Zach Hill - Style Analysis - Bass Drum

Zach Hill's explosive drumming style is characterized by dense flurries of melodic abstraction.  

Right Foot

 Arguably the most discernible characteristic of Hill's playing is his lightning fast bass drum. This pattern is a huge weapon Hill utilizes often!

Try these four exercises with a quarter note ride pattern at faster tempos always staying light on your foot and bouncing. 

Once you can play the above exercises comfortably try to play some of the beats from songs I transcribed below.  Anytune Pro+ is a practice tool that I use to loop, slow down, transcribe and play along with songs.  I can't recommend it enough.  The paid version gives you high quality bit rates and equalizers that can isolate different instruments, definately worth it, incredible app!  Website

Hella - 1-800-Ghost Dance (:11) 

Zach Hill - Toll Road (1:22)

Friend/Enemy - Thanx Douglas (:01)

Hella - Biblical Violence (:16)

Hella - Biblical Violence (:36)

 Hella - Biblical Violence (:13)

 Marnie Stern - Prime (1:15)

Enjoy!

Zach Hill - Biblical Violence (:36)

Here are two measures of my transcription of Biblical Violence at approximately (:36).  

Very melodic for being indecipherable! 

Enjoy!

Hannes Grossmann - Stabwound

This is my full transcription of Necrophagist's "Stabwound" performed by drummer Hannes Grossmann.

Pdf

If that does not work try this

Enjoy!

Tony Allen - "Confusion" Quarter Note Hi-Hat Opening Exercise

I began transcribing Tony Allen's work hoping to learn about the subtleties of Afro-beat drumming.  The hi-hat is the main comping voice because the snare and bass pattern is fairly repetitious.   Allen's control over the hats is extraordinary!  To gain dexterity with my left foot I've started working on a couple of exercises based on Allen's performance on "Confusion". 

I keep the hats open for the duration of a quarter note and move that to the next eighth note every measure.  Search Tony Allen on YouTube and you will learn that the "bounce" of Afro-beat comes from the hats closing on the "&" of every beat.  With a little finesse  you can really keep the hats pulsating even on the downbeats!

Here a bit faster and with more of a musical context as every other measure features the open hi-hat.

Allen uses an eighth note opening on the hats with more regularity.  I will try and update with more exercises as I transcribe more of Tony Allen's playing and see what he is doing.  For now experiment by adding accents and sixteenth notes to the hat voicing.

Enjoy!

Zach Hill - Biblical Violence (:16)

Here are four measures of my transcription of Biblical Violence at approximately (:16).  

This pattern is heavily weighted at the beginning of each phrase with a flurry of single foot bass drum hits and shifts to the hi-hat which creates an rhythmically elastic effect echoed by the guitar.

The pattern is fairly repititious with the main accent switching voices every measure.  My favorite part about this pattern is the hats closing on beat 5.  This really propells the beat and sets up the main accent that cycles through ride, snare, cracked cymbal, and tom.

Enjoy!

Zach Hill - Biblical Violence (:13)

Until I can finish a video tutorial on the bass drum technique... try this...  I use a variation of the heel toe technique to get the doubles.  When played fast the heel has no time to go all the way down so I utilize my leg weight to get a solid second stroke.  Anticipating the second stroke, I lift my knee and  play the first stroke with my toe.

Enjoy!

Chris Pennie Hollywood Squares (2:30)

Here is  a longer solo section from Hollywood Squares performed by The Dillinger Escape Plan with Mike Patton.

So many cool things here.

There are few places where two limbs play simultaneously but I consider this a nice example of linear drumming. 

Chris Pennie has a ferocious technique and a creative approach to voicing rudiments around the drums.

Here is a 5 stroke roll with the bass drum added to create a cool motive that he repeats throughout the section...

Then there's this...

Pennie breaks up the sextuplet flow by starting in the middle of the phrase...that is why there are three 16th notes on either side of the measure.  The 32nd note diddles fit aided by dropping a 16th note on the bass drum...that is why there are only five bass drums in a row.  Incredibly difficult to say the least...

Enjoy!

Zach Hill - Biblical Violence (1:08)

This example begins with a flam snare/bass sextuplet that forcefully grabs your attention.  It also has an awesome "call and response" phrasing that utilizes Zach Hill trademark bass drum patterns and a quick left hand. Very challenging to play up to tempo but full of ideas to incorporate into your playing. 

Enjoy!