Melodic Drumming: Beyond the Rhythmic Analogue

Abstract

This thesis investigates the art of melodic drumming in pre-composed and improvisatory musical settings. It considers ways melodic concepts can expand the musical role of the drumset. It considers the artistic and practical implications of including melody in drumset playing, allowing a reciprocal relationship between melody, rhythm and, by implication, harmony. This research is an extension of my own creative practice. The findings described here have enabled me to redefine my role as a drumset practitioner. It explores the historical roots of melodic drumming that pertain specifically to my project. I describe the development of the time-feel concept that led toward more implicit time playing, enabling an autonomous melodic expression for drumset players, focussing on the bebop period of the 1940's onwards, and drummers who looked to expand their musical vocabulary by exploring melodic and harmonic compositional techniques. This thesis outlines an original tuning and performance practice that redefines the musical role of the drumset. Two tuned drumset's were designed for this study. Both were tuned to an original modal system from low to high in a B flat major scale. The drums in both sets were tuned to maximise their timbral application in performance, and to sound at a definite pitch. The custom drumset's support a variety of manipulated drum sounds, strike placement, dynamic variation, note length, of both determinate and indeterminate pitched sounds. Outcomes from this research include scored compositions, studio recordings, collective improvisations and live performance that embody the interpretation of melodic drumming described in this thesis, culminating in the album Aim.