Tips for playing with brushes?

[samnmax203]

Finally sold my TD-12 kit and got my drum room setup with acoustic kits, but sadly realized I can't practice late into the night anymore. I've been wanting to really put serious time into developing my brush playing, so I've pulled out my Clayton Cameron book and checked out some amazing Ed Soph vids on Youtube to get started. Any resources you guys have used that you could recommend?


Also, I'm left handed so following the brush patterns usually involves me photoshopping them so they look correct to me.

[old_K_ride]

pick up some bill evans cds with paul motian on drums and listen.

[Julián Fernández]

+

http://www.amazon.com/The-Playing-Brush ... B000WPG0WA

[samnmax203]

@Old_K_Ride- thanks! any particular one you'd recommend to start?

@Julián- Awesome video! Those guys are such beasts and look like they're having so much fun. Thanks for bringing up that dvd as well; I completely forgot I left my copy at work!

[DSOP]

As much as I think Clayton Cameron is an amazing brush player, his book was totally useless for me. Best thing is Steve Smith & Adam Nussbaum's DVD with included play-along tracks for a reference, and then just playing brushes and trying to be musical. With brushes, the end result really justifies the means. Everyone plays them differently (as far as motions), so you just gotta go for the sound. Also, that Florian dude has some great videos and maybe even a book or DVD available.

[Matus]

I got everything from John Riley's book for patterns, then watching and listening to great players like Jeff Hamilton or Clayton Cameron and trying to get the sound.
BTW, the Clayton Cameron video is much more useful than his book.

[Morgenthaler]

I'd (re-)visit Adam Nussbaum and Ed Thigpen, who are/were among my favorite brush players.
Spend time really paying attention to the sounds they produce. That makes it much easier to
learn how to produce those kinda sounds yourself.

[Yussuf]

The great thing about brushes is that it makes you focus more on the sound you are producing. Basically any sound and technique is usable. I practised a lot playing brushes on an LP-cover, playing along to Bud Powell "The scene changes" with Art Taylor. It's great.
Nussbaum and Hamilton rule. Philly Joe Jones and Elvin Jones too. "Art of bop drumming" by John Riley has a nice section on brushes.
For pure sound inspiration I'd suggest listening to Paul Motian who was a master at going beyond the normal "spang-a-lang".

[Rhythmatist]

Those Ed Soph vids on youtube are Gold!

I love watching Bill Evans with Eddie Gomez and Marty Morell. I love Morell's brush playing...highly underrated.

[Josiah]

Spend as much time with brushes as you do sticks and it will come.

IMO the thing about brushes is that people spend such a fractional amount of time with them compared to sticks and wonder why the proficiency isn't the same. It's just not a great translation, gotta put the time in.