Phrases for Chaffee linear patterns: triplets in 3/4

Here is one set of practice phrases for the Gary Chaffee linear patterns, in one or two measures of 3/4, with a triplet rhythm. For the sake of brevity, I've given only the two measure phrases that have a pattern crossing the barline; you can make additional two measure phrases by combining the one measure phrases— it will make sense as you get into it.

You can work on these with just the pdf, the patterns, and the examples below, but you want to get the book this is derived from, Patterns, Vol. 3, by Gary Chaffee.

Get the pdf

Many examples after the break:



If you haven't memorized the patterns, you might want to open the previous post in another tab. Here is the 3/3/3 phrase as triplets, in 3/4:

And 3/6:

And 4/5:

A two measure phrase, 4/3/5/6:

Again, I generally start each pattern with the right hand and alternate, and improvise moving them around the drums. You can improvise a different sticking, or start everything with the left, or whatever else you want to do, of course.

To practice these in context, you can play three measures of time (in this case, a jazz waltz, so swing the 8th notes), plus one measure of Chaffee:

Or two measures time, two measures of Chaffee:

You'll notice going into the repeat that there are three bass drum notes in a row. If you wish, you can work around that by playing the snare drum on 1 instead of the bass:

Or you can put a cymbal with the last bass drum note, tied through beat one::

If you want to go crazy and work on your Jack Dejohnette fast-within-slow thing, you can put the phrases in a 16th note triplet rhythm for use in 6/8 or 12/8, like so:

In context, you might practice it like this: