9/8 meter - how to count and play comfortable?

4/4 + 1/8 - In my opinion, this is the most convenient way to divide the 9/8 time signature into simpler ones. We treat this time signature simply as a 4/4 measure extended by one eight note. Here is an example of a musical pattern:

This notation does not accurately reflect the idea, but for clarity - the first part of the bar is an exercise in 4/4 meter, then we add only the eight note at the end (in this case it is the eight converted into the sixteen notes triplet).

3/8 x 3 - The second convenient way is to divide the measure into three parts with a length of three eighths each, as illustrated in the following musical notation:

You count three times to "three," which makes it easier to feel the 9/8 meter. The difficulty, however, is that you cannot "lose" any of the groups of eights, because then you will go beyond the 9/8 meter beat.

6/8 + 3/8 - Counting to "six" and adding "three" you can be equally natural. The 6/8 meter is a pulsation that is comfortable to play, and adding three eights to it shouldn't be a problem:

I did not write the order of the hands intentionally, because on the last day of the snare drum course you will certainly choose the right hand scheme in the exercises presented here, isn't it? 🙂

That three ways are enough to move freely in 9/8 time signature. Choose your favorite counting method, or - even better - use all three. Then you will be able to change the default pulse, counting once as 4/4 + 1/8, other times 3 x 3/8, or 6/8 + 3/8 - your playing will become more interesting and less predictable.

Famous drummers - selected ones - worth getting acquainted with, due to the snare drum technique and more.

To arm you with maximum inspiration and motivation, I attach a list of percussion names that are worth getting to know (YouTube, music CDs they recorded, etc.). These musicians significantly contributed to the development of snare techniques as well as developed the playing on the drum set due to the snare drum patterns, on the basis of which they built their playing style.

Of course, you could add a lot of names, but that's not the point, because in the Internet age you will easily find many modern snare drum masters. For the purpose of inspiration I give the silhouettes of these masters:

Buddy Rich, Baby Dodds, Gene Krupa, Peter Erskine, Steve Gadd, Philly Joe Jones, Ed Thigpen, Joe Morello, Chick Webb, Billy Gladstone, Sanford A. Moeller, Claus Hessler, George Lawrence Stone, ...

...and maybe - your name in the future? 🙂

So now practice the exercises...

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