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Melodic Drumming in Contemporary Popular Music:
An Investigation into Melodic Drum-Kit
Performance Practices and Repertoire
A project submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the
degree of Master of Arts
Michael Jordan
School of Education
College of Design & Social Context
RMIT University
February 2009
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Declaration by the candidate
I certify that:
• This thesis is entirely my own work
• Due acknowledgement has been made where appropriate
• The work has not been submitted previously, in whole or in part, to qualify for any
other academic award
• The content of the thesis is the result of work which has been carried out since the
official commencement date of the approved research program
Candidate’s signature:
Contents
Acknowledgements
Abstract
Artifacts
1.1 Introduction
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1.2 Rationale
1.3 Melodic drumming
1.4 Key research question
1.5 Methodology
2 Autobiographical context
2.1 Early influences
2.2 Duo performance
2.3 Traditional Irish influences
2.4 Teaching experience
3 Historical context
3.1 Early developments
3.2 Drum-kit instruments
4 Significant contributors to melodic drumming in popular music
4.1 Warren Dodds
4.2 Art Blakey
4.3 Max Roach
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4.4 Tony Williams
4.5 Paul Motion
4.6 Jack De Johnette
5 Rudimental drumming
5.1 Educational context
5.2 Rudimental drumming
5.3 Buddy Rich and rudimental drumming
5.4 drum-kit examination repertoire
6 Time-feel
6.1 The nature of time-feel
6.2 Drum-kit player responses to time-feel
6.3 Time-feel and student drummers
6.4 The grid system
6.5 Drum-kit playing in schools
6.6 Beyond the grid
7 Voicing melody on the drum-kit
7.1 Voicing and tuning
7.2 Early tuning experience in performance
7.3 Tuning and the world music genre
8 Melodic drum-kit performance techniques.
8.1 Thinking melodically
8.2 Mirroring
8.3 Spatial relationships
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9 Harmonic-rhythm
9.1 Internalising melodic and harmonic ideas
9.2 Harmony and rhythmic time-play
10 The role of improvisation in melodic drum-kit performance
10.1 Space and openness
10.2 Being in the moment
10.3 Drum-kit improvisational techniques for melodic drumming
10.4 Cycles, patterns and ostinati
10.5 Punctuation, phrase and riff
10.6 Melody, lyricism and ‘breath’
10.7 Chords, intervals and harmonic structure
10.8 Movement, contours and lines
10.9 Textures, colours and complexity
10.10 Form and style
10.11 Style
10.12 World music
10.13 Electronicfication and digitalisation of musical rhythm
11 Compositions and transcription
11.1 Blue south
11.2 Celtic swing
11.3 Ode to New Orleans
11.4 Cohiba
11.5 Deep listening
11.6 The last ballad
12 Conclusion