Check out the article above, “Dealing with Song Forms: Tips for Drummers” from the Learn Jazz Standards website. It is great advice for drummers on how to reinforce the song form while drumming.

Have you ever wondered why “Song Rhythm Tracks” and not just “Rhythm Tracks“?

It’s because the drumming should always outline the form of the song you are playing.  That’s fundamentally the role of the drummer or the rhythm track if you play without a drummer.  The article above, about tutoring drummers, explains this very well.

Always play in “song form”

You shouldn’t be using a rhythm track that doesn’t outline the form of the song because, if you do, that then counteracts the form and defeats the music you are trying to play.  This can be subtle, mainly if you haven’t considered it before.  New musicians often haven’t and wrongly believe that any metronomic sound or groove will do.  They miss out terribly, and not having the songform outlined will hamper your progress.

Always enjoy great song accompaniment, easily

Once you have an ear for the form outlined by the drumming, you will find it hard to play along to any drumming that does not outline the structure correctly.  If you do, it is as if you are playing one tune, and the rhythm track is playing another song.   When you play with a correctly matched rhythm track, it is a marvellous experience.  You and the drummer are “in sync”, and where you are in the form keeps getting reinforced.   This is particularly true when you are improvising.  You want every help you can get to keep you in the form; you don’t want a drummer, or a rhythm track, sending you false messages.  Always, always practice with Song Rhythm Tracks.  Now that they are so convenient, super simple to set up, sound great and easy to manage, there’s no reason not to anymore.