ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC

ROCK ’N’ JAZZ CLINIC

Path Orchestration
A Unique Method for Developing Fills ONLINE LESSON
by Jost Nickel moderndrummer.com

This workshop explores a voicing idea that I call path Let’s start by incorporating path orchestration with the right
orchestration, which is a method that I mainly use to come up hand only. The left hand is left out of the following example to
with interesting fills. provide a clearer view of the right hand’s path throughout the
When you play fills, the subdivision you choose is crucial phrase.

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and is usually the first decision you make, either consciously or

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not. In addition to a song’s tempo, the subdivision determines

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÷ 43 œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ ≈ œ œ ≈ œ
whether a fill will sound slow or fast. If you want to play a fast
figure at 120 bpm, you might choose a subdivision of 16th-note
triplets. Likewise, if you want to play a fast fill at 80 bpm, you
might choose 32nd notes instead.
The second thing to consider when playing fills is what you
actually play in that subdivision. Are you using a certain figure Right-hand movement
that results in a repetitive rhythmic phrase? Again, this may or
may not be a conscious decision.
This workshop explores an approach to a 16th-note fill. The
three-note figure we’ll use is simple, repetitive, and effective,
and it consists of a right-hand stroke, a left-hand stroke, and a
bass drum stroke. Because the figure is three notes long, there’s
an underlying polyrhythmic feel.
Let’s play the figure for one measure with both hands on the
snare. Play three bars of groove and then Exercise 1 as a fill.

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÷ 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Next play the three-note phrase as a two-bar fill. This
grouping continues throughout both measures. Play two bars of
groove followed by Exercise 2 as your fill.
Because the right hand plays four different voices, the
orchestration repeats itself after four rounds through the three-
note grouping.
Here’s an exercise to get you comfortable with the right hand’s
path. We’ll play the repeated right-hand, left-hand, and right-foot
phrase, and the right hand will alternate between the snare, floor
tom, ride, and rack tom while the left hand stays on the snare.

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÷ 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ >> >> >> >> >> >
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÷ 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
> > > > > > > > > > >
÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ > > > > > > > > > > >
‹ œ œ œ œ œ ‹ œ
÷œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ
Once you’re comfortable playing that figure, you can start
making the fill more musical by changing its voicing or by
adding dynamics. Now let’s orchestrate the left hand. This voicing repeats after
Let’s focus on orchestration. With path orchestration, you three cycles as the left hand plays the snare, hi-hat, and rack tom.

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utilize a predetermined path on the drumset, and each hand

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plays different sets of instruments. For example, the right hand

‹ œ
÷ 42 ≈ œ
plays a path between four voices: snare, floor tom, ride, and rack
tom. The left hand plays a different path between three voices:
snare, hi-hat, and rack tom. The three-note grouping (right œ ≈ œ ≈
hand, left hand, and bass drum) remains unchanged.

60 Modern Drummer February 2019

Left-hand movement To review, remember to consider the following when
playing fills:
• What subdivision should I use?
• What rhythmic concepts am I using within that subdivision?
• How can I change the sound of that fill with orchestration?
• How can I change the sound of that fill with dynamics?

Visit moderndrummer.com for a video demonstration of

Exercise 7 at two different tempos. And for more fill concepts
and ideas, check out my new book, Jost Nickel’s Fill Book.

Here’s a preliminary exercise to get you comfortable with the

left hand’s path. Play the three-note grouping over two measures, Jost Nickel is a top session and
in which the left hand alternates between snare, hi-hat, and rack touring drummer in Germany, as
well as an international clinician
tom while the right hand stays on the snare.
and author who endorses Sonor,

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‹ œ œ œ œ ‹
÷œ œ œ œ
œ
œ
œ
œ œ œ
Now play both together in a two-bar fill. Try to memorize the fill
and play it by heart. Let the various paths of your hands around
the set really sink in. Theoretically, the orchestration repeats
itself after you’ve played the three-note grouping twelve times.
However, there’s not enough room for that cycle in a two-bar fill.
Here’s the full phrase.

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Path orchestration can, of course, be transferred to other fills

of your choosing. Keep in mind, though, that the concept sounds
best when the hands play single strokes exclusively.

February 2019 Modern Drummer 61