Memorizing rudimental pieces

[Church Drummer]

I've been playing rudimental bass with a small group of ex drumcorps guys, and we're going up to Hamilton Ont. for a Drumming event being held there next week-end. We've got a half dozen rudimental pieces that we are playing, and although I can play most of them fairly proficiently I'm having the worst time trying to memorize a couple of them. One of the ones that I'm having the hardest time memorizing is Crazy Army (a piece Steve Gadd plays often). Each line and section is a little different, there are no repeated sections like in the other pieces. It's just really kicking my but. Must be old age it just takes me forever to memorize stuff these days. Any one have any memorization tricks that want to lay on me, other than playing each phrase over and over until I get it down.

[drummer]

Could you maybe pinpoint how the sections are different? If you can define that, maybe it will help you remember which goes where.

[pastor_bob]

Definitely don't see the piece as a whole. It's much easier to memorize smaller pieces, so find a way to break it into pieces. Is there any way to memorize 4 or 8 measures at a time? You have to remember something for 5-7 minutes to get it into long term memory, so keep it small and keep going through the small piece for about 10 minutes, then get up and come back to do it again. Repeat this with each piece of the whole and after you've got several of them memorized start adding the parts together - adding one piece at a time. Just a suggestion.

[fiacovaz]

The only suggestion I have for you is to associate each section of the drum score with the melodic line of the tune itself. BTW, I grew up in the southern tier region...Binghamton, NY...and played with drums corps out of there in the early to mid '60's. To this day, any time I hear "The Start of Something Big" I swear I can still play the snare drum part.

[Ch33zz]

Oh man, Crazy army, good stuff, AKA the introduction to Electric wheelchair. It shouldnt be to bad, I listened to electric wheelchair 500000 times though, so I know it.

The best thing I do is start playing it, over, and over,and over, and over, you get the idea, and eventually it turns into such a flow that I play up to a certan point, then need my music again. Go from that area, and see how far you can go, and repeat. Then I start hooking things together.

Thats my technique at least.

[bassist learning drums]

Try taking each rudiment by itself. Play it slowly. Learn the sound of it. Once you get it down you will find it easier to remember.

[ratmycue]

I got drum tab for steve gadds crazy army, its not original score but its pretty good , let me know if ya want it.
As for memorizing the entire piece whoa, can be done I guess at least ya can get it close, I would approach it in typical fashion and think of it as 8 to 16 bar phrases. good luck buddy.

[RHD03]

Wow...good stuff! I wish I had something more creative to say, but repetition has always worked best for me. Good luck with it!

[Church Drummer]

The only suggestion I have for you is to associate each section of the drum score with the melodic line of the tune itself. BTW, I grew up in the southern tier region...Binghamton, NY...and played with drums corps out of there in the early to mid '60's. To this day, any time I hear "The Start of Something Big" I swear I can still play the snare drum part.

What Corps did you play with, I was with the Greece Cadets from Greece NY, but in the early 70s. I familiar with most of the corps from the area back then. Later on in the 70s I played with the Crusaders Sr. Corp.

[fiacovaz]

Church Drummer
Senior Member (Respected Chatter) Join Date: May 2007
Location: Rochester NY
Posts: 569

Re: Memorizing rudimental pieces

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Quote:
Originally Posted by fiacovaz
The only suggestion I have for you is to associate each section of the drum score with the melodic line of the tune itself. BTW, I grew up in the southern tier region...Binghamton, NY...and played with drums corps out of there in the early to mid '60's. To this day, any time I hear "The Start of Something Big" I swear I can still play the snare drum part.

What Corps did you play with, I was with the Greece Cadets from Greece NY, but in the early 70s. I familiar with most of the corps from the area back then. Later on in the 70s I played with the Crusaders Sr. Corp.
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It was in the early 1960's that I played with The Vagabonds SR. Drum and Bugle corps. In 1965, I believe, they merged with the White Knight Challengers from Owego, NY and the newly merged corps became the Southern Tiersmen. Brad Berger was drumline instructor and a fabulous teacher.

[ratmycue]

Quote:
Originally Posted by fiacovaz

It was in the early 1960's that I played with The Vagabonds SR. Drum and Bugle corps.


wowsa I was not even an embryo then!!!!!!!!
In 1965, I believe, Oh man , I woulda been 2 years old!!

[dclauder]

Try using a tape recorder (either tape or digital) strapped to you or your drum. Sounds simple, but this worked great for me for years at UO. People could never figure out how I had the parts down by the next day... (sat up all night memorizing). Works best if you import the audio into a computer and you slide through the audio file to repeat the tough parts.

Hope this helps!

Dave

[Larrysperf]

What Corps did you play with, I was with the Greece Cadets from Greece NY, but in the early 70s. I familiar with most of the corps from the area back then. Later on in the 70s I played with the Crusaders Sr. Corp.

Hey best ribs are in Greese NY just cant remeber the name billy bobs somthing like that

[Church Drummer]

Hey best ribs are in Greese NY just cant remeber the name billy bobs somthing like that

There is a good Rib place here in Greece Place called Famous Dave's, but there is one in downtown Rochester Called the Dinasour Barbeque that I like better.

[bassist learning drums]

There is a good Rib place here in Greece Place called Famous Dave's, but there is one in downtown Rochester Called the Dinasour Barbeque that I like better.

Love the Dinosaur BBQ. They have one in Syracuse! I have been to Greece,NY

[Jdubbs]

The OP has to be talking about the CADRE Shake. Wish I could have gone. I know several of those guys.

Crazy Army has become pretty much a standard among F&D players. Just keep playing it over and over. It is only 32 bars total (8 and 8 each repeated). It is a nice groove made fairly famous by Gadd. I was surfing some Swiss F&D site and heard them playing it to some tune I didn't recognize.

JW

[Church Drummer]

The OP has to be talking about the CADRE Shake. Wish I could have gone. I know several of those guys.

Crazy Army has become pretty much a standard among F&D players. Just keep playing it over and over. It is only 32 bars total (8 and 8 each repeated). It is a nice groove made fairly famous by Gadd. I was surfing some Swiss F&D site and heard them playing it to some tune I didn't recognize.

JW

It was the Cadre Shake that I went to, my first time this year, it was a lot of fun. I looking forward to going to the one coming up in Gettysburg, and going back to the Care Shake next year.

[Jdubbs]

Drummer,
Are you talking about GAS in Gettysburg this Spring?

[Church Drummer]

Drummer,
Are you talking about GAS in Gettysburg this Spring?

That's the one!!