunch of better ones to work with instead so I'll let it slide. Heh slide. Because brush playing. And puns.
Fantastic mini lesson! So much packed into it. Thanks so much Nate. I’m got the coaching course from a while ago and would definitely recommend it to others thinking about it
I want a "way more robust magic carpet sound!" Thanks! Daniel
Thank you, boiled down very well. It's taking out a lot of complexity.
Great lesson!!! Perfect delivery of information that’s to the point, stern but tongue in cheek. Diggin’ it! Looking forward to the next video! Stay sharp my friend!
This is such a great lesson. Thank you for taking away some of my fears. I’ve said this before but it bears repeating: you are humorous in a manner that advances the educational process. I bet all of your students dig your quirky, dry wit.
Brilliant! Thanks for this! Im starting my journey on this and its really gonna help, cool beans!
Thx ! I'm a french drummer (yes it exists) and play yesterday, with great pleasure, "autumn leaves ", les feuilles mortes... (dead leaves!), with my band after seeing your brush technique video ! Do you speak french ; )
Very interesting video. You have to love brushes to play like this. I'll come back later, Roland doesn't allow me to work the brushes. I changed my motion with brushes when I switched to matched grip. And I changed my snare head, because the Remo coating didn't last long. But honestly, the only thing I like with brushes, is the moment when you take the sticks. Jo Jones was very good at that, he switched instantly.
which probably explains why this video is TANKING. But sometimes I gotta do me.
@@8020drummer lol, 6hrs in and its tanking? i dont think so. i mean, im a bassist and im here. i tell all my musician buddys to check you out. i think your reaching alot of the rite people, and your damn good at it, like the adam neely of drums lol
Dude your content is awesome
Beautiful brush work! To me the smooth drone is the mark of a fine player (and feathering the bass drum is fahkin hard!)
I'm not actually a drummer, but I'm enjoying this. You're a good teacher. Do you have any lessons on how to count salsa and Afro Cuban beats? Specifically 2/3?
What do you play ? In all the books I have, they count 1 2 3 4 (quarter notes) but the feeling is 2/2 for a lot of styles. Anyway, the secret is to sing the clave. La clave es la llave, la llave es la clave. Everything you play is related somehow to the clave, the clave IS the tempo. Rebecca Mauleon (p) wrote great books on the subject, and Ed Uribe wrote The essence of afro-cuban percussion & drumset.
Tks! More please!
This would have been helpful six years ago when I had to cover a couple of jazz tunes and spent three weeks screaming at my snare drum before finally coming up with something kinda sorta like this. But the lesson was great nonetheless.
Brandon M brushes are their own art, like jiujitsu. [sean bean] one does not simply crash course the brushes, any more than you’d expect to beat a black belt after training for one week. Other side of that is, don’t feel bad if you didn’t sound great after only 3 weeks. It’ll be there for you when you want to pick it up again
@@8020drummer Two things:
1. I have just started learning brushes and I would like to say this is an excellent resource/tutorial video.
2. As a Yorkshireman, anything said in a Sean Bean voice is accepted as an unquestionable message from the universe....
Great lesson.
Thank you!
Thanks man! I needed a video like this! Adding it my list so I don't loose it.
what was your favorite part
@@8020drummer Pretty much the entire lesson, I need to get better at using brushes, never really knew how to do it. I'm going to start slow and follow each of your steps.
@@8020drummeryou tied all the patterns together seamlessly into a progression of tempos with variations in technique and time signature. That really is a unified brush theory.
good technique!
Boom, compiled a lot of stuff there, having all these things unarticulated isn't good. Well done.
Great stuff , thanks for this. Very insightful!
I wonder how Bob Ross would approach this
This was fantastic! Great breakdown. I have more knowledge of the Philly and Bill Stewart vibe but the Ed Soph swishes always gave me anxiety!
This is all to say, I am your target audience. We have found the bottom of the niche. 😂
thank you man
Will this brush technique help me get better at talking to women?
