Working On My Swing Thing

[bensdrums]

Good evening fellow HODers,

I post this humbly because there are so many players here that are monsters, but I've been working hard at my jazz playing over the past year or so and I'm seeking some feedback from all you cats that I respect so much. I'm looking for conceptual type feedback... I'm aware there are some boners in my playing here (botched the ending of course, amongst others) and I just got some GoPros and decided to throw them up and go for it with one of the Erskine Jazz app tunes on my iPad and mics through Logic and some quick camera switching in Final Cut. I didn't do any special EQ or compression stuff, this is basically how things sound in my little project studio with a little leveling. This isn't a public facing youtube vid, it's just for those I share it with, but I figure this is one of the best places to go for some feedback on how I'm approaching playing jazz and maybe some things I should think about in approach, conceptually or otherwise. It's fair game for you all here. Let me know where I can improve.

Many thanks in advance,

Ben

[Steve Holmes]

Ben - thanks for posting.
Do you have a specific idea of a feel or sound you're going for when playing swing?
Also, is there a reference recording that you think has that ideal playing?

[Odd-Arne Oseberg]

I'm probably the least accomplished drummer here, but long time musician, though.


I guess I asking the same.

Are you demonstrating drum things you're working on, or you trying to play to the song, solos...?

Would be interesting to hear something slightly slower and what kind of ideas you would use on that.

[Juan Expósito]

Hi Ben,
Apart of Steve´s and Odd´s questions, I would like to hear a better mix. I´ve listened to it on good headphones and the bass drum is really low in the mix and the sound is a little confusing.
I think you give good vibe to the tune, but with better sound the feedback will be better.
Keep posting !!
Cheers.

[Julián Fernández]

You may wanna turn the click down too... Maybe the tune was a little too fast for you to be comfortable? To me, there´s not enough articulation on either the ride or the comping... Not sure if that´s conceptual or not, but that´s the thing that stroke the most me when listening... Keep swingin´

[Lucas Ives]

Hey Ben,

First off, really love to see folks enjoying the playalong -- thanks for the support!

In addition to the mix issues others have called out, what really jumps out to me is a lot of cadencing on the downbeat, the way one would in backbeat-oriented music. Especially in this tune, which is essentially the changes for Coltrane's Impressions, it's all about the & of 2 and the & of 4 (as you can hear in Alan's piano).

In the comping, I'm missing the "broad 3" feel -- it's a little too up and down, or square, for my taste.

Keep posting, and keep swinging!

[Jim Richman]

I would concentrate on learning the song. The piano is playing a head, and that is what the basis is for improvisation. Your phrasing is not within the structure of what the piano is laying down.
Basically you need to learn the song. Don't memorize the solos.

[DeeP_FRieD]

Nice work. Great suggestions by everyone as well.

The bit of advice that I can add to this, and this is very compartment of what Lucas mentioned, is in regards to the quarter note feel.

The bass player is laying into it, but I hear the ride dancing around it, never really committing. I'm not saying you have to lay into every quarter note, but even with heavy variation and syncopation, it's should always be felt.

The ride is the essence of the swing feel. It should always be top dog mix-wise and when it comes to comping and relaying the song form. The rest of the things happening on the kit are supplemental.

[bensdrums]

Thanks all for the feedback. Julian, Lucas, Jim especially... those are the kinds of observations I was really looking for. As far as mixing, as I said, I didn't spend a lot of time polishing it, just kind of went at it right out of the gate. What I'd really like to do is take some of this feedback (the mixing stuff too), work with it some more, and then post the tune again after I've taken all the commentary and (tried to) apply it, kind of a before and after and then see what you guys think. I really appreciate all the constructive criticism... it'll make me better! Thanks! I'll work with it and try to bring a more polished product back in a couple weeks.

[bensdrums]

Deep Fried, thanks as well! Your comment must have come in while I was posting my reply. Will definitely apply that advice as well.