Very occasional quote of the day: reasons

“Where did the ride cymbal pattern come from? Why does ding-dinga-ding exist? Where did that come from? Why is the hi-hat played on two and four, and not on one and three? Why was the bass drum played on four beats? Why was it played on one and three? And why is it not played either of those ways anymore?

There are reasons for all that. Why did guys start playing drums with single heads? Knowing the reasons for all that is how you find direction in your own playing.”

—Ed Soph, interviewed by Scott K. Fish


Do make Fish's blog a regular stop, if you're not already. He made a major contribution to the literature of drumming as editor of Modern Drummer in the late 70s-early 80s. For a lot of famous players who are now dead, the only place in print where they seriously talk about playing the drums is in that magazine.