13 - Ghost Notes

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Written by Henrik

Ghost Notes

Ghost notes (= really soft snare notes) are really efficient tool to use when you want a "funkier" groove or to make a groove feel more "alive".
These can be used in all styles of drumming.

Play soft tap- or up- strokes (see lesson 9) on snare drum to fill out some of the rests in the beat. You fill your drum part with more "rhythmic information" without changing the rhythmic structure (the "sceleton" if you wish) of the beat.

How does it sound, then?

Listen to this beat. The first bars are played without ghost notes. The following bars will have some ghost note variations:

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To find the right sound (= velocity) for the ghost notes, try to get the snare to sound like a closed hihat. You want the attack but not the sustain (note) from the drum head.  

 

Listen to anternating notes on hihat and ghost on snare:

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Excercises

Start with a simple beat. Then add ghost notes on various subdivisions.

Beat 1

Basic beat (without ghosting):

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Variations

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Beat 2

Basic beat (without ghosting):

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Variations

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And finally a more complex beat:

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Good luck!