How to best practice drum slides

[Austin]

Me and my teacher are getting close to the end of Bradbury part one on to the gauchos gallopade nearly, I'm looking a bit ahead but I want to know what's the best way to practice getting your drum slides in time?

[Joel Hooks]

Hi Austin,

I've watched your videos where you are using "drum slides" and you seem to be interpreting the method different than I have.  

I believe that a "drum slide" is the same as a "rasp" or Rasgueado.  There are a TON of videos teaching this for Spanish guitar and the method for banjo is exactly the same.  I recommend you watch some of those to understand the technique better

[IAN SALTER]

Hi Austin,

I still think that you should be concentrating on the foundational elements, rather than looking ahead.

[Joel Hooks]

I’ll add that for most music, including Bradbury, marked “D.S.” or “drum strike” or “rasp” or “strike” or any other way it is noted, they only want you to use a Rasgueado and the initial thumb hitting the strings will not be used.

That thumb hit then rasp thing seems to have been abandoned at some point.  The music will tell you if it is used.

In the case of Bradbury, the “D.S.” is only the Rasgueado or rasp, no thumb hit.

[Austin]

I'm nearly to it anyway. Like literally it's the next after bar work

IAN SALTER said:

Hi Austin,

I still think that you should be concentrating on the foundational elements, rather than looking ahead.

[Austin]

The gauchos gallopade is right after what I'm working on now

Austin said:

I'm nearly to it anyway. Like literally it's the next after bar work

IAN SALTER said:

Hi Austin,

I still think that you should be concentrating on the foundational elements, rather than looking ahead.

[Austin]

I want to say that you just flick the fingers across the strings but that can't be right. That's got to be a modern invention rather than a historical one just due to the fact that hardly anyone came in contact with flamenco back in the day afaik, at least enough to truly imitate its technique.

Joel Hooks said:

Hi Austin,

I've watched your videos where you are using "drum slides" and you seem to be interpreting the method different than I have.  

I believe that a "drum slide" is the same as a "rasp" or Rasgueado.  There are a TON of videos teaching this for Spanish guitar and the method for banjo is exactly the same.  I recommend you watch some of those to understand the technique better

[Jody Stecher]

England was well in touch with Spanish guitar playing in the early 20th century. Just pick a random copy of BMG magazine and have a look and see for yourself.  And Flamenco music happens to use the rasp technique but it is but one type of guitar music from Spain. And the technique of flicking the fingers was never confined only to Spain. 
Austin said:

I want to say that you just flick the fingers across the strings but that can't be right. That's got to be a modern invention rather than a historical one just due to the fact that hardly anyone came in contact with flamenco back in the day afaik, at least enough to truly imitate its technique.

Joel Hooks said:

Hi Austin,

I've watched your videos where you are using "drum slides" and you seem to be interpreting the method different than I have.  

I believe that a "drum slide" is the same as a "rasp" or Rasgueado.  There are a TON of videos teaching this for Spanish guitar and the method for banjo is exactly the same.  I recommend you watch some of those to understand the technique better

[Austin]

I agree that Britain probably had contact with that tradition potentially, but I'm talking about the early American School of banjo playing. Guess I just didn't think enough about Britain.

Jody Stecher said:

England was well in touch with Spanish guitar playing in the early 20th century. Just pick a random copy of BMG magazine and have a look and see for yourself.  And Flamenco music happens to use the rasp technique but it is but one type of guitar music from Spain. And the technique of flicking the fingers was never confined only to Spain. 
Austin said:

I want to say that you just flick the fingers across the strings but that can't be right. That's got to be a modern invention rather than a historical one just due to the fact that hardly anyone came in contact with flamenco back in the day afaik, at least enough to truly imitate its technique.

Joel Hooks said:

Hi Austin,

I've watched your videos where you are using "drum slides" and you seem to be interpreting the method different than I have.  

I believe that a "drum slide" is the same as a "rasp" or Rasgueado.  There are a TON of videos teaching this for Spanish guitar and the method for banjo is exactly the same.  I recommend you watch some of those to understand the technique better

[Austin]

It says to strike with the ball of the thumb near the bridge. How exactly is that executed? 

[Joel Hooks]

Let's focus on Bradbury since that is your current lesson.  With Bradbury (and pretty much all other music outside of a few SSS publications) "D. S." is as simple as flicking out the fingers over the strings, in order of pinky to index.  

