What's the deal with Rimshots and Bells.

Stickman

New member
I've seen many Jazz players performing rimshots and bellshots(?).

What's the use of rimshots and is there any technique to it?
 
u mean stick shots? when u hit the stick against another stick thts pressed into the snare skin?

thts used for a rimshot tht softer in sound, not so loud. more woody.

bell shot i have no idea wat u mean. everyone does tht
 
Rimshot is to get the certain SOund (usually louder) and yes there are certain Techniques to it - important thing is that they sound consistent in loudness when we hit it.

A single Rim-Shot is easier (but still need practice if you are a beginner in expediting it), but it becomes more difficult when a drummer have to incorporate both Ghosting & Accenting On Rim-Shot altogether eg..in 16th Note Exercises.....cause Ghosting have to be soft and smooth ...so must the accent sound good.....Usually Drummers will do the Rim-Shot not exactly at the centre of the snare when doing this kind of exercise - as it sound better especially when speed comes into play here also....Not easy.

ACtually I think it's a personal taste - some drummers love to use Rim-Shots very often...and Some Drummers Don't actually...both sound good.

Bro Jamella: Do join us in our this comming 27th Soft's Drum Xchange Meetup - - - many will help you out there...see u.
 
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u mean stick shots? when u hit the stick against another stick thts pressed into the snare skin?

thts used for a rimshot tht softer in sound, not so loud. more woody.

bell shot i have no idea wat u mean. everyone does tht


Ok maybe not bell-shots but err.. basically a lot of cymbal-bell hitting.

I've tried to Rim shot but i find it hard to hit the rim and snare simultaneously

And what's the difference between rim shots on an aluminium snare (e.g my tama snare) or on a wood-cased snare?

To me, I see rim shots as a alternative of accenting instead of just accenting without the rim shot on the snare.... am i making any sense :???:

RD: Haha i'll try okay. And if i come i'll most likely come with Myner (If he can go that is) . He's having his O's this year though so im not quite sure :neutral:


WHOOPSY. I think this is supposed to be in the "How-to" section, My bad.
 
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everyone does rimshots and bell shots or whatever u call it man...

there's a technique to it... err usually jazz players don't do rimshots as their music genre is more on the softer side...

u can hear rimshots on RNB music, hiphop music and such... - me thinks.
 
hey man, ur not wrong in using rim shots as accents. there is no wrong really, it really depends on the sound ur going for. my advice wld be learn to do both, there is no one way in doing anything concerning art.

more options are always a gd thing, it'll make u more versatile as well. joe morello's master studies is a gd book to get ur hands in shape.

with bell accents try accenting every quater note of the bar then move to just 2 n 4. after that accent all 8th notes, then accent all Ns. play everything else soft at P if u know wat that is.

the thing with bell accents is tht if u do them u have to keep them constant, steady and through out the section ur doing (subjective). the thing is tht the loud cutting bell sound will take over the groove as the main rhythmic element ( wat ur band members will be hearing and grooving too)

hope this helps
 
rimshotting is mostly for accenting... but then for me i rimshot almost all the time if playing live for the sound. it sounds meatier and louder, rather than just hitting the snare along with the tip of the stick.

of course when you need to ghost don't rimshot lar :P

yeah if u rimshot near to the edges of the snare, you get a way different sound from rimshotting dead center. check out some funk drummers playing on youtube.. a lot of them rimshot near the sides for the ringy twangy snare sound. very nice when used properly.

uh playing on the bell of the cymbal's just a different sound. it injects variety into your playing, and sounds great if you play offbeat accents on it.
 
urgh, okie i'm not a fan of tht twangy sound. i can see where ur coming from though, it really depends. if its a straight 16th note grooving funk i think dead center wld sound alot better. if it was a loose New Orleans half swung 8ths then yesss to the side wld sound nice. cause it very much in the genre, i reckon both cld work but i haven't heard many drummer do a Tower of Power type funk with tht twangy sound.

if u listen to galactic with stanton moore and johnny vidacovich play, they do hit the backbeat off center. steve jordan does it as well and he sounds awesome.

so it really in wat context, not as general as u might.
 
power power power... go seek ExRocker for his opinion...

anyway.. my take is very simple... rim shots give a very sharp cutting sound when you need the power to drive the band forward... more frequently used in rock...
 
To me - Jazz Drummers also use Rim-Shots (I've seen Tama Goh do it at Regent) to give that certain Dynamic once in a While...it's beautiful.

I've seen Tony Zee done his Rim-Shot plus Ghosting (all single stroke) and it sounded so even (both Ghost Notes & Accent Notes on Rim) at a very very fast speed....that's what makes it nice...There is a Technique to it - It's really hard to do this at Tremedous speed (sounding consistent for both ghost & Accent on the snare)....In fact I called Tony yesterday inviting him to our Drum Xchange this 27th (but he cannot confirmed as yet- as he teaches at Swee Lee Music every Saturday).......I hope he can come - Then he will explain & show us how he does it.......

I'm not talking about - a single rim shot as in a Groove here.

Cheers !
 
Doing rimshots too often really kills your drumsticks fast.. Or maybe i'm hitting too hard. These Promark Will Kennedy sticks that I've only used for about about 6-7hours of drumming are already half-dead. Chips on the body everywhere and the heads on both sticks have a slice of it gone (one side is now flat).

OT abit but anyone can recommend sticks (around 5A size) that last longer? No oaks please, I find them way too heavy.
 
I will try to post a Video Clip here..Of Tony Doing some Rim-Shot Thing last time when I was learning Drummings from him. It was taken using my HP N73 for Fun-Sake in my ClassRoom......(I ask Tony to just play something Hehehehe Rim-Shot Single Stroke here..)


The tang...tang..tang sound is Rim-Shot lah !

 
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sticks won't die that fast while doing rim shots, depends on your technique, sticks and rims too.

i can use a vater 7a for about a month before it dies(i do rims very often)
 
First off, i think ur hitting the drum way to hard. revise ur technique if u want to keep on drumming, cause ur hands will start too hurt and by then its alittle too late.

yes i does depend on wat kind of rims, cold rolled steel and triple flanged will not kill ur still too much, die cast however will kill ur sticks and ur hands if u hit them too hard or improperly
 
First off, i think ur hitting the drum way to hard. revise ur technique if u want to keep on drumming, cause ur hands will start too hurt and by then its alittle too late.

yes i does depend on wat kind of rims, cold rolled steel and triple flanged will not kill ur still too much, die cast however will kill ur sticks and ur hands if u hit them too hard or improperly

Abit hard to change. I've been drumming this way for 8 years already.. But i guess I'll have to try..

I'm playing a Tama Rockstar, and if I remember correctly, they are die-cast hoops? I tried using the Zildjian anti-vibe sticks. Can feel less impact but they broke (into half) in about 10 hours of playing.. heart pain (those sticks aren't cheap).
 
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