Buddy Rich at Half Speed: Boston Pops solo, 15 May 1981
Thanks to rhythmstick for providing me with the Windows Media files of this performance.Buddy sets the tempo of the opening portion of his tempo at around 167 beats per minute, and begins it with a one handed roll of eighth note triplets that runs until the :08 mark. At 167 beats per minute, eighth note triplets clock in at a bit over 8.33 notes per second. Buddy follows up with ashort two handed roll of sixteenth note triplets, then launches an accents- and syncopations-heavy buzz roll that runs from :13 to the 2:35 mark.
Much of what follows is too hampered by the shoddy audio quality of the video to properly analyze, but some areas of Buddy's solo lend themselves to relatively easy analysis.
Buddy's left hand roll workout, which starts on the snare drum at 3:23 then alternates among the snare, mounted tom, and floor tom at 3:37, is largely composed of two, three, and four note groupings of sixteenth notes at 204 beats per minute. At this tempo, sixteenth notes clock in at 13.6 notes per second. In addition to the great speed of this sixteenth notes workout, Buddy executes it consumate accenting and syncopating technique.
The one handed roll showcase ends at 3:43, and is followd by a miscellany of phrases that is dominated by thirty secondth notes and includes, at 4:03, an acrobatic, six note figure that is played RRRLLL on the snare. Buddy restates this figure between 4:10 and 4:13, playing it three and a half times, for a total 21 notes. This is consistent with sixteenth notes played for approximately 1.5 seconds at 204 beats per minute.
As forBuddy's finale roll -- I have no idea what it is. I've gone over it many, many times and have finally decided that I can't make heads or tails of it. Drummerworld.com says it's nothing more than sixteenth notes at 204 beats per minute, which puts no more than 6.8 notes per second in each of Buddy's hands. I have no idea if that's accurate. Sometimes, Buddy's fastest in the finale roll sounds like sixteenth note triplets around 205, 226, 240 (and above) -- which puts 10.25, 11.33, and 12 (and above) notes per second in each of his hands -- which lines up well with the smaller rolls, and one handed rolls he does elsewhere in his solos, but, like I said, I can't make heads or tails of his finale roll. I just don't know.
Outstanding Job Richcapo! I could watch this forever at that speed. that left hand is a machine gun. Amazing! Thank You!!
PeterVonRock(September 26, 2008 at 2:01 pm)
Look at the guy behind Rich's right shoulder. He thinks like - Oh NO....here he goes again.:-D
cadaverr(September 24, 2008 at 3:37 pm)
You're identifying repetitive patterns (which is AWESOME). It can reveal considerable chuncks of Buddy's percussive mind. Thanks! :]
cadaverr(September 24, 2008 at 3:37 pm)
capo, concerning your quotation from the drummerworld site, that must be a joke (from them). The minimum amount of notes I can accept from his slower grand finales is 16 (8 per hand). Drummerworld seems to make no sense at this time and age. That can only be an unprecise speculation rather than objective observation. It definitely doesn't sound that low. Your sort of notation towards this solo was nothing short of amazing.
cmans79tr7(September 21, 2008 at 2:03 am)
Fast and furious at half-speed! Remeniscient of thunder and lightning! One of the most awesome videos I have seen. Thanks for posting.
Juliocyp(September 20, 2008 at 2:27 pm)
Thanks for the video!
cadaverr(September 16, 2008 at 2:20 pm)
Contrary to other one-handed roll executions, Buddy controls every movement of that stick. Thats why it sounds so damn convincing. It sounds like a two-handed roll through the kit, because it means something in a musical context. It IS accented and musicality can be found in its execution.
rhythmstick(August 28, 2008 at 2:16 am)
Wow, great job richcapo! Half speed! Incredible. Thanks man!
OldSchoolDrummer101(August 27, 2008 at 5:15 am)
thank you for this add, iv always wanted to see this half speed!!!!