I think I might have confused you by recommending you watch Spanish guitar videos. But the fact of the matter is that much of classic banjo comes from the Spanish guitar, and many classic banjoists were also accomplished guitarists in the school of Carcassi and Carulli.  "Flamenco" has nothing to do with it. 

Read the description on the bottom of the page for Galloping Gallopades.  Also, the description at the bottom of "The Old Timer" from the 1927 book (which is pretty much the same piece of music). 

That said, it is your banjo, so interpret however you want, and play it however you want. 

[Jody Stecher]

What Joel has written here is precisely exactly so. Much of classic banjo technique is derived from Spanish guitar. The world of Flamenco guitar is a subculture that happens to be in Spain.. The several things that are meant by "Spanish guitar" are each something different. It means a guitar that is not set up to be what is called a Hawaiian guitar. It means a guitar built in Spain. It means a guitar built anywhere constructed along the lines of the great luthiers of Spain. And it especially means the compositions of Spanish composers such as Sor. Tarrega, and Albeniz and the techniques used to play this music.  Again, this is not Flamenco. 

This music was just as well known in North America as in the UK. I mentioned UK because the BMG magazines are viewable on this website. 

Finally, the complete and precise directions for playing a drum slide are found at the bottom of page 23 of the old Bradbury banjo method which has kindly been posted here by Joel.  That is what is meant. That is what it is. It is not whatever mysterious difficult anomaly you seem to wish it to be, Austin. 

Joel Hooks said:

Let's focus on Bradbury since that is your current lesson.  With Bradbury (and pretty much all other music outside of a few SSS publications) "D. S." is as simple as flicking out the fingers over the strings, in order of pinky to index.  

I think I might have confused you by recommending you watch Spanish guitar videos. But the fact of the matter is that much of classic banjo comes from the Spanish guitar, and many classic banjoists were also accomplished guitarists in the school of Carcassi and Carulli.  "Flamenco" has nothing to do with it. 

Read the description on the bottom of the page for Galloping Gallopades.  Also, the description at the bottom of "The Old Timer" from the 1927 book (which is pretty much the same piece of music). 

That said, it is your banjo, so interpret however you want, and play it however you want. 

[Austin]

I never said it was an anomaly, sorry if it came across that way. I just remember someone who is very well read on the subject of Spanish guitar say that the first written instruction for dedillo tremolo came from a banjo tutor. SS Stewart's I believe. (Probably wrong about which tutor it actually came from) I was just thinking maybe the Drum slide, similarly, was just a Rasguedo or similar idea to a rasguedo that came directly from the mind of a banjoist without outside influence. I think Spanish Guitar/Classical Guitar adopted the Rasguedo from Flamenco, but don't quote me on that.    

Jody Stecher said:

What Joel has written here is precisely exactly so. Much of classic banjo technique is derived from Spanish guitar. The world of Flamenco guitar is a subculture that happens to be in Spain.. The several things that are meant by "Spanish guitar" are each something different. It means a guitar that is not set up to be what is called a Hawaiian guitar. It means a guitar built in Spain. It means a guitar built anywhere constructed along the lines of the great luthiers of Spain. And it especially means the compositions of Spanish composers such as Sor. Tarrega, and Albeniz and the techniques used to play this music.  Again, this is not Flamenco. 

This music was just as well known in North America as in the UK. I mentioned UK because the BMG magazines are viewable on this website. 

Finally, the complete and precise directions for playing a drum slide are found at the bottom of page 23 of the old Bradbury banjo method which has kindly been posted here by Joel.  That is what is meant. That is what it is. It is not whatever mysterious difficult anomaly you seem to wish it to be, Austin. 

Joel Hooks said:

Let's focus on Bradbury since that is your current lesson.  With Bradbury (and pretty much all other music outside of a few SSS publications) "D. S." is as simple as flicking out the fingers over the strings, in order of pinky to index.  

I think I might have confused you by recommending you watch Spanish guitar videos. But the fact of the matter is that much of classic banjo comes from the Spanish guitar, and many classic banjoists were also accomplished guitarists in the school of Carcassi and Carulli.  "Flamenco" has nothing to do with it. 

Read the description on the bottom of the page for Galloping Gallopades.  Also, the description at the bottom of "The Old Timer" from the 1927 book (which is pretty much the same piece of music). 

That said, it is your banjo, so interpret however you want, and play it however you want.