Re: Ways To Use "Syncopation"
Instead of only teaching jazz swing on ride, with hi-hat on 2+4, try the following
Straight 1/8's ride, hi-hat on 2+4
Straight 1/8's ride, hi-hat on all four 1/4's, in unison with the bass.
Same, but hi-hat this time on all offbeats, so feet are alternating RLRL underneath a steady ride, whilst they still read the snare parts. This also helps with "newbies at double-pedal".
And if you have a double pedal, suggest doing the bass drum on pages 4-5 also with only the left foot on the double pedal.
And only if you feel the students might be up for it, introduce playing the ride with the left hand, whilst the snare is then played with the right. But they might be a bit more game to try it once they've found their balance on the set. I do get good results with this though.
As far as triplet based patterns are concerned with the right hand, instead of just using a jazz-ride pattern (which is still valid), you should also get them to try blues triplet (the full triplet) and the shuffle triplet. In fact, I do this before I introduce the jazz ride pattern. They then get to see that the triplet is the foundation for all three types of patterns....blues uses the full triplet (usually), shuffles you eliminate the middle note partial, then the standard jazz pattern eliminates 2 more triplet-partial notes from the previous shuffles.
....Just my 2 cents worth!
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