beatin_it
December 6th, 2005, 10:55 PM
I've used this for 30+ years, but I've never seen anyone else do it. I'm sure someone else must have thought of doing the same thing.
I simply position my hi hat slightly overlapping the snare. When I need to play a cowbell, tamborine, or other part at the same time as the drumset, while using my right hand to play the extra part, I use my left hand to play the hi hat and the snare. On strokes that require both a hihat and snare hit, I slice through the edge of the hihat, hitting the snare with the same stroke. It takes a bit of practice hitting both the hihat and snare with the right slice, angle, and power to get the correct sound and volume from both. But once you get used to it, you have an extra hand to do whatever you want - play another instrument (even a keyboard), throw something at the bass player for not paying attention, wave at the pretty girl in the front row giving you the eye, or even scratch that itch that's been driving you nuts since the song started.
A few helpful hints: Keep the hat positioned slightly over the snare, set as low and close to the snare as is comfortable. That way there is only a slight time difference between the hihat and snare hits. Too far apart and the time difference between the hit on the hats and snare gets too noticable. Do it right in a live stage situation, and the time difference isn't even noticable.
Due to the time difference in hihat and snare hits, this is not something you want to do in the studio. However, in the studio, if you want to add an extra part, you just add another track. But, to add an extra track on stage, without having to train the singer, horn player, or soundman to play it.........priceless!
Give it a try. It's a lot easier than growing a new arm, but just as usefull.
I simply position my hi hat slightly overlapping the snare. When I need to play a cowbell, tamborine, or other part at the same time as the drumset, while using my right hand to play the extra part, I use my left hand to play the hi hat and the snare. On strokes that require both a hihat and snare hit, I slice through the edge of the hihat, hitting the snare with the same stroke. It takes a bit of practice hitting both the hihat and snare with the right slice, angle, and power to get the correct sound and volume from both. But once you get used to it, you have an extra hand to do whatever you want - play another instrument (even a keyboard), throw something at the bass player for not paying attention, wave at the pretty girl in the front row giving you the eye, or even scratch that itch that's been driving you nuts since the song started.
A few helpful hints: Keep the hat positioned slightly over the snare, set as low and close to the snare as is comfortable. That way there is only a slight time difference between the hihat and snare hits. Too far apart and the time difference between the hit on the hats and snare gets too noticable. Do it right in a live stage situation, and the time difference isn't even noticable.
Due to the time difference in hihat and snare hits, this is not something you want to do in the studio. However, in the studio, if you want to add an extra part, you just add another track. But, to add an extra track on stage, without having to train the singer, horn player, or soundman to play it.........priceless!
Give it a try. It's a lot easier than growing a new arm, but just as usefull.