Blue Strat Posted March 5, 2003 Share Posted March 5, 2003 I really like the sound of a good regae rythym, but I can't seem to hit rimshots. How do I do that consistantly? I know I've got to hit the head and rim at the same time with about the same pressure, but I'm having problems doing it every time. I've got a wood snare. Is this better or worse for getting a good rimshot sound? BlueStrat a.k.a. "El Guapo" ...Better fuzz through science... http://geocities.com/teleman28056/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jode Posted March 5, 2003 Share Posted March 5, 2003 How is your snare drum angled? Is it facing you at nearly a 45-degree angle? If it is, you can forget it. Step one to playing a rimshot is being able to REACH the rim. You may need to flatten out the angle of your snare basket. If the top side(closest to your toms) of your batter hoop is more than an inch higher than the bottom side (closest to your crotch), then flatten it out some. I've seen so many drummers playing with their snare and toms damn near facing them head-on - it's easier to get more sounds out of them if you flatten them out a little. The difference between a rimshot and a non-rimshot should only be an inch or so movement of your arm. "I had to have something, and it wasn't there. I couldn't go down the street and buy it, so I built it." Les Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted March 5, 2003 Share Posted March 5, 2003 I find it easier to do good rim shots playing traditional grip. But then, I'm not really a drummer. Our drummer plays matched grip and does great rim shots - he does keep the snare perfectly flat, as Jode mentions. Doing them consistently just takes a lot of practice/repetition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted March 5, 2003 Share Posted March 5, 2003 Jode has it. For an extreme example, look at nearly any Buddy Rich photograph or video; damn snare drum was tilted so far AWAY from the man he could almost read the badge. Then there's the issue of what kind of rimshot you have in your mind: Stick-off or stick-on? Stick-off would be as described somewhat by Lee, where the tip of the stick is in the middle of the head and the shaft/body of the stick extends backwards off the drum and into your hand; the body of the stick hits the rim at the same time as the tip hits the head...which is not as dynamic as stick-on, where the butt of the stick rests on the head about an inch or two from the rim, the body of the stick is in your hand, and the shoulder (the area just prior to the tip) whacks the rim on the opposite side from the butt. This, obviously, is relegated only to matched grip. It allows more authority and more dynamics. For me, anyway, going flatter with the snare allowed me to develop rimshot finesse in both traditional and matched grip; it might also help you develop more articulation in your left hand during the times you don't want rimshot, because your wrist and hand are a little more up in the air, and you have to think a little more about what you're doing. I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 I actually play mostly traditional grip. I hardly angle my snare ... and I can hardly play without a hard "gock" as I call it. "Gock" was a drum corps term that we used to use when a combination between a snare and rimshot were played. I am actually know in my circles for a hard backbeat ... and the secret ... is that gock. This is best achieved when you strick the snare where the shank of the stick strikes the rim while also stricking the head. The result is just an intense smack. Hope this helps. DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offramp Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 "gock"...yesssss, great description...the cousin to Alex Van Halen's "toonk". I've upped my standards; now, up yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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