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Split-Second Decisions for Drum Solos

Split-Second Decisions for Drum Solos

 

How Shimmy/Accent/Filler makes drum solos go more smoothly

This improvisation strategy is an excerpt from my online course, Rock the Routine.
An improvisation strategy is like a mission: it focuses your efforts while you improvise, so you can relax and think more creatively. They even work for choreography!

 

Trying to come up with “an idea” is daunting.

When you know dozens of moves and combos, choosing one is a big job.

Assembling it into a coherent idea is even harder.

Doing it in just a few seconds – and listening to the music at the same time – can seem impossible.
 

The problem is that there are too many options.

As I said in The Improvisation Toolkit Vol. 1, the more choices you have, the harder it is to make a decision. It’s like trying to find your keys at the bottom of an overstuffed tote bag.

So to make quick decisions in the moment, you have to narrow down your choices.

One way to do that is with my “Shimmy/Accent/Filler” technique, or “SAF”.
 

Shimmy/Accent/Filler Breaks The Bottleneck

It’s a way to organize your drum solo options.

Instead of having to choose from all possible options, you only have to decide what your priority is:

  • Shimmies
  • Accents
  • Fillers

Shimmies are any movement that highlight a vibrating sound in the music: hip shimmies, twisting shimmies, shoulder shimmies, belly flutters, you name it.

Accents are moves that highlight sharp sounds in the music: Hip drops, hip snaps, chest drops, belly pops, sudden turns and poses, etc.

Fillers are moves that follow an even beat: traveling steps, smooth movements, etc.

(And some moves may fit into multiple categories: a hip drop can be a sharp accent, or a relaxed filler.)

 

How to Use SAF

 

To use SAF in the moment, just pick one.

Decide whether your priority is to respond to the shimmy, accent, or filler cues in the music.
Then just play with that category for a while.
 

You can do whatever you’d like within that category.

For example, if you chose shimmies, you could:

  • Mix and match different shimmies
  • Vary just one shimmy (timing, layering, orientation)
  • Decorate one or more shimmies (with arms, accents, poses)
  • All of the above

 

You can switch to a different category when the drum solo phrase changes, or when you’re bored and want something new.

 

Psychology Behind SAF

Shimmy/Accent/Filler limits your choices.

This is a good thing.

When you have too many choices, it’s impossible to make a decision. There are just too many options to compare, so you freeze up.

But when you have fewer choices, it’s easier to make a decision. You only have to compare a few options, so you can pick one quickly in the moment.

And once the choice is made, you switch from “choosing” to “creating”.

That decision tells your brain to that it’s time to stop choosing movements, and time to start creating new ways to use them.
 

When to Use SAF

This strategy works almost anywhere in the drum solo.

Really: I’ve never heard a single riff in a drum solo that didn’t call for a shimmy, an accent, or a filler.

So use it whenever you’d like!
 

Dos & Don’ts

Do: Listen for cues in the music.

Sometimes the music clearly calls for one category, or rules one out. When you hear that, obey it.

Don’t: Limit yourself to obvious choices.

You can create accents out of almost any move by stopping it suddenly. (Ex: half circles make a clean accent if you “step on the breaks” firmly.)

Turns, poses, and expressions can also serve as accents.
 

Next Steps

Understanding a strategy is one thing. Putting it into practice is another. So ease yourself into using this technique step-by-step.

1) Brainstorm moves

Make a list of all the shimmies, accents, and filler moves you can think of.
 

2) Dance a full drum solo with each category

Choose a recorded drum solo and try dancing it with just shimmies. Then repeat it with just accents. Then just with filler moves.

Not every section of the song will work well with each category. That’s okay. The goal here is to learn what does and doesn’t work (like trying on clothes).

Just do your best, and don’t be afraid to try unusual ideas.
 

3) Listen for category cues

Listen to your drum solo again (maybe a few times), and try to identify any cues in the music. Do some sections call for certain categories? Do others rule out any categories?

(You don’t need to write this down; just listen for it.)
 

4) Dance a full drum solo with all three categories

Go through an entire drum solo, trading off between the three categories. You get to choose when to use shimmies, when to use accents, and when to use filler.

Repeat this as many times as you’d like.

Extra Credit

If you’d like to go the extra mile today, repeat this with another recorded drum solo.
 

Worried about hearing the “right thing” in the music?

A common mistake with Shimmy/Accent/Filler is to over-think your choices about what goes with the music.

What you hear in the music is pretty subjective. You could play the same song for ten dancers, and each would pick out different things.

A lot of dancers worry about hearing the “right thing” or the “most authentic thing” in the music. But that’s counter-productive.

The most authentic thing you can do is make an honest, personal connection to the music.

So do train your ear, but always listen to your own instincts and honor your own tastes.

That’s what the dancers “over there” are doing.

 

Your Turn

What are your favorite shimmies, accents, and fillers?

Are you already using this technique in some way?

What other strategies do you use for drum solos?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

 
 

p.s. Would you like to try more improvisation strategies? You’ll find many more in my online course, Rock the Routine. The next “live” offering begins Monday, July 10th. (Registration closes at 10pm Eastern time on Sunday, July 9th, so check it out now/a>.)
 
 

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