No. In fact it will probably make you worse. And unlike rocket science, it won't eventually early you millions, either, so you can exact revenge on the chads in your late 40s the way Elon can.
The 80/20 Drummer Damn. Feelin’ pretty bummy ever since my dream girl hooked up with the triangle player in our band.
No, you’ll be more likely to get the brush-off .
I’m glad it’s finally out in the open. Outward sweeps don’t make sense. Sorry Elvin, you were wrong.
Here, have a like for the title from the thumbnail alone!
the last pattern sounds like samba
Great video. One question: how do you integrate comping accents and 'fills' into these patterns without breaking the pattern? Do you keep the brushes moving in circles while you accent?
Is there a particular reason for playing brushes with traditional grip when you play matched grip with regular sticks?
Actually not sure. I learned jazz traditional, and later switched to playing mostly matched with sticks, but stayed traditional with the brushes. There are "flick" mechanics the LH trad makes easier, but I'm sure matched brush guys have hacked that. (Interestingly, Eric Harland, though he plays mostly matched with sticks, also often plays trad with brushes)
I always felt that Philly Joe’s book deals with different tempos and patterns in a good way. Have you checked it out?
I have. Personal opinion was that slow tempos with his method had a pretty steep "touch" learning curve. If it works for you, great. This video is just what worked for me - people can take or leave :)
The 80/20 Drummer thanks for the feedback!
Clayton Cameron
Nice! I'll give it a crack since it looks like you've cracked the universal brush code...
Cheers
This man said i fell off the wagon ( and was right. )
that lame part sent me 😆
How to play brushes so that you can be heard through a band? I'm in a big band at school & when the chart calls for brushes I always get hit with the "Can't hear the drums"
Articulate what you can, turn the snares on. Look up the "fop" sound from Ed Soph. Make sure you play the hi hats clearly and in time. Use the "ring" at the other end of the brushes to play on the cymbals for a sound that cuts through. Check out John Riley's playing with Bob Mintzer or the Vanguard Orchestra. Ultimately, switch to sticks :P
Nate's the man! Is your snare head coated? If it's coated, is the coating old and worn down? The drum may need a head with fresh coating. The brushes are loud on rough surfaces and soft on smooth surfaces
Nathan is right. Drum heads are not often brand new in a music school. I changed my ambassador for Aquarian heads, the coating produces a slightly louder sound and lasts much longer. You can also use thicker wires, like the jeff hamilton model. Not my favorite brushes, but useful when you need power or a better rebound to play last train home (Metheny) without killing your wrists for the next four tunes.
And of course, work every thing Nate shows you in this video, He masters these horrible things called brushes. I don't.
A good companion to this vid is the Ed Soph 7-part series of vids. Here is the first one: th-cam.com/video/poX07Mxjxeg/w-d-xo.html
The problem w/ most really up-tempo "cheats" is that they always sound like a horse gallop, something I never hear the pros sound like.
which pros are those?
@@8020drummer Elvin, Specs, Philly. They never sound like a horse gallop at high tempi brushes. Only chumps like me. ; 0
I'm a guitarist who just picked up the bass seriously. Why am I watching this?!
Could you go more in depth w/ brushes!!!
The "Ed Thigpen Bill Stewart thing"? Are you fuckin kidding?
Tell me more
@@8020drummer Just... Why not call it the Papa Jo thing? It's like calling the Blakey press roll the "Carl Allen" thing. He'd probably correct you himself. Nice lesson otherwise btw
What did the drummer say to the guitarist:
You think it’s hard? Don’t fret...
If you try to learn jazz brush, you have to have the brushes 😟
Glad he switched snare drum for this video. The snare he uses for most video’s is in a sad state and desperately needs changing. 😆
I have to admit I was cowed by the criticism. I folded.
@@8020drummer I meant to say it's in desperate need of a new batter head for the snare. But still love your videos. I'm curious, are you in a shared practice room?
Okay. Brush work. That’s one step closer to Snake Jazz: th-cam.com/video/FGY0MoIU-Ik/w-d-xo.html